Hannah Schertz, Ph.D.

Hannah SchertzAssistant Professor of Special Education

School of Special Education
College of Education and Behavioral Sciences
University of Northern Colorado
Greeley, CO 80639

Office: (970) 351-1652

hannah.schertz@unco.edu

Research Interests and Specializations: 

Early Childhood Special Education, family leadership, early identification and early intervention with autism, parent-mediated intervention, team collaboration

Education: 

  • Ph.D., Indiana University, 2005 Special Education
  • Ed.S., Indiana University, 1987 School Administration
  • M.A., B.S., Indiana University, 1977 Special Education, Elementary Education
  • B.A., Goshen College, 1974 Interdisciplinary Studies

Selected Publications:

  • Schertz, H. (submitted). Early Parent Experiences with Autism: A Qualitative Study.
  •  Schertz, H. and Odom, S. L. (2007). Promoting joint attention in toddlers with autism: A parent-mediated developmental model. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37, 1562-1575.
  • Schertz, H. and Robb, M. (2006). Intervention for toddlers with autism: Building on the parent-child relationship to promote early social-communicative competence. Young Exceptional Children, 9(3) 20-27.
  • Schertz, H. H. (2005). Promoting joint attention in toddlers with autism: A parent-mediated developmental model. Doctoral dissertation, Indiana University). Dissertation Abstracts International, 66, 3982.
  • Schertz, H. and Odom, S.L. (2004). Joint attention and early intervention with autism: A conceptual framework and promising approaches. Journal of Early Intervention, 27, 42-54.
  • Odom, S. L., Schertz, H., Munson, L., & Brown, W.H. (2003). Assessing social competence. In M. McLean, D. Bailey, & M. Wolery (Eds.), Assessing infants and preschoolers with special needs, 3rd Edition. Columbus, OH: Merrill Publishing.

Selected Presentations

  • Schertz, H. (2006, December). Using parents as mediators to promote early social communication for toddlers with early-identified autism. Conference session, Zero to Three 21st National Training Institute (NTI), Albuquerque, NM.
  • Schertz, H. H. & Robb, M. (2006, October). Parents as mediators to promote joint attention in toddlers with autism. Poster session, 22nd Annual International Conference on Young Children with Special Needs and Their Families, Little Rock, AK.
  • Schertz, H. H., & Odom, S. L. (2006, February). Promoting joint attention in toddlers with autism. Poster session for the Conference on Research Innovations in Early Intervention (CRIEI), San Diego, CA.
  • Schertz, H. H., & Robb, M. (2005, April). Parent-implemented relationship-based intervention: Effects on joint attention in toddlers with autism. Conference session presented at the Annual Convention, Council for Exceptional Children, Baltimore, MD.
  • Schertz, H. H. (2004, October). A parent-implemented mediated learning approach to early intervention with autism. Conference session presented at the International Association for Cognitive Education and Psychology, Vancouver, British Columbia.
  • Schertz, H. H. (2003, April). Early diagnosis and intervention in autism: The role of joint attention. Conference session presented at the Annual Convention of the Council for Exceptional Children, Seattle, WA.

Projects:

  • Schertz, H. H., Principal Investigator, Odom, S., Co-principal Investigator, & K. M. Baggett, Co-principal Investigator (2007-2010). Promoting early social-communicative competency in toddlers with autism, a multi-site intervention research grant. Autism Speaks Foundation. $968,145 awarded.
  • T. Mueller, Principal Investigator, & Schertz, H. H., Co-principal Investigator (2006-2007). Promoting effective parent/teacher partnerships. Colorado Department of Education. $37,439 awarded.
  • Schertz, H. H. (2006). Summer Faculty Research Fellowship, University of Northern Colorado. Competitive grant to support development of external research grant proposal. $4,500 awarded. Schertz, H. Project Director (2002-2003). On-site support to child care providers to expand capacity for children with special needs. Indiana Family and Social Services Agency. $63,500 awarded.