CSLA: Sherwood Best

Introduction
Teaching Interests
Research Interests
Educational Background

College of Education

Division of Special Education

Sherwood Best
Professor

Office: King Hall C-1032
Phone: (323) 343-4407
FAX: (323) 343-5605
Email: sbest@calstatela.edu

INTRODUCTION

Sherwood Best completed her Ph.D. in Special Education and Educational Psychology from the University of California, Riverside, in 1995. She is the Program Coordinator for the education specialist credential and masters programs in Physical and Health Impairments in the Division of Special Education at CSULA. Students who complete these programs work with individuals from birth through 21 years in regular public schools, special classes and centers, hospitals, and homes. The credential program in Physical and Health Impairments is one of only three in the state of California. Dr. Best is the Past President of the National Division for Physical and Health Disabilities of The Council for Exceptional Children, and current President of the California Association for Physical and Health Impairments. Dr. Best recently collaborated with Childrens Hospital, Los Angeles in developing and implementing a conference about supporting children with chronic illness in educational settings. She will continue her research about coping and education needs of children with chronic illness during her spring 2004 sabbatical. Most recently, Dr. Best has become involved in early childhood special education training in Bangalore, India at the Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences..

TEACHING INTERESTS

Dr.Best teaches numerous classes in the credential, masters, and doctoral program in special education, and specializes in assessment, curriculum, and psychosocial aspects of physical and health impairments. Her professional interests include quality of life, psychosocial aspects of disability, special education curricula, early childhood special education, disability history/law/policy, and teacher education.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Dr. Best's special education teaching background provided the platform for her current teaching interests. Her concerns with inclusion and acceptance of students with physical impairments in public school settings led to her current research in developing models of quality of school life of students with physical impairments. Dr, Best has made numerous national and state-level conference presentations in the field of physical and health impairments.

Representative Professional Activities

Date	Publications/Presentations
in press	Best, S. J., Heller, K. W., & Bigge, J. L. (in press). Teaching individuals with physical or multiple disabilities (5th ed.). Uppper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.
2003	Presentations in Early Childhood Special Education for participants at the Vydehi Institute of Medical Science, Bangalore, India, July 21-25, 2003. Presentations included “Toy Adaptations for Infants and Young Children with Multiple Disabilities”, “Mobility Equipment for Infants and Young Children with Multiple Disabilities”, and “Positioning Infants and Young Children with Multiple Disabilities”.
2001	Bigge, J. L., Best, S. J., & Heller, K. W. (2001). Teaching individuals with physical or multiple disabilities (4th ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill Prentice-Hall.
1999	Best, S. J. (1999). Psychosocial correlates of physical and health disabilities. In D. H. Saklofske & V. L. Schwean (Eds.), Psychosocial correlates of exceptionality. New York: Plenum.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Ph.D. Special Education/Educational Psychology 1995
University of California, Riverside

Riverside, CA

M.A. Special Education 1981
California State University, Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA

B.A. Psychology 1973
Pitzer College

Claremont, CA

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