Kathleen Whitbread, Ph.D. is the Research and Training Coordinator for the Literacy and Education Center at Down Syndrome Association of Connecticut. Dr. Whitbread has 18 years of experience as a university faculty member, most recently as associate professor of education at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, CT. Previously, Dr. Whitbread was an assistant professor of pediatrics and Associate Director of the University of Connecticut Center for Developmental Disabilities, where she directed research and training projects to improve educational opportunities for children with developmental disabilities. Dr. Whitbread’s research interests include early literacy instruction for children with intellectual disabilities and educating children with significant disabilities in general education settings. She maintains a blog, Open Books Open Doors, which features current research and practice in reading instruction for children with Down syndrome. Dr. Whitbread has published articles about her research in Teaching Exceptional Children, The Journal of the Connecticut Association for Reading Research, The Journal of Inclusive Education, Topics in Early Childhood Special Education and Current Issues in Education. To learn more about Dr. Whitbread’s skills and experience, see her Curriculum Vitae.