Research Terms
Behavioral Sciences Computer Simulation and Modeling Educational Systems and Institutions Special Education Educational Technology Autism Child Behavior Disorders Technology
Industries
Modeling, Simulation, & Training (MST) Health Care
Dr. Eleazar “Trey” Vasquez III, associate professor for the Department of Child, Family, and Community Sciences Exceptional Education Program at UCF. He earned his bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Stephen F. Austin State University and Ph.D. from Utah State University. Dr. Vasquez is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) and has practiced in the field of education as a resource math teacher and school and behavioral psychologist.
His current research focuses on the evaluation of academic and behavioral outcomes for students with disabilities utilizing technology to enhance instruction and has been supported in part by $6.5+ million dollars from the National Science Foundation, Department of Education, and Office of Special Education Programs.
Rock, M., L., Spooner, F., Nagro, S., Vasquez, E., Dunn, C., Leko, M., Luckner, J., *Donehower, C., *Jones, J. L. (2016). Transforming teacher development in the digital age: Policy drivers, implications, and recommendations. Teacher Education and Special Education (Invited Special Issue) 39 (2): 98-120.
Israel, M., Vasquez, E., Donehower, C. (In Press). Using the UDL framework to enhance education technology-supported learning in reading and writing for all students. Journal of Intervention School and Clinic (Invited Special Issue) .
*Walker, Z., Vasquez, E., Wienke, W. (2016). The impact of simulated interviews for individuals with intellectual disability. Journal of Educational Technology & Society (Invited special issue)19, 1, 76-88.
*+Massengale, L., Vasquez, E. (2016). Assessing Accessibility: How accessible are postsecondary online courses for students with disabilities? Journal On The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 16 (1): 69-79.
Vasquez, E., Welch, G., Marino, M , Hughes, D., *Koch, A., *Delisio, L., (2015). Virtual learning environments for students with disabilities: A review and analysis of the empirical literature and two case studies. Rural Special Education Quarterly (Invited Special Issue) 34(3):26-32.
*+Straub, C., & Vasquez, E. (2015). Effects of synchronous online writing instruction for students with learning disabilities. Journal of Special Education Technology, 0,1-20.
Vasquez, E., & Straub, C. (2015). Online instruction in writing for students with learning disabilities: A review of the literature. Reading and Writing Quarterly, 1-20.
*+McKinney, T., & Vasquez, E. (2014). There’s a bug in your ear! Using technology to increase the accuracy of DTT implementation. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities.
Marino, M. T., *Becht, K., Vasquez, E., *Gallup, J., Basham, J. & *Gallegos, B. (2014). Enhancing secondary science content accessibility with video games. TEACHING Exceptional Children.
Vasquez, E., *Rodriguez, J., *Powell, S., *Hunt., J., *McKinney, T., *Straub, C., *Walker, Z., & *Vince-Garland, K. (2014). Using E-Cove to increase the efficiency of pre-service teacher observations. Ed Technology Ideas.
Marino, M. T., Gotch, C. M., Israel, M., Vasquez, E., Basham, J. D., & Becht, K. (2014). UDL in the middle school science classroom: Can video games and alternative text heighten engagement and learning for students with learning disabilities? Journal of Learning Disabilities Quarterly,.
*Garland, D., *Vince-Garland, K., & Vasquez, E. (2013). Management of classroom behaviors: Perceived readiness of education interns. Journal On The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 13(2), 133-147.
* Hunt, J., & Vasquez, E. (2013). An exploratory study of the effects of ratio strategies intervention on knowledge of ratio equivalence for students with mathematics learning disability. Journal of Special Education, 47(3), 1-11.
Vasquez, E., & *Serianni, B. (2012). Research and Practice in Distance Education for K-12 students. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 31(4), 33-42.
*Vince Garland, K., Vasquez, E., & Pearl, C. (2012). Efficacy of individualized clinical coaching in a virtual reality classroom for increasing teachers’ fidelity of implementation of discrete trial teaching. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities Journal, 47 (4), 502-515.
Vasquez, E. & *Straub, C. (2012). Evidence based online instruction for students with disabilities: A review of the literature. Journal of Special Education Technology, 27 (3), 31-40.
Vasquez, E. & Slocum, T. (2012). The evaluation of synchronous online tutoring for students at risk of reading failure. Exceptional Children, 78 (2), 221-235.
Vasquez, E., Forbush, D., E., Mason, L, Lockwood, A., & Gleed, L. (2011). Delivery and evaluation of synchronous online reading tutoring to students at-risk of reading failure: implications for rural students. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 30(3), 16-26.
Vasquez, E., Slocum, T., Mason, L., Okeeffe, B., *Lopez, A., *Straub, C., *Powell, S., *Mkinney, T., *Bedsem, P., *Walker, Z., & *Gonzalez, T. (2011). Empirical research on ethnic minority students: 1995-2009, Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, (2), 84-94.
Davis, R. L., Ninness, C., Rumph, R., McCuller, G., Stahl, K., Ward, T., & Vasquez, E. (2008). Functional assessment of self-initiated maladaptive behaviors: A case study. Behavior and Social Issues, 17, 66-85.
Hudson, P., Shupe, M., Vasquez, E., & Miller, S. (2008). Teaching data analysis to elementary students with mild disabilities. Teaching Exceptional Children Plus, 4(3) Article 5.
Forbush, D. E., Stenhoff, D. M., Vasquez, E., Furzland, M., Alexander, M., & Stein, J. (2007). Evaluation of an online tool for assessing competence in achievement testing. Teacher Education and Special Education, 30(3), 142-154.
Morgan, R. L., Morgan, R. B., & Vasquez, E. (2006). I can search for jobs on the Internet! A web site that helps youth in transition identify preferred employment. Teaching Exceptional Children, 38 (6), 6-11.
Ninness, C., Rumph, R., McCuller, G., Vasquez, E., Bradfield, A., & Ninness, S., (Winter 2005). A Relational frame and artificial neural network approach to computer-interactive mathematics. The Psychological Record, 55, 561-570.
Ninness, H. A. C., Newton, R., Saxon, J., Rumph, R., Bradfield, A., Harrison, C., Vasquez, E., & Ninness, S. (2002). Small group statistics: A monte carlo comparison of parametric and randomization tests. Behavior and Social Issues, 12 (1), 53-63.
Ninness, H. A. C., Rumph, R., Vasquez, E., & Bradfield, A., (2002) Multivariate randomization tests for small- n behavioral research. Behavior and Social Issues, 12 (1), 64-74.
Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute
Director |
Florencio Hernandez Trey Vasquez |
Phone | 407-823-0843 |
Website | https://ccie.ucf.edu/tjeei/ |
Mission | Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute (TJEEI) is dedicated to preparing and retaining exceptional student education teachers and related professional educators who serve children and adults with special needs. In collaboration with Central Florida partners, TJEEI provides families of children with disabilities, UCF faculty and students, and educators access to current information, resources and opportunities. Through teaching and research clinics, UCF faculty and students associated with the institute offer services to students with disabilities and their families focused on assessment, behavior, reading, mathematics and community counseling. |
Researchers at the University of Central Florida have invented computer simulation technologies to help people with environmental anxiety disorders improve their executive functioning (EF) skills. The technologies may help people with conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and attention deficit disorder (ADD). EF includes cognitive brain processes, such as inhibition, memory, attention, emotional regulation, planning and problem-solving.
The new technologies provide dynamic virtual environments for learning, practicing and improving EF skills—capabilities unavailable in existing technologies. The inventions offer those with sensory overload, such as people with ASD, ways to experience real-world situations safely. For example, a student who may be anxious about a doctor's visit, asking out a peer on a date, or asking for help in a situation can use the technologies to practice and master such skills.
Technical Details
The UCF inventions replicate interactions found to transfer EF skills back into the home, school, and community life of individuals and enable repeated practice. Specific objectives for EF skills are set in the environment with computer-automated avatars interacting in a controlled setting. The apparatus generally consists of sensors, video displays, computer processors, and memory storage devices.
Once tasked with an EF skill, an individual is fully or partially immersed in a computer-simulated environment for a time-limited session. The system monitors the individual in real-time, using sensors to detect quantifiable changes in anxiety level.
A common characteristic of the EF skill assigned is that a sufficient increase in anxiety state by the individual hinders successful completion of the skill. In response to an individual’s increased anxiety level, the computer-simulated environment modulates the sensory complexity of one or more simulation features to enable the individual to develop proficiency in EF skills in increasingly complex environments therapeutically. The intensity of a scenario can be escalated or de-escalated depending on the objective, tolerance, and the desired outcome specified by the intervention team aligned with learning versus mastering an EF skill.
In one application, an individual suffering from flight anxiety may be immersed in a virtual, augmented, or mixed reality environment simulating the cabin of a commercial aircraft. The computer simulation may include vibrations and tilting of the subject's chair to simulate takeoffs, landings, and turbulence. The person running the simulation can modify the intensity by controlling the number of passengers (typically automated avatars), the behaviors of the passengers (such as belligerent passengers, crying children, sleeping passengers), ambient noise levels, and dialog loops of the automated avatars.
Partnering Opportunity
The research team is seeking partners for licensing and/or research collaboration.
Stage of Development
Prototype available.
Year: | 2016 |
Link Address: | https://youtu.be/um2EtERK5YQ |
Source: | upload |
Duration: | 00:03:39 |