Audrey A. Trainor

Audrey A. Trainor is a Professor of Special Education and Content Director for Programs in Special Education at New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Her research focuses on equity and diversity in special education, particularly postsecondary transitions for students with learning and behavioral disabilities, including multilingual learners. She employs capital theory to examine how economic, cultural, and social capital influence special education processes. Trainor served as Principal Investigator for an IES-funded study (2017–2022) exploring postsecondary success for multilingual learners with disabilities. She has authored multiple books, including Transition by Design: Improving Equity and Outcomes for Adolescents with Disabilities (2017), and edited special journal issues on qualitative research and diversity in special education teaching.

Her awards include the 2023 Multiple Voices Publication Award, 2015 DCDT Sitlington Research Award, and 2014 Gershman/Ahler Distinguished Lecturer in Qualitative Research. Trainor previously served as President of the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Career Development and Transition. Her work emphasizes inclusive transition education, culturally responsive practices, and leveraging community resources to support vulnerable populations.

Key research themes include identity-informed transitions, pandemic impacts on students with disabilities, and the role of self-determination in postsecondary enrollment. Her articles frequently address intersectional methodologies, policy implications, and systemic barriers faced by marginalized students in education systems.