Sudha Krishnan, EdD (she/her)

Assistant Professor, Special Education

Sudha’s research is focused on how literacy practices using pedagogies based on socio-cultural theory like multiliteracies provide challenging and empowering education for students with disabilities. She is interested in interrogating the deficit thinking surrounding students with disabilities and promoting anti-deficit pedagogies in the classroom. She is examining the use of constructivism in special education and teacher perceptions of ability in students with extensive support needs. Sudha is keen to forward the equity and justice orientation of the College of Education and a meaningful start has been her involvement with the disability studies strand in the Institute of Emancipatory Education. 

Education

• Ed.D., Special Education, University of San Francisco

Recent Publications

• Krishnan, S. V. (in press). Transforming the identity of a student with complex support needs using multiliteracies. Journal of American Academy of Special Education.

• Krishnan, S. (2021). The role of multiliteracies in changing learning spaces and promoting self-advocacy for students with complex support needs. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 46(2), 108-124. https://doi.org/10.1177/15407969211010307

• Park, H.S. & Krishnan, S.V. (2020). Strategies for teaching English learners with extensive support needs. In Duran, E (Ed.), Teaching English learners in inclusive classrooms, 3rd edition, Charles C Thomas Publishing Co.

Recent Presentations

• “Empowering students with complex support needs using multiliteracies”, Cal-TASH Conference. San Diego, California (February 2019)

• “Repositioning identities of students with complex support needs using multiliteracies”, CACEC Conference. Burlingame, California (October 2018)

• “Multiliteracies in the classroom”, Professional Development, Fremont Union High School District, Sunnyvale, California (2018)

Noteworthy Grants and Awards

• Hillary Williams Ford Award (2018), (University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California) given to a graduating student who values social responsibility by applying gained knowledge to their field of study

Areas of Research Interest

• Anti-deficit pedagogies
• Constructivism
• Disability studies
• Identity
• Multiliteracies
• Students with extensive support needs

Recommended Reading

• Caste: The Origins of our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
• Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century by Alice Wong
• Untamed by Glennon Doyle

Personality Playlist

Listen to Sudha's playlist below and access all of the personality playlists on our Lurie College of Education Spotify account