Rick Cunningham

Biography

Prof. Cunningham has over 30 years’ experience in public education as a teacher and school administrator. He has worked in the elementary and secondary panels, on two education boards, with the Ministry of Education and (during a sabbatical) at the Child Development Clinic at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario. His passion in education is to open up the instructional doors for all types of students. In particular, he has focused on models of providing equitable and enabling instruction for students with special needs. This focus grew out of his professional experience, his family journey raising two boys with learning disabilities and as a foster parent of young offenders, all of whom had major struggles in school. As a result, in three of his schools as Principal, he developed the model of inclusion, where students of all abilities were provided their education in a regular class with appropriate accommodations, modifications and support. Prof. Cunningham is also involved in the utilization of assistive technologies by individuals and the implementation of assistive technologies as universally accessible throughout a school.

Research Interest

Assistive technology, special education, differentiated instruction and inclusive education.