Interview with Douglas Fuchs: Reflections on His Career and the Field

Abstract

Dr. Douglas Fuchs is an Institute Fellow at the American Institutes for Research and a Research Professor in the Departments of Special Education and Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Fuchs has devoted his career to researching instructional interventions and assessment procedures to improve educational outcomes for students with disabilities. His work, often supported through external funding, has centered on studying the effects of literacy and math instruction that teachers can implement within existing curricula across different grade levels and assessment measures that allow teachers to quickly monitor their student’s progress. This interview explores his observations about his preparation, early career, research focus, and general perspectives on the field.