Zarrow Endowed Professor in Special Education & Zarrow Center Director

Professor James Martin holds the first Zarrow Endowed Chair in Special Education and is Director of OU's Zarrow Center for Learning Enrichment. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1983, his MS in Education from Eastern Illinois University with a major in community counseling, and his BS degree in Business. He taught at the University of Colorado at Colorado for 16 years from 1984 to 2000. While at Colorado he served as the Special Education program Coordinator for 10 years and was Director of the Center for Self-Determination. He taught for two years at Eastern Illinois University from 1982 - 1984.

Professor Martin has authored seven books, a couple dozen chapters for edited books, numerous journal articles, and several curriculum lesson packages, which include video and multi-media applications. Federal, state, and local funding agencies provided him more than $6,000,000 to conduct his research and writing activities. He has conducted dozens of presentations and training workshops at sites across the US, Canada, and in Europe.

His professional interests focus upon the transition of youth with disabilities from high school into postsecondary education and the workforce, and what must be done to facilitate success in high school and postsecondary environments. In particular he is interested in the application of self-determination methodology to educational and workplace settings.

jemartin@ou.edu