Mike McLinden (Ph.D, BPhil Special Education, PGCE, MEd Child Development, BSc Psychology)  

Mike is Deputy Head of School in the School of Education, University of Birmingham. This role follows two periods of Director of Education in the School and interim Director of Educational Development for the University of Birmingham. With over 25 years’ experience of teaching in schools and Higher Education (HE) Mike has extensive experience of curriculum design, delivery and evaluation as a teacher, lecturer, senior manager and a researcher. Mike’s research interests include developing and promoting ‘research-informed’ pedagogical practice within HE with a particular focus on student centred approaches (including enquiry-based learning). With colleagues in the university he has led a number of funded projects that link to strategic developments within the institution and HE sector.  Mike’s other professional role is concerned with the inclusion of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. He is co-director or the Vision Impairment Centre for Teaching and Research (VICTAR) in the Department of Disability Inclusion and Special Needs (DISN) at the University of Birmingham and programme lead for the professional development courses in vision impairment. Mike is involved in a wide range of research and knowledge exchange activities within and beyond the academic sphere (e.g. policy makers and practitioners in the field). 

Graeme Douglas (Ph.D, BSc. Hons) 

Graeme is Professor of Disability and Special Educational Needs in the School of Education, University of Birmingham. He is the head of the Disability Inclusion and Special Needs (DISN) department. DISN is the largest department of its kind in the UK and comprises over 25 academics researching and studying in the field of inclusion, SEN and disability. He is also the co-director of the Vision Impairment Centre for Teaching and Research (VICTAR).Graeme joined the School of Education, University of Birmingham, as a researcher in 1993 having completed his PhD in the area of individual differences in learning and computer-based presentation (also at Birmingham). Prior to this, he completed a degree in human psychology and computer science at Aston University. Graeme has been the principal investigator and manager on many high-profile externally funded research projects in the area of vision impairment and SEN. He teaches research methods and supervises research students. 

Emily White (PhD, Education. Master, Special Education (Vision Impairment). Master, Teaching, B.Sc., Health & Physical Education) 

Emily is a research fellow and lecturer at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, and a teacher practitioner with over fifteen years’ experience in disability-specific and inclusive education. Her research interests include accessible and valid assessment for students with disability, digital literacy, and understanding and supporting the learning of students with vision impairment using teacher expertise and evidence. She is currently working on an Australian Research Council Discovery Grant project exploring self-regulated learning in STEM classes. Emily lectures on using data to inform teaching for students with disability, and supporting access to learning via technology. Her PhD study investigated the development and validation of measures for assessing and teaching digital literacy for students with disability. Her assessment tool, derived learning progression, and teaching strategies are now used in over 400 schools in Australia and abroad. At the Statewide Vision Resource Centre, she teaches and provides professional learning, having previously served in curriculum coordination, specialist, itinerant, and classroom roles across a range of settings.