Dr. Andrea Dinaro serves as the Curriculum, Technology, and Inclusive Education Division Chairperson in the College of Education. She is a Professor of Special Education and the co-sponsor of the CUC student group, Council for Exceptional Children-Student Chapter.

Dr. Dinaro was awarded the ISU COE Young Alumni Award in 2022 and in awarded the Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Education Trailblazer Award (February 2016) for innovative practices. Since 2023 serves on the ICEC IDADD board as Secretary and since 2019 serves on the board of the Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Education. Her main content strengths and research interests include disability, accessibility, design/accommodations and practices, student growth, differentiation, disability topics in education, assistive technology, special education leadership, professional learning, and specialized supports

Degrees

  • EdD, Special Education - Illinois State University; Bloomington, IL
  • MSEd, Leadership and Administration - Benedictine University; Lisle, IL
  • MS, Disability and Human Development - University of Illinois at Chicago; Chicago, IL
  • BS, Special Education - Illinois State University; Normal, IL

Endorsements and Certificates

  • Gifted Teacher Education Post-Master’s Certificate
  • K-12 Director of Special Education (Illinois-Approved and NCATE-Approved DOSE Program) 
  • Illinois Type 75, General Administrative 
  • Learning Behavior Specialist 1 (LBS1)

Academic and Professional Highlights

Awards and Honors

  • ISU COE Outstanding Young Alumni Award 2022

  • Commencement Speaker at CUC Master's Ceremony 2022

  • Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Education Trailblazer Award (February 2016)

Prior Professional and Academic Positions

  • Curriculum and Professional Development Coordinator

  • Assistive Technology Department Supervisor

  • Behavior Specialist Department Supervisor

  • Special Education Teacher (IL)

Publications:

  • Thompson, J. R., Walker, V. L., Wehmeyer, M. L., Edyburn, D. L., Snodgrass, M. R., Carlson, S. R., Carpenter, M. E., Nelson, J. A., Lyon, K. J., Dinaro, A. P., Shogren, K. A., Palmer, S. B., Michalak, N., Leyden, S. J., Tapp, M. Planning for the success of students with IEPs: A support-based approach to education.

  • Marcus , E. [CUC doctoral student], & Dinaro, A. (2024). [Instructional Practices] Neuro-diversity affirming practice: Teaching students with autism. Presented at Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Education Spring 2024 Conference. Champaign, IL.

  •  Dinaro, A., Marciniak, R., [CUC doctoral student] & Kwon, S. (2023 October). Healthy, safe, supported, engaged, and challenged whole child elements of integrating AI into the classroom: Resources, samples, and self-assessment. ILASCD Quarterly Journal, 69(3) 9-16.

  • Dinaro, A. (2019). In T. Heller, R. Gould, G. J. Gill, & S. Harris (Eds.), Disability in American life: An encyclopedia of concepts, policies, and controversies (pp. 370-375). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO Publishing.

  • Alqahtani, K. M. [CUC doctoral student], & Dinaro, A. (2019). Life-long learning by inclusive design: Accessibility [disability] and the whole child approach. IL ASCD Journal 2019, 65(2), 28-31.

  • Dinaro, A. (2018). The different learner column: What is different? Lutheran Education Journal,154, 69.

  • Dinaro, A. (2017). Information is not transformation: Planning for parent supports. IL ASCD Journal Fall 2018, 63(1), 18-21.

  • Dinaro, A. (2016). Learning environments for all. IL ASCD Journal Fall 2016, 62(3), 18-22.

Presentations:

  • Dinaro, A. & Jia, D. [CUC doctoral student] (2019; 2025 forthcoming). Understanding disability (1.5 hour co-taught lesson presented to visiting professors from China]. Presented at Concordia University Chicago. River Forest, IL.

  • Marciniak, R. [CUC doctoral student], & Dinaro, A. (2023). Journeying ahead: Artificial intelligence, large language models, and the future of inclusive [disability accessible] education. Presented at Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Education Fall 2023 Conference. Tinley Park, IL.

  • Dinaro, A. (April 2021). How to create accessible spaces (90 minutes). [Presented to faculty, staff, students, visitors] via Zoom, organized by the Office of Multi-cultural and First Generation Involvement. Concordia University Chicago. River Forest, IL.

  • Dinaro, A., Alasmi, K. [CUC doctoral student], & Stolz, S. (April 2020). Continuum of services. Presented at the Multiple Perspectives on Access, and Disability Conference via Zoom Ohio State University, Columbus.

  • Dinaro, A. (July 2019). Student engagement (3 hours). Workshop presented for Concordia University Chicago. River Forest, IL.

  • Dinaro, A. (February 2020, 2017). Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) Illinois Alternate Assessment workshops (two full-day workshops on assessment). AERO Special Education Cooperative, Burbank, IL.

  • Dinaro, A. (May 2019-to present). Not-for-Profit Johnson fellows program resource development: Lesson plans, website resources. San Diego, California

  • Dinaro, A., Alasmi, K., Almulla, A., Alhaznawi, A., Aldehami, S., Althobaiti, S., Alshamnsan, O., Koshak, E., & Alfurayh, H. (April 2019). Multiple perspectives on access, inclusion, and disability (multiple topics). Presented at Society for Disability Studies Conference. Ohio State University, Columbus.

  • Dinaro, A. (February 2019). Self-determination and students with disabilities [full day workshop]. Presented at Eisenhower Cooperative for the Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Education Region Training Series, Crestwood IL.

  • Dinaro, A., Gunnell, J, Furbush, M, & Nelson, J. (2016). PERA joint committee key decisions and example type III assessment tools for special education teachers and itinerant low-incidence teachers. Presented at Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Education Winter Conference, Springfield, IL.