Sudha Ramaswamy

  • Professor and Chair, Special Education and Educational Leadership
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Dr. Sudha Ramaswamy

Dr. Ramaswamy is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Special Education and Leadership at Mercy University where she has been teaching since 2006. She is a Fulbright Specialist (2014) in the area of Teacher Preparation.  She teaches graduate level courses in Early Childhood and Childhood Special Education as well as coordinates the post-graduate coursework sequence that leads to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board credential.

Dr. Ramaswamy brings her educational background in Neuroscience and Behavior to her applied behavior analytic practices, working with individuals with Autism. Dr. Ramaswamy graduated with a Masters and Ph.D.  in Special Education, with a specialization in Applied Behavior Analysis, from Columbia University. Before this, she earned her B.A. degree in Neuroscience and Behavior from Barnard College, Columbia University.

Dr. Ramaswamy has presented on a wide range of topics, notably, parent and family education — strengthening parent and child interactions in the home and community. Further, her research interests include early social development of children with autism and global dissemination of special education curriculum. To that end, she has been published in the Global Education Review and has also served as its theme editor.  She is a member of the Association for Behavior Analysis as well as the Council for Exceptional Children.

Teachers College, Columbia University 

Doctor of Philosophy

Specialization: Health and Behavior Studies; Behavioral Disorders

 

Teachers College, Columbia University 

Master of Philosophy

Health and Behavior Studies; Behavioral Disorders

 

Teachers College, Columbia University

Master of Education

Instructional Practice in Special Education

 

Teachers College, Columbia University 

Master of Arts

Behavioral Disorders                                         

 

Barnard College, Columbia University 

Bachelor of Arts

Magna Cum Laude

Neuroscience and Behavior

  • Teacher and parent education
  • Educational strategies for children with disabilities
  • Language development for children with disabilities
  • Education equity for families, children and personnel in public school settings

Special Education 

Applied Behavior Analysis 

PUBLICATIONS

Ramaswamy, S., Davies-Lackey, A., & Barbanel-Ershow, D. (2022). Direct Instruction Curricula: An Effective Path Forward for Remote Learning," submitted to "Engaging Students With Disabilities in Remote Learning Environments". In P. Griswold, M. Urgolo-Huckvale, & K.McNeal (Eds.), Engaging Students With Disabilities in Remote Learning Environments (pp. TBD). IGI Global. 

Jordan, K., Lapidus, S., & Ramaswamy, S. (2021). Analyzing the role of implicit bias from a DisCrit Perspective: The practical application of recommendations for the Pyramid Model framework. In T. Neimann, J. Felix, & E. Shliakhovchuk (Eds.), Policy and practice challenges for equality in education (pp. 102-122). IGI Global.

Ramaswamy, S. and Ramaswamy P., (2016). Experiential Learning in Teacher Education.  Global Education Review. 3(4): 11-15.

Jordan, K. and Ramaswamy, S. (2014). Global Perspectives on Inclusion. Global Education Review. 1(1): 10-11. 

Ramaswamy, S. (August, 2014). Teacher Competencies for Diverse Learners. 

Ramaswamy, S. (2008) An Establishing Operation for Academic Response Acquisition: Testing the Effects of an Establishing Operation on Response Acquisition and its differential effects on Performance Tasks of Children with Autism. Saarbruken:  Verlag Dr. Müller.   

PAPER PRESENTATIONS

Ramaswamy, S. & Davies Lackey, A. (2022, May)  Testing the Effects of Remote Instruction on Acquisition of Direct Instruction Language and Math Responses. Paper presented at the Annual Association for Behavior Analysis International conference, Boston, MA.  

Davies Lackey, A. & Ramaswamy, S. (2022, May)  Testing the Effects of Remote Instruction on Acquisition of Direct Instruction Spelling Responses. Paper presented at the Annual Association for Behavior Analysis International conference, Boston, MA.  

Ramaswamy, S. and Lang, C. (2020, May) Conditioned Reinforcement of Faces, Voices, and Object Tracking to Induce Joint Attention in Young Children With Autism. Paper presented at the Annual Association for Behavior Analysis International conference, Washington, DC.  

Lang, C. and Ramaswamy, S. (2020, May) Examining the Acquisition of Observing Responses Through Conditioned Reinforcement for Faces and Voices and the Emergence of Joint Attention. Paper presented at the Annual Association for Behavior Analysis International conference, Washington, DC.  

Ramaswamy, S.(2019, May) Teaching Procedures for Eye Contact, Vocalizations and Joint Attention in Children With Autism.  Paper presented at the Annual Association for Behavior Analysis International conference, Chicago,Il. 

Ramaswamy, S. Pelaez, M., Monlux, K., Carrow, J., & Hayley Neimy (2018, May) Vocalizations and Joint Attention as a Function of Operant Learning Procedures in Neurotypical Infants.  Paper presented at the the Annual Association for Behavior Analysis International conference, San Diego,CA. 

Ramaswamy, S. (2012, May) Testing the effects of an auditory matching procedure on the emission of intraverbal tacts.  Paper presented at the Annual Association for Behavior Analysis International conference, Seattle, WA. 

Ramaswamy, S. (2011, May).  Testing the effects of a teacher training protocol on behavior analytic instructional repertoires.  Paper presented at the Annual Association for Behavior Analysis International conference, Denver, CO.

O’Rourke Lang, C & Ramaswamy, S. (2010, May). The role of peer tutoring on the acquisition of verbal operants.  Paper presented at the Annual Association for Behavior Analysis International conference, San Antonio, TX. 

Ramaswamy, S. & O’Rourke Lang, C (2010, May). Conditioning reading as a reinforcer for performance and learning as a function of observation.  Paper presented at the Annual Association for Behavior Analysis International conference, San Antonio, TX. 
Ramaswamy, S. (2010, May) Video-based self-monitoring versus in-situ supervision to teach behavior analytic repertoires.  Paper presented at the Annual Association for Behavior Analysis International conference, San Antonio, TX. 

Ramaswamy, S. (2008, May). The role of peer tutoring in the acquisition of verbal operants. Paper presented at the Annual Association for Behavior Analysis International conference, Chicago, IL.    

 Slim-Topdjian, L. & Ramaswamy, S. (2007, May). The effects of video feedback and self-monitoring on teacher/learner performance. Paper presented at the Annual Association for Behavior Analysis International conference, San Francisco, CA.    

Ramaswamy, S. (2006, May).  The role of peer tutoring in the acquisition of verbal operants.  Paper presented at the Annual Association for Behavior Analysis International conference, Atlanta, GA.     

Slim-Topdjian, L. & Ramaswamy, S. (2006, May). Bridging the gap between SLP and ABA. Paper presented at the New Jersey Speech-Language-Hearing Association conference, New Jersey.

Ramaswamy, S.  (2006, May). The acquisition of novel operants through observational learning and peer tutoring. Paper presented at the Annual Association for Behavior Analysis International conference, Atlanta, GA.     

Ramaswamy, S. (2005, May). Reinforcer sampling as an establishing operation.

Paper presented at the Annual Association for Behavior Analysis International conference, Chicago, Il.      

 

 

Fulbright Scholar (2013-2014)

The purpose of this award was to examine the current course structure for teacher candidates and to restructure currently existing undergraduate and graduate special education curricula in Austria.    The goal was to facilitate integration/collaboration between Mercy University (New York) and the University of Lower Austria (Baden) through teaching activities, recruitment of bilateral exchange students; creative project development involving relevant departments at both universities; and on-line collaboration for academic and administrative endeavors. 

Faculty Development Grant Recipient-Mercy University (2017)

Acquisition of Early Social Communication Skills Via Discrimination Training in Infants

The purpose of this study was to expand the literature on early indicators and “at risk” behavioral characteristics of infants with potential for developing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disorders. Further, the study sought to develop meaningful exercises for caregivers to potentially increase social-emotional responses with their children. In this study, children between the ages of 6 months - 6 years who fit inclusion criteria participated. Children were assessed and placed in the appropriate social skills training cohorts.

Faculty Development Grant Recipient-Mercy University (2013)

Supporting Educators Globally

The goal of the project was to relay, to an international audience, practices related to serving students with and without special education needs.  The project involved the development of a website that was devoted to teaching and learning and was launched through a Mercy University host and as full time professors of Special Education, faculty provided the most current theories and practices to all visitors to the website.  A collaboration with the University of Education, Baden (Austria) has the potential to connect us with numerous institutions nationally and internationally.

iPad Project Grant Funded through the PPOHA-Mercy University (Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans) Grant (2012)

Tech Savvy Teachers: Assessing the Effect of Incorporating iPads in a Graduate Level Teacher Training Program on Candidates Perceived Comfort and Efficacy

This grant was funded through the PPOHA grant, with Dr. William Ehmann as Project Director and Dr. Frank Melia as Project Coordinator.  The study was specifically related to the Graduate Research Fellows Program Project-Based Peer Tutors.  The title of the grant was, "Tech Savvy Teachers: Assessing the Effect of Incorporating iPads in a Graduate Level Teacher Training Program on Candidates Perceived Comfort and Efficacy".  The purpose of the research was to examine teacher candidates’ perceptions regarding technology use in the classroom and the application of technology to assist students with disabilities. 

Faculty Development Grant Recipient-Mercy University (2011)

Group-Based Teacher Training on Behavior Analytic Instructional Repertoires

This Faculty Development Grant funded project ($2300), which was awarded in April of 2011, funded a study wherein six participants were taught using a teacher training protocol.  The protocol was used to train teachers how to 1) utilize the terminology of applied behavior analysis when describing graphs of student data and 2) how to complete a strategic analysis of student learning problems.  They were taught the two above-named skills through experimenter-delivered feedback. This study tested the effects of the above teacher training protocol on subsequent student achievement.  Student achievement was measured through the acquisition of short-term objectives (criteria) on instructional programs through a multiple probe design (pre and post-training probes).