Research group in Special Education

Head of group: Yaara Hermelin Fine

Goals:

1. Encouraging research in the field of teaching special education. Continuous examination of neglected topics in this field and their research in order to develop insights for both training and the field.

2. Encouraging research into the efficiency and competencies of the graduates of the special education department in order to understand whether we are preparing them for what we think we are preparing them for.

3. Encouraging the faculty to research and publish.

Aims

The group was established in order to promote research that deals with the field of special education. The two topics the group deals with that lack research are effective approaches to teaching reading and writing in special populations and innovative models for field-based pedagogical guidance in special education settings. Also, the group is interested in promoting research on the experimental school on campus - the Adam School for teenagers on the autism spectrum.

Dr. Ya'ara Hermelin Fine

Ya'ara Hermelin Fine is the Dean of Faculty of Education and former head of the Department of Special Education at Oranim College of Education. Previously she was a school counselor, a lecturer and a pedagogical advisor. Dr. Hermelin Fine holds a Ph.D. from the Department of Counseling and Human Development (Haifa University, 2017), M.A. in School Counselling (Tel-Aviv University, 2007), and B.A in Psychology and Special Education (Tel-Aviv University, 2003). Her research focuses on children's socio-emotional development, inclusive education, teachers' education, and educators-parents' relations.

Dr. Maayan Shalev

Maayan Shalev is a pedagogical instructor and a lecturer in the Department of Special Education at Oranim College of Education. In addition, she is a team leader in the Special Education Department and a coordinator of the field experience department in the college. Previously she was a school manager, and a schoolteacher for students with intellectual disabilities. Dr. Shalev holds a Ph.D. from the Department of Special Education (Haifa University, 2018), M.A. in Special Education (Haifa University, 1997), and B.A in Psychology and Sociology (Haifa University, 1995). Her research focuses on students with intellectual disability and complex communication needs, and on teacher education.

Dr. Hilla Sechter-Solomon

Dr. Hilla Sechter-Solomon is a lecturer in the Department of Special Education at Oranim College. She holds a Ph.D. in Teaching, Learning, and Guidance from the University of Haifa (2013), an M.A. in Special Education focusing on Learning Disabilities (University of Haifa, 2004), and a B.A. in Special Education and General Studies (University of Haifa, 2000).

Her academic and professional journey is dedicated to advancing educational practices for diverse learners. Dr. Shechter-Solomon has served as the Head of the Early Childhood Special Education Department at Oranim College, coordinated pedagogical clinics, and worked on developing diagnostic tools for learning disabilities. She is deeply involved in teacher training, with a focus on preparing educators to implement differentiated instruction and evidence-based strategies for supporting students with diverse needs. Her teaching and research span topics such as literacy development, differentiated instruction, strategies for addressing diverse learning needs, and equipping future teachers with the tools to foster inclusive and effective learning environments.

Dr. Adi Ne'eman

Adi Ne'eman is a lecturer and researcher at Oranim College of Education. She specializes in interventions for people on the autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Art for people with special needs. Dr. Ne'eman holds a Ph.D. in Special Education (Haifa University, 2015), M.A. in Special Education (Haifa University, 2006), and B.Fa in Art & Design (Bezalel Academy of Arts & Design, Jerusalem, 2000). Her research focuses on Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Art education for students with special needs.

Dr. Shahar Bar Yehuda

Dr. Shahar Bar Yehuda is a lecturer in the special education programs at Levinsky-Wingate Academic Center and Oranim College of Education. He previously served as the national autism counselor for Israel’s Ministry of Education. Dr. Bar Yehuda holds a Ph.D. and a master’s degree in special education, with a focus on autism, both from Bar-Ilan University. He also holds a B.A. in education and comparative literature, as well as a master’s in educational planning and policy, from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Additionally, he is a Mandel School for Educational Leadership graduate.

Dr. Gat Savaldi Harussi

Dr. Gat Savaldi-Harussi, a speech-language pathologist, earned her PhD at University of California, Berkeley and San Francisco State University. She is the Founder and Head of the Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Lab in the Department of Communication Disorders at Ariel University, where she serves as a lecturer. The AAC Lab is dedicated to adapting and implementing literacy and language instruction to support the unique needs and improve performance of individuals with Complex Communication Needs (CCN), including those with autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and intellectual disabilities. She explores the dynamic interplay between language structure and use, as well as the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that shape language growth in individuals who use AAC. As a speech-language pathologist at the Ministry of Education, she leads educational teams supporting students with Complex Communication Needs.

Dr. Einav Israel

Einav Israel is a speech-language pathologists working with children and adults with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and CCN (Complex Communication Needs ) in special education schools and occupational/supported work centres. Dr. Israel supervises therapists working with people with complex disabilities, and lectures in educational colleges. She holds a Ph.D. from the Department of Special Education (Haifa University, 2020), M.A. in Communication Disorders (Tel-Aviv University, 2012), and B.A in Communication Disorders (Hadassa Academic College, 2005). Her doctoral thesis dealt with symbol learning and AAC for people with ASD.

Dr. Asin Baransi

Asin Baransi is a Ph.D. candidate at Bar-Ilan University, Israel, in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. She holds an M.A. in Special Education with a specialization in emotional and behavioral disorders from the University of Haifa and dual B.Ed. degrees in Special Education and Arabic Language from Oranim Academic College.

As a researcher. Mrs. Baransi has contributed to qualitative research at the National Authority for Measurement and Evaluation in Education (RAMA) and has explored intra-cultural differences in parenting styles and their influence on children's performance in the Israeli-Arab community. She has presented her findings at international conferences, including the International Association of Cross-Cultural Psychology in Prague. Her research interests focus on the integration of theory and practice in special education, parenting styles across cultural and religious contexts, and the empowerment of students with special needs.

Research group in Special Education