College of Education

Education

• Ed.D., Ball State University
• M.S., Marquette University
• B.S., Western Michigan University

Selected Publications

• Hardy, K. & Kraai, R.V. (2020) Lingering Effects of Dyslexia in College Age   Students. Poster Presentation at Michigan Council for Exceptional Children, Grand Rapids, MI.
  
• Leon, R., Kraai, R.V., & Dowd, K. (2019). Preparing teachers for special education: Lessons from a service-learning class. International Journal of Research in Service Learning and Community Engagement. Vol. 7 (1).
• Kraai, R.V. (March, 2015) Special Education and Writing. Presentation at the EMU National Writing Project, Ypsilanti, MI
• Kraai, R. V. (March, 2015) Disabilities and Faith Communities in the State of Michigan. ) Presentation at the Michigan Council for Exceptional Children,
• Grand Rapids, MI
• Kraai, R.V. (November, 2014). Serving Students with Disabilities: Lessons from Service Learning Experiences. Presentation at the TED Conference of Council for Exceptional Children, Indianapolis, IN
• Kraai, R.V., (November, 2014). Faith Communities and Disability in the State of Michigan. Presentation at the Brehm Conference: Connecting the Dots, Ypsilanti, MI.
• Kraai, R.V., Desiderio, J., and Stiefel, G. (May, 2014). From Feeblemindedness to Exceptionality. Presentation at the EMU Department of Special Education 100th Anniversary Research Symposium, Ypsilanti, MI.
• Kraai, R.V., (May, 2014). Speech and Language Development. Professional development for workshop for the visiting Korean teachers. EMU Department of Special Education, Ypsilanti, MI.
• Kraai, R.V., (2014) (February, 2014). Writing and Learning Disabilities. Presentation at the EMU Writing Center, Ypsilanti, MI.
• Kraai, R.V. (2013). Faith Communities and Disabilities. In P. Smith (Ed.). Disability and Diversity: An Introduction. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishers.
• Kraai, R.V. and Stevens, L.C. (2013). Speech and Language Disorders. In P. Smith (Ed.) Disability and Diversity: An Introduction. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishers
• Kraai, R. V. (April, 2013). The Church's Role in Serving People with Disabilities. Poster Presented at the Council for Exceptional Children Conference (CEC), San Antonio, TX.
• The Work Sampling System. (2013) Meisels, S.J., Marsden, D.R., Jablon, J.R., Dorfman, A.B. and Dichtelmiller, M.K., (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson (Special Education Content Area Expert).
• Kraai, R.V. (April, 2012). Metacognitive Strategy Use in Spelling. Poster presented at the Council for Exceptional Children's Conference (CEC), Denver, CO.
• Kraai, R.V. and Yssel, H. (2012). Metacognitive Strategy Use in Second Grade Students with Learning Disabilities During Written Spelling Tasks. Issues in education: Preschool through graduate school, 3 (1). Online Journal, Michigan Association of Teacher Educators

Teaching

• SPGN 395 - Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults with Disabilities: School, Family and Community Interaction
• SPGN 510 - Introduction to Inclusive Education and Disability Studies
• SPLI 240 - Pre-Clinical Experiences - Learning Disabilities
• SPLI 468 - Education of Children with Learning Disabilities and other Mild Disabilities
• SPLI 421 - Language Arts Methods for Students with Learning Disabilities and Other Mild Disabilities
• SPLI 550 - Learning Disabilities: Application Issues and Theory
• SPLI 672 - Integrated Curriculum in Special Education: Linguistics and Language Arts
• SPLI 673 - Language: Acquisition, Disorders, Evaluation
• SPLI 693 - Learning Disabilities Practicum
• SPLI 712 - Research Colloquium: Learning Disabilities

Research Interests

Dr. Kraai is a professor in the learning disabilities area of the Special Education Program. She has acquired many years of experience working in both the speech-language pathology field as well as the field of special education. Working in different environments in four different states in various setting such as: public schools, hospital, home healthcare, hospice, charter school and university settings has been a highlight of her professional career. Dr. Kraai has served as an Honors College Faculty Fellow and has recently received the College of Education Innovative Teaching Award.
Dr. Kraai is involved in a number of different projects. She has received a Provost's New Faculty Research Award which focuses on researching people with disabilities and faith communities in the State of Michigan. Another interest where research has been conducted and disseminated is with special education preservice teachers and Academic Service Learning which the office of Academic Service Learning on campus helped to fund. A third area of interest is with metacognitive strategy use during spelling tasks which she conducted with second grade students with learning disabilities.

Selected Presentation

• Hardy, K. & Kraai, R.V. (2020) Lingering Effects of Dyslexia in College Age Students.
      Poster Presentation at Michigan Council for Exceptional Children, Grand
      Rapids, MI.

• Kraai, R.V.  (November, 2017) Turning an Introduction to Special Education Course into
      a U.S. Diversity Course.  Presentation at Teacher Education Division of CEC,
      Savannah, GA.

• Kraai, R.V.  (March, 2016) Learning Disabilities and the Law. Presentation to
       Ph.D. Psychology class,EMU, Ypsilanti, MI.

• Kraai, R.V. (March, 2015) Special Education and Writing. Presentation at the
       EMU National Writing Project, Ypsilanti, MI

• Kraai, R. V. (March, 2015) Disabilities and Faith Communities in the State of
       Michigan. ) Presentation at the Michigan Council for Exceptional Children,
       Grand Rapids, MI

• Kraai, R.V. (November, 2014). Serving Students with Disabilities: Lessons from
       Service Learning Experiences. Presentation at the TED Conference of
       Council for Exceptional Children, Indianapolis, IN

• Kraai, R.V., (November, 2014). Faith Communities and Disability in the State of Michigan.
       Presentation at the Brehm Conference: Connecting the Dots,
       Ypsilanti, MI.

• Kraai, R.V., Desiderio, J., and Stiefel, G. (May, 2014). From Feeblemindedness to
       Exceptionality. Presentation at the EMU Department of Special Education 100^th
       Anniversary Research Symposium, Ypsilanti, MI.

• Kraai, R.V., (May, 2014). Speech and Language Development. Professional development for
        workshop for the visiting Korean teachers. EMU Department of Special Education,
        Ypsilanti, MI.

• Kraai, R.V., (2014) (February, 2014). Writing and Learning Disabilities. Presentation
        at the EMU Writing Center, Ypsilanti, MI.

•  Leon, R., Kraai, R.V., and Dowd, K. (November, 2013). Academic Service Learning
        and Students with Disabilities.
        Presentation at the Brehm Symposium, Connecting the Dots Conference,
        Ypsilanti, MI.

•  Leon, R., Kraai, R.V. and Dowd, K. (October, 2013). Lessons from Serving Students
        with Disabilities. Presentation at the Michigan College Personnel Association,
        Grand Rapids, MI.

•  Kraai, R.V. (April, 2013). The Church’s Role in Serving People with Disabilities. Poster
        presented at the Council for Exceptional Children’s Conference (CEC), San
        Antonio, TX.

• Kraai, R.V. (April, 2012). Metacognitive Strategy Use in Spelling. Poster presented at
        the Council for Exceptional Children’s Conference (CEC),
        Denver, CO.

•  Kraai, R.V. (October, 2011). Metacognitive Strategy Use in Second Grade Students with Learning Disabilities During Written
        Spelling Tasks.
        Paper presented at the Michigan Association of Teacher Educators Conference,
        Detroit, MI.

Professional Affiliations

• American Speech-Language -Hearing Association (ASHA)
• Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) – Teacher Education Division (TED) and Developmental Disabilities
• International Dyslexia Association
• Learning Disabilities Association of America
• Michigan Council for Exceptional Children (MCEC)
• Michigan Speech-Language-Hearing Association (MASHA)