Dr. Dan Dalun Zhang is a professor of Special Education at Texas A&M University. He is specialized in assisting youth with disabilities to make a successful transition from high school to adulthood with a focus on individuals with intellectual disabilities. He has taught both undergraduate and graduate courses on characteristics of and instructional strategies for individuals with intellectual disabilities, as well as transition from school to adulthood. In the past 16 years, he has worked collaboratively with schools, state and private agencies, and universities in Louisiana, South Carolina, and Texas in training and outreach activities. He has published extensively in the field of transition, particularly on the topic of student self-determination. His publications are well cited in the literature and he has been nationally recognized for these contributions. Dr. Zhang has successfully managed numerous federally and state funded projects totaling more than 12 million dollars. These grants are designed to support individuals with disabilities in enhancing academic performance and pursuing employment, higher education, and independent living. In addition to research and grant management, Dr. Zhang has presented papers and served as an invited speaker at numerous conferences and meetings. He is well recognized by colleagues in the field through his service to the profession. He served as President of the national Division on Career Development and Transition, a division within the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Dr. Zhang served as an associate editor of Remedial and Special Education, a leading journal in special education; he has also served as a consulting editor for Career Development for Exceptional Individuals and Journal of Disability Policy Studies. Dr. Zhang is advisor to several doctoral students.
