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UMB Supports and Intervention for Learning (UMB-SAIL) Lab

Welcome to the website for the UMB-SAIL Lab, located within the Counseling and School Psychology Department at the University of Massachusetts Boston. We conduct research aimed to promote student learning by utilizing efficient, effective, and culturally affirming behavioral supports for youth and vester partners. Our scholarship is primarily applied and behavior analytic in nature, aligned with the UMB College of Education and Human Development commitment to anti-racism and community-engaged research. 

 

Here you will find information about our team, current and past projects, and contact information if you are interested in learning more about what we do.

News and Announcements - Updated April 2023

Welcome to our new lab members: Diana, Emily and Julia! Learn more about them under the "Team" tab.

Congratulations to current and former lab members on defending their dissertations in the 2021-2022 academic year:

  • Dr. Sadie Cathcart - "School Community-wide Allergy Education a Quality of Life-Informed Program Refinement and Evaluation"

    • Dr. Cathcart recently began a post-doctoral fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital in August 2022!

  • Dr. Tamara Lawson - “The Influence of Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices on African American Students' Sense of Belongingness in Urban Classrooms”

    • Dr. Lawson is now an Assistant Professor at University of Arizona!

  • Dr. Jessica Janze - "Teacher Mindfulness Competencies in the K-12 school Setting"

    • Dr. Janze has started a position as a post-doctoral fellow at Brown University this fall!

  • Margarida (Maggie) Veiga - "Ask About Culture: Teaching School Psychology Graduate Students to Deliver a Cultural Formulation Interview during Functional Behavior Assessments"

    • Maggie recently began an APA-approved internship at the May Institute, Inc. in Randolph, MA!

Please see a few of our lab's recent publications:

Fallon, L. M., *Cathcart, S. C., Johnson, A. H., Minami, T., O’Keeffe, B. V., *DeFouw, E. R., & Sugai, G. (2022). A teacher self-assessment of culturally relevant practice to inform educator professional development decisions in MTSS contexts. Assessment for Effective Intervention. https://doi.org/10.1177/15345084221111338

Fallon, L. M. & *Veiga, M. B., *Susilo, A., & Kilgus, S. P. (2022). Do teachers’ perceptions of high cultural responsiveness predict better student behavioral outcomes? Behavioral Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1177/01987429211067217

 

Fallon, L. M., *DeFouw, E. R., *Cathcart, S. C., *Berkman, T. S., O’Keeffe, B. V., & Sugai, G. (2021). Supports to improve academic outcomes with racially and ethnically minoritized youth: a review of research. Remedial and Special Education, 43(4), 237-254. https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325211046760

Full text here

 

Fallon, L. M., *Veiga, M., & Sugai, G. (2021). Strengthening MTSS for behavior (MTSS-B) to promote racial equity. School Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2021.1972333

- Full text here

*Kurtz, K. D., *Barrasso, M. B., Ervin, A., & Fallon, L. M. (2022). School psychologists as systems change advocates: Beginning the efforts in a stressed system. Research and Practice in the Schools https://www.txasp.org/tasp-journal

*indicates current or former student lab member

Our lab will have several presentations at NASP 2023 in Denver, CO. We hope to connect with you there!

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