Michelle M. Sands

Michelle M. Sands is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Special and Early Education at Northern Illinois University’s College of Education. Her work focuses on early childhood special education, emphasizing family-practitioner collaboration, transition processes for children with disabilities, and culturally responsive interventions. Sands holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and has over 20 years of experience in early childhood settings, including roles as a teacher, curriculum specialist, and administrator.

Education Background:

• Ph.D., Special Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2021)
• Ed.D., Early Childhood and Special Education, Elmhurst University
• M.A., Educational Leadership with Principalship, North Central College

Research Interests: Sands explores alignment of educational practices for children with disabilities, family engagement in special education processes, and the transition to kindergarten. She has published extensively on telepractice coaching models, cultural adaptations of interventions, and military family experiences with early intervention services. Her work bridges research and practice through collaborations with schools, museums, and Head Start programs.

Publications Trend: Her recent work emphasizes telepractice applications, cultural adaptation frameworks, and systemic barriers faced by marginalized families. Key themes include scalable professional development models for early childhood educators and equitable transition practices.

Advising & Grants: Sands currently advises no listed students but has contributed to grant-funded projects exploring telepractice efficacy and military family needs. She collaborates with the Early CHOICES initiative and Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Labs/Teams: Active contributor to the Cascading Coaching Model initiative and the Telepractice Parent-Implemented Training project.