Senior Researcher

Tara  Robillard

Program/Areas of Interest

  • Adaptive technology, accessibility and differentiation
  • STEM education for all students
  • Mixed Methods Research and Iterative Materials and Tools Development
  • Universal Design for Learning

Biography

Tara Robillard is a senior researcher and curriculum materials and tools developer at TERC. She has degrees in Marine Science and Science Education and taught science at the high school level. Her research and development interests focus on accessibility and differentiating STEM teaching and learning for all students in formal and informal settings.

As the lead researcher for the Signing Math & Science projects, her focus has been on providing access to students with low-incidence disabilities, especially the use of universally designed technology innovations to improve achievement in mathematics and science of students who are deaf or hard of hearing. She is also the chair of TERC’s Institutional Review Board.

Education

  • Georgia State University, Science Education, M.Ed.,  1999
  • Eckerd College, Marine Science, B.S., 1997

Highlighted Publications

Vesel, J., & Robillard, T. (2017) Accessing science museum exhibits with interactive signing dictionaries. Journal of Visual Literacy36:3-4, 125-141.

Vesel, J. & Robillard, T. (2014). Increasing access to technical science vocabulary through use of universally designed signing dictionaries. In S. Burgstahler (Ed.), Universal design in higher education: Promising practices. Seattle: DO-IT, University of Washington.

Vesel, J. & Robillard, T. (2013). Teaching mathematics vocabulary with an interactive signing math dictionary. Journal of Research on Technology in Education. 45:4, 361-389.