Dr. Sandra Alper University of Northern Iowa

Dr. Sandra Alper has served as Professor and Head of the Department of Special Education at the University of Northern Iowa since 1994. She completed graduate studies at Pennsylvania State University and the University of Iowa, where she was awarded the PhD in special education in 1976. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Northern Iowa, Dr. Alper was Professor and Coordinator of the program in severe disabilities in the Department of Special Education at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Dr. Alper has served as Principal Investigator of several federally funded model demonstration and personnel preparation grants. She was Educational Director of a community-based living program for youth with mental retardation and aggressive behaviors and Project Director of a supported employment program for institutionalized youth with mental retardation in Columbia, Missouri. Dr. Alper has co-directed several Master's and Doctoral level personnel training grants both at the University of Missouri-Columbia and the University of Northern Iowa. She has been awarded a total of over $10 million in federal grant funding.

Dr. Alper has published widely in the area of community-based training for persons with severe disabilities. She has co-authored five textbooks and serves on the editorial board of several journals, including Exceptional Children. Dr. Alper has been the recipient of the Missouri Association for Retarded Citizens Educator of the Year Award, the University of Northern Iowa College of Education Excellence in Research Award, and the UNI Donald McKay Faculty Research Award.