James D. Basham, PhD

James Basham
  • School of Education and Human Sciences - Special Education Professor

Contact Info

Joseph R. Pearson Hall
1122 West Campus Road
Lawrence, KS 66045

Biography —

James D. Basham, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Kansas. Dr. Basham is also the cofounder and CEO of the Universal Design for Learning - Implementation and Research Network (UDL-IRN). The UDL-IRN is a global non-profit that supports implementation, research, and development around Universal Design for Learning (UDL). His research is focused on learner-centered design, innovation, instruction, and technology in modern learning environments. He is well published and has served as a consultant for school districts, universities, education agencies, foundations, and corporate entities on design of modern learning environments, school reform, technology-enabled personalization, and Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM). He has given hundreds of national and international talks, serves on various editorial boards, advisory boards, and more recently worked on the Technical Work Group for the current U.S. National Educational Technology Plan (NETP).

Education —

Ph.D. in Educational Psychology & Special Education, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2005
M.S. in Special Education, Eastern Illinois University, 1996
B.A. in Special Education , Eastern Illinois University, 1994

Teaching —

Teaching Interests

  • Universal Design for Learning
  • Instructional Design and Technology
  • STEM Education
  • Innovation
Research Interests
  • Universal design for learning
  • Instructional Design and Technology
  • STEM Education
  • Innovation

Selected Publications —

Basham, J. D., Stahl, W., Ortiz, K., Rice, M., & Smith, S. (2015). Equity matters: Digital & Online Learning for Students with Disabilities. (J. Basham & W. Stahl, Eds.) [Reports].

Smith, S., & Basham, J. D. (2014). Designing online learning opportunities for students with disabilities. [Journal Articles]. Teaching Exceptional Children, 1–11.

Marino, M. T., Becht, K., Vasquez, E. G., Gallup, J. L., Basham, J. D., & Gallegos, B. (2014). Enhancing secondary science content accessibility with video games. [Journal Articles]. Teaching Exceptional Children, 47, 27–34.

Harvey, D., Greer, D., Basham, J., & Hu, B. (2014). From the student perspective: Experiences of middle and high school students in online learning. [Journal Articles]. American Journal of Distance Education. , 28, 14–26.

Marino, M. T., Gotch, C. M., Vasquez, E., Basham, J. D., & Becht, K. (2014). UDL in the middle school science classroom: Can video games and alternative text heighten engagement and learning for students with learning disabilities? [Journal Articles]. Learning Disabilities Quarterly. Published.

Israel, M., Marino, M. T., Basham, J. D., & Spivak, W. (2013). Fifth graders as app designers: How diverse learns conceptualize education apps. [Journal Articles]. Journal of Research on Technology Education, 46(1), 53–80.

Basham, J. D., Smith, S. J., Greer, D. L., & Marino, M. T. (2013). The scaled arrival of K-12 online education: Emerging realities and implications for the future of education. [Journal Articles]. Journal of Education, 193(2), 51–59.

Basham, J. D., & Marino, M. T. (2013). Understanding STEM education and supporting students with universal design for learning. [Journal Articles]. Teaching Exceptional Children, 45(4), 8–15.

Haydon, T., Hawkins, R., Basham, J., Denune, H., Kimener, L., & McCoy, D. (2012). A comparison of iPads and worksheets on math skills of 9th grade students with emotional disorders. [Journal Articles]. Behavioral Disorders, 37(4), 232–243.

Carnahan, C., Basham, J. D., Christman, J., & Hollingshead, A. (2012). Overcoming challenges: Going mobile with your own video models. [Journal Articles]. Teaching Exceptional Children, 45(2), 50–59.

Marino, M. T., Israel, M., Beecher, C. C., & Basham, J. D. (2012). Students’ and teachers’ perceptions of using videogames to enhance science instruction. [Journal Articles]. Journal of Science Education and Technology [10590145], 22(5), 667–680. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-012-9421-9

Lowrey, K. A., Basham, J. D., Gardner, J. E., & Jones, M. (2011). Computer-mediated collaboration: Using the web to contextualize representational issues in general and special education practice [Book Chapters]. In E. D. McCray, P. A. McHatton, & C. L. Beverly (Eds.), Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions for Culturally Competent and Intercultural Sensitive Leaders in Education (pp. 202–233). CEC Teacher Education Division.

Basham, J. D., Koehler, C., & Israel, M. (2011). Creating a “STEM for all” environment [Book Chapters]. In C. Johnson (Ed.), Secondary STEM Education Reform (Secondary Education in the Changing World) (pp. 1–25). Palgrave Macmillan.

Basham, J. D., Perry, E., & Meyer, H. (2011). It’s in the Bag: Digital Backpacks for Project-Based Learning [Journal Articles]. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(2), 24–27.

Grants & Other Funded Activity —

Teen Career Pathway (Phase II). 1660018. National Science Foundation. $750000.00. (3/5/2017 - 2/28/2019). Partnered with The Social Express through the National Science Foundation (SBIR) to develop and study a series of video games that support Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) career exposure and planning. The investigation studies usability and efficacy through a unique backend of learning analytic data system.. Federal. Status: Funded. Primary Evaluator/Researcher for the Research and Development Team.