Zachary Rossetti

Associate Professor

Zachary Rossetti

Zach Rossetti is an associate professor of special education in the Teaching and Learning Department at BU Wheelock. His research examines the social belonging and participation of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), with a specific focus on how educators and parents can facilitate friendship opportunities between students with and without IDD. He also conducts research related to families of individuals with IDD, specifically examining language access and participation in IEP meetings, family-professional partnership, community participation, and sibling roles and relationships.

Editorial Appointments

  • Editorial Board, Remedial and Special Education (2022-Present)
  • Associate Editor, Journal of Education (2021-Present)
  • Associate Editor, Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities (2020-Present)
  • Editorial Board, Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals (2020-Present)
  • Editorial Board, Inclusive Practices (2020-Present)
  • Consulting Editor, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (2013-Present)

    Recent News

    Education

    PhD, Special Education, Syracuse University

    CAS, Disability Studies, Syracuse University

    MEd, Special Education (Concentration: Severe Disabilities), University of New Hampshire

    BA, Sociology, Middlebury College

    Courses

    SED SE 250: Disability, Education, and Public Policy

    SED SE 480: Teaching Students with Special Needs

    SED SE 512: Students with Disabilities and the Law

    SED SE 534: Classroom and Behavior Management

    SED SE 535: Understanding Autism

    SED SE 706: Introduction to Special Education

    SED SE 805: Research in Special Education

    Research

    I have two primary strands in my research program. The first focuses on friendships between students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including autism spectrum disorder, in inclusive settings. I examine the social belonging and participation of students with IDD and the ways that educators can help or hinder the quantity and quality of social interactions and friendship opportunities between students with and without IDD. The second strand focuses on the experiences of families with children with IDD by examining language access and participation in IEP meetings, family-professional partnership, community participation, and sibling roles and relationships.

    Principal Investigator, Spencer Foundation, Large Research Grant, Project Civic LeAdS: Enhancing Civic Engagement of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families and Students with Disabilities: Legislative Advocacy in Special Education. $500,000 (10/1/20-9/30/24)

    Principal Investigator, Spencer Foundation, Small Research Grant, Enhancing Civic Engagement of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Parents of Children with Disabilities. $50,000 (1/1/18 – 12/31/18).

    Principal Investigator, The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation, Friends Matter! Increasing and Improving Social Interaction Opportunities between Students with and without Intellectual Disabilities. $142,522 (1/1/17 – 12/31/19).

    Principal Investigator, American Educational Research Association, Education Research Service Projects, Examining Latinx Families' Language Access and Participation in their Children's IEP Meetings. $4,400 (4/1/17 – 5/31/18).

    Visit Dr. Rossetti's Faculty Profile
    Dr. Zachary Rossetti Gives Keynote at “Focus” on Vision Impairment & Blindness Conference

    Selected Publications

    (* denotes graduate/doctoral student author; ** denotes undergraduate student author)

    Rossetti, Z., Burke, M. M., Hughes, O.*, Rivera, J.*, Schraml-Block, K.*, Rios, K., Aleman Tovar, J.*, & Lee, J. (2021). Parent perceptions of the advocacy expectation in special education. Exceptional Children, 87(4), 438-457. https://doi.org/10.1177/0014402921994095

    Burke, M. M., Rossetti, Z., & Li, R.* (2021). The efficacy and impact of a special education legislative advocacy program among parents of children with disabilities. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05258-4

    Rossetti, Z., Burke, M. M., Rios, K.*, Aleman Tovar, J.*, Schraml-Block, K.*, Rivera, J.*, Cruz, J.*, & Lee, J.* (2021). From individual to systemic advocacy: Parents as change agents. Exceptionality, 29(3). https://doi.org/10.1080/09362835.2020.1850456

    Sauer, J. S., & Rossetti, Z. (2020). Affirming disability: Strengths-based portraits of culturally diverse families. Teachers College Press.

    Burke, M. M., Rossetti, Z., Rios, K.*, Schraml-Block, K.*, Lee, J.*, Aleman Tovar, J.*, & Rivera, J.* (2020). Legislative advocacy among parents of children with disabilities: Nature, strategies, and barriers. Journal of Special Education, 54(3), 169-179. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022466920902764

    Rossetti, Z., Lee, C. E.*, Burke, M. M., & Hall, S. (2020). Perspectives about adult sibling relationships: A dyadic analysis of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their siblings. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 96, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2019.103538

    Rossetti, Z., Burke, M. M., Rios, K.*, Rivera, J.*, Schraml-Block, K.*, Hughes, O.*, Lee, J. D.*, & Aleman Tovar, J.* (2020). Parent leadership and civic engagement: Suggestions for the next Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) reauthorization. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 31(2), 99-111. https://doi.org/10.1177/1044207319901260

    Burke, M. M., Lee, C. E.*, Hall, S., & Rossetti, Z. (2019). Understanding decision making among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their siblings. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 57(1), 26-41. https://doi.org/10.1352/1934-9556-57.1.26

    Rossetti, Z., Redash, A.*, Bui, O., Sauer, J., Wen, Y.*, & Regensburger, D.** (2018). Access, accountability, and advocacy: Culturally and linguistically diverse families’ engagement in IEP meetings. Exceptionality, 28(4), 243-258. https://doi.org/10.1080/09362835.2018.1480948

    Rossetti, Z., & Keenan, J.* (2018). The nature of friendship between students with and without severe disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 39(4), 195-210. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932517703713

    Hall, S., & Rossetti, Z. (2017). The roles of siblings in the lives of people with severe to profound intellectual and developmental disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 31(3), 423-434. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12421

    Rossetti, Z., Sauer, J. S., Bui, O., & Ou, S. (2017). Developing collaborative partnerships with culturally and linguistically diverse families during the IEP process. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 49(5), 328-338. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040059916680103

    Rossetti, Z., Lehr, D., Pelerin, D.*, Huang, S.*, & Lederer, L. (2016). Parent involvement in meaningful post-school experiences for young adults with IDD and pervasive support needs. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 54(4), 260-272. https://doi.org/10.1352/1934-9556-54.4.260

    Rossetti, Z., & Hall, S. (2015). Adult sibling relationships with brothers and sisters with severe disabilities. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 40(2), 120-137. https://doi.org/10.1177/1540796915592829

    Rossetti, Z. (2015). Descriptors of friendship between secondary students with and without autism or intellectual and developmental disability. Remedial and Special Education, 36(3), 181-192. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932514550370

    Rossetti, Z. (2014). Peer interactions and friendship opportunities between elementary students with and without autism or developmental disability. Inclusion, 2(4), 301-315. https://doi.org/10.1352/2326-6988-2.4.301

    Blackwell, W. H., & Rossetti, Z. (2014). Development of Individualized Education Programs: Where have we been and where should we go now? SAGE Open. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244014530411

    Rossetti, Z. (2011). “That’s how we do it”: Friendship work between high school students with and without autism or developmental disability. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 36(1-2), 23-33. https://doi.org/10.2511/rpsd.36.1-2.23

    Rossetti, Z., & Goessling, D. (2010). The role of paraeducators in facilitating friendships between high school students with and without autism or other developmental disabilities. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 42(6), 64-70. https://doi.org/10.1177/004005991004200608

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