Carly Gilson

Dr. Carly Blustein Gilson is an Associate Professor of Special Education in the Department of Educational Studies at The Ohio State University. She received her Ph.D. in special education from Vanderbilt University, with a focus on Severe Disabilities. Her research interests center on equipping adolescents and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) for integrated employment and inclusive higher education; supporting individuals and families through the school-to-work transition; and equipping strong educational team collaborations among secondary special education teachers and paraprofessionals. Her scholarship has supported the development of an inclusive postsecondary education program for students with IDD and a professional development workshop series for transition educators focused on job coaching.

Prior to coming to OSU, Dr. Gilson spent five years as an assistant professor at Texas A&M University, where she served as Principal Investigator on a model demonstration grant from the U.S. Department of Education Transition Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) and co-Principal Investigator on a doctoral preparation grant from the Office of Special Education Programs. She began her career as a middle school special education teacher in Atlanta and a college and career instructor in Boston.

• Ph.D., Special Education, Vanderbilt University, 2017
• M.Ed., Secondary English Education, Boston College, 2011
• B.S., Journalism, University of Florida, 2010

• Access and Equity
• Special Education
  • Autism
  • Intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Workforce Development and Education

Many students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) aspire to attend postsecondary education and enter the workforce, yet these opportunities are often scarce. Dr. Gilson’s core research interests focus on transforming post-school outcomes for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities by engaging with key stakeholders, including students, educators, families, and community members. Specifically, her work addresses three related strands: (a) equipping young adults with IDD for inclusive higher education and integrated employment, (b) strengthening collaboration and professional development opportunities for transition educators, and (c) collaborating with families and self-advocates to support smooth and successful transitions.

Tomberlin, J., Gilson, C. B., & Jordan, H. (2022). IUCRC Phase 1 Texas A&M: Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming (CEIF). Research grant submitted to the National Science Foundation Research Experience and Mentoring. Funding amount: $154,055. Funding source: National Science Foundation. Funding period: August 2022-August 2023.

Role: Co-Principal Investigator (until departure from TAMU in August 2022).

Williams-Diehm, K., Deardorff, M., Barczak, M., Gilson, C. B., Ganz, J., & Whiteside, E. (2021). TRAIN SCHOLARS: Preparing Special Education Doctoral Students to Become Higher Education Professors with a Focus on Transition Research in Applied Inclusive Environments. Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel Grant (CFDA 84.325D – Type A). Funding amount: $2.5 million. Funding source: Office of Special Education Programs. Funding period: January 2022-December 2026.

Role: Co-Principal Investigator (until departure from TAMU in August 2022).

Gilson, C. B., & Hester, O. R. (2020). The Aggie ACHIEVE Model of Inclusive Higher Education at Texas A&M University. Transition Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities into Higher Education (TPSID). Funding amount: $2.25 million. Funding source: U.S. Department of Education. Funding period: October 2020-October 2025.

Role: Principal Investigator (until departure from TAMU in August 2022).

1)    Gilson, C. B., Sinclair, J., Whirley, M. L., Li, Y., & Blustein, D. L. (2022). “More than a job, it’s a purpose”: What work means to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Journal of Career Assessment, 30(2), 367-386. https://doi.org/10.1177/10690727211048898

2)    Ingles, K. E., Gilson, C. B., & Pena, H. (2021). MADE 2 FADE: A practical strategy for empowering independence for students with disabilities. Teaching Exceptional Children. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/00400599211033931

3)    Illies, M. Y., Valentini, B. J., Ingles, K. I., & Gilson, C. B. (2021). An analysis of training and vocational rehabilitation services for individuals with intellectual disability. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 55, 219-225. https://doi.org/10.3233/JVR-211158

4)    Gilson, C. B., Thompson, C. G., Ingles, K. E., Stein, K. E., Nygaard, M. A, & Wang, N. (2021). The Job Coaching Academy for transition educators: A preliminary evaluation. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 44, 148-159. https://doi.org/10.1177/2165143420958607

5)    Sinclair, J., Gilson, C. B., Whirley, M., & Li, Y. (2021). “It’s an opportunity to get opportunities”: A brief report on the working lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Developmental Disabilities Network Journal, 1, 45-52.  https://doi.org/10.26077/89fb-f8a8.

6)    Singh, S. M., & Gilson, C. B. (2020). Toward an inclusive definition of college student development. Journal of Inclusive Postsecondary Education, 2, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.13021/jipe.2020.2.

7)    Whirley, M. L., Gilson, C. B., & Gushanas, C. M. (2020). Postsecondary education programs on college campuses supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A scoping review. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 43, 195-208.http://doi.org/10.1177/2165143420929655.

8)    Gilson, C. B., & Gushanas, C. M., Li, Y., & Foster, K. (2020). Defining inclusion: Faculty and student attitudes regarding postsecondary education for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 58, 65-81. http://doi.org/10.1352/1934-9556-58.1.65.

9)    Gilson, C. B., Whirley, M. L., & Foster, K.(2019).“Avenue and access to participate”: Constructing inclusive higher education for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Journal of Inclusive Postsecondary Education, 1, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.13021/jipe.2019.2

10)  Biggs, E. E., Carter, E. W., & Gilson, C. B. (2019). A scoping review of the involvement of children’s communication partners in aided augmentative and alternative communication modeling interventions. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 28, 743-758. https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_AJSLP-18-0024.

11) Biggs, E. E., Gilson, C. B., & Carter, E. W. (2019). “Developing that balance”: Preparing and supporting special education teachers to work with paraprofessionals. Teacher Education and Special Education, 42, 117-131. https://doi.org/10.1177/0888406418765611.

12) Biggs, E. E., Carter, E. W., & Gilson, C. B. (2018). Systematic review of interventions involving aided AAC modeling for children with complex communication needs. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 125, 443-473.https://doi.org/10.1352/1944-7558-123.5.443.

13) Gilson, C. B., & Carter, E. W. (2018). Video-based instruction to promote employment-related social behaviors for high school students with intellectual disability. Inclusion, 6, 175-193. https://doi.org/10.1352/2326-6988-6.3.175.

14) Gilson, C. B., Carter, E. W., Bumble, J. L., & McMillan, E. D. (2018). Family perspectives on integrated employment for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 43, 20-37. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1540796917751134.

15) Gilson, C. B., Bethune, L. K., Carter, E. W., & McMillan, E. D. (2017). Informing and equipping parents of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 55, 347-360. https://doi.org/10.1352/1934-9556-55.5.347.

16) Gilson, C. B., Carter, E. W., & Biggs, E. E. (2017). Systematic review of instructional methods to teach employment skills to secondary students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 42, 89-107. https://doi.org/10.1177/1540796917698831.

17) Biggs, E. E., Gilson, C. B., & Carter, E. W. (2016). Accomplishing more together: Strengthening relationships of teachers and paraprofessionals working with students with severe disabilities. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 41, 256-272. https://doi.org/10.1177/1540796916665604.

18) Gilson, C. B., & Carter, E. W. (2016). Promoting social interactions and job independence for college students with autism or intellectual disability: A pilot study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46, 3583-3596. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-016-2894-2. SCOPUS Cite Score: 5.6. GSC =77.

19) Blustein, C. L., Carter, E. W., & McMillan, E. D. (2016). The voices of parents: Post-high school expectations, priorities, and concerns for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Journal of Special Education, 50, 164-177. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022466916641381.

20) Carter, E. W., Blustein, C. L., Bumble, J. L., Harvey, S., Henderson, L., & McMillan, E. (2016). Changing the conversation: Engaging communities to identify local strategies for expanding integrated employment after high school. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 121, 398-418. https://doi.org/10.1352/1944-7558-121.5.398.

1)    Shikarpurya, S., Gilson, C. B., Dunn, C., & Fletcher, K. (2022, June). Dispelling the culturally and linguistically diverse monolith: Counterstories of racialized families navigating transition planning. Presentation at the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Conference. Jacksonville, Florida.

2)    Shikarpurya, S., Gilson, C. B., Benzel, M., Osburn, C., & Villarreal, A. (2022, May). Moving beyond comfort and readiness towards reciprocal friendships. Presentation at the CEC Division on Career Development and Transition Conference [Virtual].

3)    Shikarpurya, S., Gilson, C. B., Dunn, C., & Fletcher, K. (2022, May). Expectations vs: reality: Experiences of racially minoritized parents navigating transition planning. Presentation at the CEC Division on Career Development and Transition Conference [Virtual].

4)    Illies, M. Y., Valentini, B. J., Ingles, K. I., & Gilson, C. B. (2022, May). An analysis of training and vocational rehabilitation services for individuals with intellectual disability. Presentation at the CEC Division on Career Development and Transition Conference [Virtual].

5)    Gilson, C. B. (2022, April). What comes next? Helping young adult with autism transition into an inclusive community life. Invited presentation at the Communication Strategies for Autism: Supporting Engagement, Self-Advocacy, and Transitions Online Conference of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. [Virtual].

6)    Prahl, A., & Gilson, C. B. (2022, February). Functional literacy intervention for postsecondary students with IDD: A single-case research study. Poster presentation at the Pacific Coast Research Conference. San Diego, California.

7)    Hester, O., Romack, J., Gilson, C. B., & Ortega, M. (2021, July). Accessing the college classroom: Assistive technology for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Presentation at the Association on Higher Education and Disability Annual Conference. Austin, Texas.

8)    Hessling, A., Gilson, C. B., Hester, O., & Gault, J. (2021, May). Challenging literate invisibility: Supporting postsecondary students’ functional literacy development through interprofessional collaboration. Presentation at the Southeastern Postsecondary Education Alliance [Virtual].

9)    Gilson, C. B., Sinclair, J., & Blustein, D. L. (2021, March). Work as a means to survive, thrive, and feel alive. Presentation at the Dignity of Work International Forum: Challenges and Opportunities Facing People with Disabilities Around the World [Virtual].

10) Shikarpurya, S., Gilson, C. B., & Dunn, C. (2021, March). Transition knowledge and expectations of post-school outcomes among culturally and linguistically diverse parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Presentation at the Council for Exceptional Children Conference [Virtual].

11) Gilson, C. B., Shikarpurya, S., & Hester, O. R. (2021, March). More than friends: Perspectives of peer mentors within an inclusive higher education program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Presentation at the Council for Exceptional Children Conference [Virtual].

12) Gilson, C. B., Shikarpurya, S., Coker, S., & Hester, O. R. (2020, October). More than friends: Perspectives of peer mentors within an inclusive higher education program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Presentation at the CEC Division on Career Development and Transition Conference [Virtual].

13) Gilson, C. B., Hester, O. R., & Fedewa, A. C.(2020, March). Achieving inclusion in higher education. SXSW EDU Conference [Virtual].

14) Gilson, C. B., Sinclair, J., Whirley, M.L, & Li, Y. (2019, October). Understanding the meaning of work for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Presentation at the CEC Division on Career Development and Transition Conference. Seattle, Washington.

15) Gilson, C. B. (2019, October). Lessons learned from the trenches of transition: The Job Coaching Academy, a pilot study. Presentation at the CEC Division on Career Development and Transition Conference. Seattle, Washington.

16) Whirley, M. L., & Gilson, C. B. (2019, May). What is trending in the literature on inclusive postsecondary education programs? Presentation at the Southeastern Postsecondary Education Alliance Conference. Charleston, South Carolina.

17) Gilson, C. B., & Thompson, C. G. (2018, October). Coaching the coach: A comprehensive job coaching academy for special education teachers and paraprofessionals. Presentation at the CEC Division on Career Development and Transition Conference. Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

18) Gushanas, C. M., Gilson, C. B., Li, Y., & Foster, K. (2018, October). How do faculty and students perceive inclusive higher education for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities? Presentation at the CEC Division on Career Development and Transition Conference. Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

19) Gilson, C. B., Gushanas, C. M., & Whirley, M. L. (2018, October). Beyond the ivory tower: How faculty and students define inclusion on campus. Presentation at the State of the Art Conference on Postsecondary Education and Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities. Syracuse, New York.

20) Gilson, C. B., & Biggs, E. E. (2018, June). Building a balanced leader: Competencies for working effectively with paraprofessionals. Presentation at the 142nd Annual Meeting of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD). St. Louis, Missouri.