Karen (DiGiovanni) DeAngelis

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
Education School of Education
KD EDUC Headshot
978.665.3516 Office: McKay C122
Office Hours
Spring 2025

Tuesday 1 - 2 p.m.
Thursday 12 - 2 p.m.

Biography

Dr. Karen DeAngelis is an Associate Professor of Elementary and Special Education. Karen is the Undergraduate Coordinator for the Moderate and Severe Disabilities Programs at Fitchburg State University. Karen worked as a special education teacher and a k-5 teacher for five years in the Winchester Public Schools. She served seven years as Director of Teacher Education for American University, and four years as Department Chair of Education at Bay Path University in Longmeadow, MA. Dr. DeAngelis served as Graduate Coordinator for Special Education for Bay Path and oversaw the Candidate Assessment of Performance process for the program. She completed her Doctorate from American University in 2004 and her dissertation title was: An Analysis of the Discursive Practices of Alternatively Prepared Beginning Elementary Teachers

Courses Taught

To see course descriptions go to the University Catalog.

Intro to Special Education (SPED 1001)
Science and Social Studies for Diverse Learners (SPED 3150)
Assessment of Students with Disabilities (SPED 4050)
Read Assessment and Instruction for Diverse Learners (SPED 3250)
Field Experience I - Early Childhood Education (EDUC 3016
Field Experience II - Early Childhood Education (EDUC 3017)
Field Experience I Moderate Disabilities (SPED 3023)
Field Experience II Moderate Disabilities (SPED 3024)
Field Experience I Severe Disabilities (SPED 3031)
Field Experience II Severe Disabilities (SPED 3032)
Teaching Students with Disabilities (SPED 7125)

Background

B.A., University of Massachusetts Amherst
M.S., Simmons College
Ph.D., American University

Universal Design for Learning, Growth Mindset, Inclusive Practices

DeAngelis, K. (2020, June). Universal Design for Learning in Virtual Environments. Presentation offered through the Fitchburg State University Office Online Learning, Fitchburg, MA.

 DeAngelis, K. (2020, February). Incorporating Universal Design for Learning into Teacher Education Programs. Presentation at the Association of Teacher Educators Annual Conference, Atlantic City, NJ.

 Collins, P. & DeAngelis, K. (2019, November). Intelligent Lives: Fitchburg Panel Presentation. Co-moderator for the panel presentation at the Fall 2019 Intelligent Lives: Fitchburg event, Fitchburg, MA.

DeAngelis, K. (2019, October). Partnering with Parents and Guardians. “Lesson Learned”  Presentation at the 53rd Annual Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education Convocation, Norfolk, VA.

DeAngelis, K. & Joseph, R. (2019, August). Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education Settings. Presentation at the Association of Teacher Educators  Summer Conference, Burlington, VT.

DeAngelis, K. & Joseph, R. (2019, March). Increasing Accessibility through the Universal Design for Learning Framework. Presentation at the Federation for Children with Special Needs Annual Conference, Boston, MA.

DeAngelis, K. (2019, March). The Nexus Between Resilience and Growth Mindset. Virtual  presentation at the 2019 International Conference on Education and Social Development, The Woodlands, TX.

DeAngelis, K. & Link, L. (2019, April). Empowering and Engaging Preservice Teachers to Be Confident and Competent Science Teachers. New England Educational Research Organization Conference, Portsmouth, NH.

DeAngelis, K. & Joseph, R. (2018, August). Incorporating Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education Classroom settings. Presentation at the Fitchburg State University Fall 2018 Faculty Development Day, Fitchburg, MA.

DeAngelis, K. & Joseph, R. (2018, August). Incorporating Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education Classroom Settings. Presentation at Fitchburg State University’s Fall 2018 Faculty Development Day, Fitchburg, MA.

Benharris, L., DeAngelis, K, & Joseph, R. (2018, June). Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education. Presentation at the New England Faculty Development Consortium Spring 2018 Conference, Newton, MA

DeAngelis, K. (2015, October). Utilizing Universal Design for Learning to Diminish Ableism in Classroom Settings.  Paper presented at the annual conference of the New York State Chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children, Saratoga Springs, NY.  

DeAngelis, K. (2015, February).  College to Careers Leadership Series Panelist. Bay Path University.

DeAngelis, K. (2013, March). Preventing Violence in Our Schools and Beyond.  Moderator for the T. Marc Futter Program for Ethics in Leadership and Integrity in Action Lecture Series Panel Discussion.

 

Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education
New England Educational Research Organization