Matt Brock

Dr. Matthew Brock is a Professor of Special Education and Faculty Associate at the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy. His work focuses on three areas of inclusive practice for students with significant cognitive disabilities, including students with intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, and students on the autism spectrum. First, he is interested in peer-mediated interventions to support social competence, connections, and belonging. Second, he studies how to best prepare teachers and paraeducators to implement inclusive evidence-based practices. Third, he focuses on literacy interventions for students with significant disabilities who also have complex communication needs.

Prior to receiving his doctorate, Dr. Brock worked as a preschool teacher, elementary school teacher, and taught through the U.S. Peace Corps. He has published more than 60 peer-reviewed journal articles and has been awarded over $6 million in federal grants including a Fulbright award to partner with the Autism Association of Mongolia. He is author of the book It Isn't Inclusion Without Peers: Supporting Students With and Without Disabilities to Learn Together. Dr. Brock was the recipient of the 2023 Martin J. Kaufman Distinguished Early Career Research Award from the Council for Exceptional Children Division for Research, the 2021 Research Award by the Council for Exceptional Children Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities, and is included in the Stanford World Ranking of Top 2% of Scientists Worldwide.

• PhD, Special Education, Vanderbilt University, 2014
• MA, Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2009
• BS, Special Education and Elementary Education, University of Indianapolis, 2004

• Educational Statistics and Research Methods
• Special Education
  • Inclusion of students with severe disabilities
  • Peer-mediated intervention for students with severe disabilities
  • Systematic instructional methods for students with severe disabilities
• Teacher Education
  • Training both teachers and paraprofessionals who work with students with severe disabilities

Visit Dr. Brock’s Google Scholar page to see his latest research publications.