Dr. Sally Shepley is an assistant professor in the Department of Early Childhood, Special Education, and Rehabilitation Counseling. Her research evaluates ways to increase self-instructional behaviors for individuals with autism and intellectual disability. Self-instruction occurs when individuals use smart phones, tablets, or computers to find answers to current problems or questions, as opposed to relying on another person. Currently, Dr. Shepley is focused on examining ways in which researchers program for the generalization of skills, such as self-instructional behaviors. Specifically, how can individuals with autism and intellectual disability be taught to reliably use self-instructional behaviors under novel conditions? Her research team is examining ways in which past researchers have programmed for and assessed generalization, and her team is conducting applied research on specific generalization strategies in public school settings across Lexington.
