Ankita Bhattashali

Ankita Bhattashali obtained her PhD from the University of Kansas (KU) in the Department of Special Education, specializing in Early Childhood Unified. Prior to this, she completed an MS in Special Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Masters of Social Work from Osmania University, India. Her professional experience includes teaching in preschool classrooms in Illinois and providing coaching and feedback as a University Supervisor to student teachers during her doctoral program at KU. In this role, she supported student teachers as they worked in various early care centers/programs, such as, Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Head Start, and early intervention settings. She also co-taught or served as a teaching assistant in undergraduate and Master’s-level courses at KU. Additionally, Ankita has worked at a non-profit organization as a project coordinator and academic lead in India. Through her research, she advocates for progress toward social justice, equity, and inclusion for children with disabilities and their families. She focuses on supporting practitioners in their ability to partner with families and translate research into practice.