Tonya Moore, a two-time Appalachian alumna, current Ed.D. student, and Lecturer of the Department of Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education (CDLS), led a literacy workshop in support of students with special needs. The workshop is titled, “Beyond Words: Adapting Literacy Assessments for Students with Autism and Complex Communication Needs.” This workshop was presented at Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers (ALER) in Oklahoma City, in November 2025.
The workshop’s abstract reads, “Traditional literacy assessments often fail to capture the full range of literacy skills in students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and complex communication needs (CCN). This interactive workshop explores research-based adaptations that foster equitable, asset-based literacy assessment practices. Participants will analyze real classroom scenarios, engage in collaborative problem-solving, and leave with a toolkit of strategies to enhance literacy instruction for diverse learners.”
Moore’s research as an Appalachian doctoral candidate focuses on reading and writing curriculum for students with extreme special needs, supporting students with Williams syndrome, and integrating disabilities studies pedagogy into classrooms, among other topics.
Tonya Moore at workshop
