Leena Jo Landmark

Leena Jo Landmark

Texas A&M University, Department of Educational Psychology

4225 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-4225

(979) 458-0403

Education

Ph.D.; Educational Psychology: Special Education; December, 2009 (defended dissertation September 25, 2009)

Texas A&M University—College Station, TX

M.Ed.; Educational Psychology: Low Incidence Disabilities; May, 2003

Texas A&M University—College Station, TX

B.A.; Psychology; May, 1995

Texas A&M University—College Station, TX

Certifications

Principal, Grades EC-12, Standard Texas Educator Certificate

Generic Special Education, Grades PK-12, Lifetime Texas Educator Certificate

Professional Experience

Higher Education

Leena Jo Landmark, Rev. Nov., 2009 - 7 -

Project Director, 2007-Present

Brazos Valley Employment Project (BVEP)

College Station, TX

Project description: The BVEP is an employment initiative designed to assist schools within the Brazos Valley with developing or enhancing work-based learning opportunities for secondary students with disabilities.

Leena Jo Landmark, Rev. Nov., 2009 - 7 -

Project Coordinator, 2006-Present

Disability Training Network (DTN) for the Texas A&M University System

College Station, TX

Project description: The DTN provides evidence-based resources, systematic training, and technical assistance to the faculty, administrators, and staff within the Texas A&M University System in order to improve the access, retention, and success rates of college students with disabilities.

PK-12 Education

Leena Jo Landmark, Rev. Nov., 2009 - 7 -

Principal Intern, 2006-2007

Bryan ISD Special Services and Crockett Elementary School

Bryan, TX

· Analyzed State Developed Alternative Assessment (SDAA) data for Bryan High School students with disabilities and provided a report that included recommendations

· Assisted Crockett Elementary School principal with the development of a resource notebook for staff

Leena Jo Landmark, Rev. Nov., 2009 - 7 -

Special Education Specialist Intern, Summer 2005

Education Service Center VI

Huntsville, TX

· Assisted low incidence specialist and assistive technology specialist with conducting workshops

· Developed Active Learning (Nielsen) workshop materials and presentation for educators of students with severe disabilities

· Visited classrooms and provided recommendations for educating students with severe disabilities

Leena Jo Landmark, Rev. Nov., 2009 - 7 -

Special Education (Learning In Functional Environments/LIFE Skills) Teacher, 1999-2005

Sam Rayburn Middle School

Bryan, TX

· Taught students who had various moderate to severe disabilities including intellectual disabilities, speech and language impairments, autism, learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, orthopedic impairments, other health impairments, visual impairments including blindness, and multiple disabilities

· Designed and implemented functional individualized educational plans

· Consulted with general education teachers, special education teachers, and other instructional and related service providers

· Supervised teaching assistants

· Served as cooperating teacher for three pre-service special education teachers

Leena Jo Landmark, Rev. Nov., 2009 - 7 -

Special Education (Resource LA/Reading/Social Studies) Teacher, 1998-1999

Sam Rayburn Middle School

Bryan, TX

· Taught students who had various mild to moderate disabilities including learning disabilities, speech and language impairments, intellectual disabilities, hearing impairments, and other health impairments

· Designed and implemented individualized education plans

Leena Jo Landmark, Rev. Nov., 2009 - 7 -

Publications

Published

Grenwelge, C., Zhang, D., & Landmark, L. J. (in press). Comprehensive leadership training for youth with disabilities: A new and improved youth leadership forum model. Teaching Exceptional Children.

Zhang, D., Landmark, L. J., Grenwelge, C., Montoya, L., & Gu, X. (in press). Self-determination practices among culturally diverse families: Parental perspectives. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities.

Zhang, D., Landmark, L. J., Reber, A., Hsu, H. Y., Kwok, O., Benz, M. R. (in press). University faculty knowledge, beliefs, and practices in providing adequate services to students with disabilities. Remedial and Special Education.

Katsiyannis, A., Zhang, D., & Landmark, L. J., Reber, A. (2009). Postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities: Legal and practice considerations. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 20(1), 35-45.

Landmark, L. J., Zhang, D. D., & Montoya, L. (2007). Culturally diverse parents’ experiences in their children’s transition: Knowledge and involvement. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 30(2), 68-79.

Landmark, L. J., & Zhang, D. (2006, May/June). Parent practices in facilitating self-determination skills: The influences of culture, socioeconomic status, and children’s special education status. TASH Connections, 32(5/6).

Submitted

Stough, L., Montague, M., Landmark, L. J., & Williams-Diehm, K. (submitted). Classroom management coursework: Do teacher education graduates believe it is effective? Teacher Education and Special Education.

In Progress

Landmark, L. J., Zhang, D., & Ju, S. (in progress). Best practices in transition planning: 20 years later. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals.

Landmark, L. J., Roberts, E., & Zhang, D. (in progress). Educator practices that promote family involvement in the transition process. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals.

Pacha, J., Landmark, L. J., & Zhang, D. (in progress). Structured work experiences and youth with disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation.

Presentations

National / International

Landmark, L. J. (2009, October). Effects of disability & ethnicity on compliance & best practices in transition: A review of IEP documents. Poster presentation at the 15th International Division on Career Development and Transition Conference, Savannah, GA.

Zhang, D., Landmark, L. J., & Ju, S. (2009, October). Implementing universal design in higher education: The faculty learning communities. Poster presentation at the 15th International Division on Career Development and Transition Conference, Savannah, GA.

Pacha, J., Landmark, L. J., & Zhang, D. (2009, April). Development of employability skills through different models of work-based learning. Presentation at the annual meeting of the Council for Exceptional Children, Seattle, WA.

Landmark, L. J., & Pacha, J. (2009, April). Dazed and confused? Promising, best, effective, and substantiated practices for transition planning. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Council for Exceptional Children, Seattle, WA.

Zhang, D., Pacha, J., Landmark, L. J., Hollis, A., & Dudley, C. (2008, October). Providing work-based learning opportunities to students through university-school partnerships. Presentation at the Division on Career Development and Transition Regional Conference, Milwaukee, WI.

Grenwelge, C., Landmark, L. J., & Zhang, D. (2008, April). Texas youth leadership forum: The new and improved model. Presentation at the annual meeting of the Council for Exceptional Children, Boston, MA.

Landmark, L. J., & Zhang, D. (2007, November). Practices and predictors of the use of accommodations by university faculty to support college students with disabilities. Poster presentation at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) Annual Meeting and Conference, Washington DC.

Zhang, D., & Landmark, L. J. (2007, October). Self-determination practices among culturally diverse families. Presentation at the 14th International Division on Career Development and Transition Conference, Orlando, FL.

Landmark, L. J., & Zhang, D. (2007, October). A quality postsecondary education: The Disability Training Network. Poster presentation at the 14th International Division on Career Development and Transition Conference, Orlando, FL.

Zhang, D., & Landmark, L. J. (2006, December). The Disability Training Network for the Texas A&M University System: Building Networks. Presentation at the Department of Education Demonstration Grants Directors Meeting, Albuquerque, NM.

Landmark, L. J., Montague, M., & Stough, L. M. (2006, November). The effectiveness of pre-service classroom management training for special education teachers. Presentation at the annual meeting of the TED/TAM National Conference, San Diego, CA.

Stough, L. M., Montague, M., & Landmark, L. J. (2006, April). How are we preparing future teachers to deal with management and behavior problems? Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Council for Exceptional Children, Salt Lake City, UT.

Stough, L. M., Montague, M., Williams-Diehm, K., & Landmark, L. J. (2006, April). The effectiveness of different models of classroom management instruction. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA.

Zhang, D., Landmark, L. J., & Kortering, L. (2006, April). Performance on statewide exit exams by students with disabilities. Presentation at the annual meeting of the Council for Exceptional Children, Salt Lake City, UT.

Local / State

Pacha, J., & Landmark, L. J. (2009, July). Development of employability skills through different models of experiential learning. Presentation at the Summer Camp Conference of the Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education, Fort Worth, TX.

Zhang, D., Reber, A., & Landmark, L. J. (2008, March). A system-wide initiative to support students with disabilities in higher education. Presentation at the Higher Education Symposium, Dallas, TX.

Zhang, D., & Landmark, L. J. (2008, February). Self-determination as a dropout prevention strategy. Presentation at the Texas Transition Conference, College Station, TX.

Grenwelge, C., Pacha, J., Landmark, L. J., & Zhang, D. (2008, February). Reaching out to transition-age youth through leadership and employment training. Presentation at the Texas Transition Conference, College Station, TX.

Landmark, L. J., Zhang, D. (2006, July). Universal design principles in education. Presentation at the annual meeting of the Texas Association on Mental Retardation, Corpus Christi, TX.

Zhang, D., & Landmark, L. J. (2006, July). Enhancing self-determination of culturally-diverse students with mental disabilities. Presentation at the annual meeting of the Texas Association on Mental Retardation, Corpus Christi, TX.

Grants

Funded

Zhang, D., Landmark, L. J., & Reber, A. (2008-2011). Disability Training Network: Training, Innovation, Research. $997,726. US Department of Education.

Zhang, D., Landmark, L. J., Grenwelge, C. (2007-2010). Brazos Valley Employment Project. $375,000. Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities.

Zhang, D., & Landmark, L. J. (2006-2009). Youth Leadership Forum and Advocacy Project. $300,000. Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities and the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services.

Unfunded

Fournier, C. J., Stough, L. M., Cifuentes, L., Abbs, A. K., Montague, M., & Landmark, L. J. (2005-2010). Preparing Teachers for Inclusion. $1,000,000. Texas Council on Developmental Disabilities.

College Teaching

Courses Taught

SPED 689: Special Topics in Multicultural Special Education

· Graduate special education course

· Assistant instructor

· Fall 2008

SEFB 320: Education and Employment Issues in Secondary Special Education

· Undergraduate field-based course for upper level pre-service teachers

· Independent instructor

· Spring 2007

Guest Lectures

SPED 632: Transition from School to Work

· Invited to teach a graduate class on compliance and practices in transition planning (Fall 2009)

SEFB 414: Issues and Methods in Low Incidence Disabilities

· Invited to teach an undergraduate class on structured teaching (Spring 2008)

· Invited to teach an undergraduate class on transition (Fall 2007)

Supervision

SEFB 425 / 426: Student Teaching / Effective Instruction of Students with Diverse Abilities

· Supervised and taught a corresponding student teacher seminar

· Fall 2006

Service

University

Department of Educational Psychology at TAMU, Student Member of Special Education Faculty Search Committee, 2006-2007

Educational Psychology Student Organization (EPSO), Special and Bilingual Education (SABE) Student Representative, 2006-2007

Professional

Texas Division on Career Development and Transition (TXDCDT), Publication Chair, 2006-2009

Community

Texas Statewide Youth Leadership Forum, Volunteer, 2007-2008

Special Olympics, Volunteer, 1999-2005

Hospice Brazos Valley, Volunteer, 1996-2005

Recognition

Pat Sitlington Emerging Researcher Award for Exemplary Graduate Research in the Field of Transition Education for Individuals with Disabilities finalist; 15th International Division on Career Development and Transition Conference; October 29, 2009; Savannah, GA

Leena Jo Landmark, Rev. Nov., 2009 - 7 -