Biography
Laura N. Sarchet, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at Niagara University in Lewiston, NY. She is an autistic self-advocate and former special education teacher who uses her experiences to raise awareness about autism and disability through research and practice.
Focus of Teaching
- Autism: Theory and Practice
- Consultation and Collaboration in Special Education
- Seminar in Special Education
- Curriculum & Instruction in Inclusive Early Childhood Classrooms
- Early Childhood Development
- Health, Nutrition, and Safety in Early Childhood
- Creative Activities and Movement in Inclusive Early Childhood
Current Research
Dr. Sarchet’s research interests include teacher education and teacher preparation programs, Universal Design for Learning, self-advocacy, autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and postsecondary education.
Selected recent publications:
- Sarchet, L. N. (2026). Disabled and neurodivergent teacher education faculty experiences: Connecting to inclusion perspectives through Disability-Reflective Pedagogy. Teacher Education and Special Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/08884064261417629
- Sarchet, L. N. (2026). Self-compassion, Sabbath, and disability. Disability & Society, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2026.2712603
- Sarchet, L. N., & Daley, S. G. (2026). Crip methods: Universal design for learning in qualitative research. In J. D. Basham & K. A. Lowrey, UDL Research and Practice Handbook (Ch 3., pp. 38-60). Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035337859.00013
- Sarchet, L., & Hartman, J., (2026). Accessible and inclusive participation in research using crip methods: a case example in presenting teacher education scholarship. In Sage Research Methods: Inclusive Research Methodologies. SAGE Publications, Ltd., https://doi.org/10.4135/9781036242404
- Sarchet, L. N. (2024). Experiences of disabled and neurodivergent faculty in higher education: A systematic literature review. Journal of Disability Studies in Education, 4(2), 156-177. https://doi.org/10.1163/25888803-bja10032
Educational Background
- Ph.D., Teaching and Curriculum
University of Rochester, Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development - M.S.Ed., Inclusive Adolescent Education (Teaching Students with Disabilities 7-12)
Nazareth College - B.S., Early Childhood Education and Teaching Students with Disabilities (Birth-2)
Roberts Wesleyan College