Coordinator of Diagnostician Program
I am the coordinator of the diagnostician program at TAMUT. My focus is assessment and supervision of practicum candidates for the diagnostician program. My research agenda is primarily on autism and early intervention.
Prior to coming to TAMUT, I was chairman of the special education department at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Before that I was the director of special education for Midland ISD. My public school experience includes being a diagnostician for 18 years in a number of school districts in Texas. I was the supervisor for the Regional Day School for the Deaf in Midland, Texas. Teaching students with disabilities and teaching early childhood in Midland, Texas. In addition to teaching at TAMUT, and UTPB, I have also taugh at Stephen F. Austin State University and Texas Tech University. I was promoted to Associate Professor in 2021.
Prior to coming to TAMUT, I was chairman of the special education department at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Before that I was the director of special education for Midland ISD. My public school experience includes being a diagnostician for 18 years in a number of school districts in Texas. I was the supervisor for the Regional Day School for the Deaf in Midland, Texas. Teaching students with disabilities and teaching early childhood in Midland, Texas. In addition to teaching at TAMUT, and UTPB, I have also taugh at Stephen F. Austin State University and Texas Tech University. I was promoted to Associate Professor in 2021.
My teaching areas include graduate level special education classes. One of my favorite classes is Special Education Law, SPED 525. I think it’s important for candidates to see from where the laws they must follow originated. Another class I particularly enjoy is the practicum course. SPED 585 is a 160 hour course whereby candidates work with a site supervisor in the daily routines of a diagnostician. Until this semester I was able to observe the candidates face to face. Now observations are done virtually and I really miss the one-to- one contact with the candidates. I am very proud of the fact that our program has a 100% pass rate on the state certification exam. We take pride in delivering an unparrelled level of support to our candidates.
My most recent publication, Autism: A Function of Neurodiversity?, supports my interest in families with children on the autism spectrum. I am currently working with another faculty member on a chapter in a textbook related to determining that an ESL student with language problems has the same problems in his/her native language. By law, in order for a student to have a learning disability, they must have the disability in their native language as well as in English.
Recent conference presentations include CSCOTTE, 2025, Supporting Students with Disabilities at the Higher Education Level. Dr. Mullins and I have been accepted to present at the 2026 Teacher Education Division of Council for Exceptional Children, November 10-13, in Denver, Colorado. Our presentation will be “Supporting Students with Disabilities: Attitudes Toward Accommodating by General Faculty at the College Level”
Murdock, J. 2020. “Autism: A Function of Neurodiversity?”. Journal of Human Services: Training Research, and Practice.1 (2).
I was recognized as the outstanding professor at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin in 2016 and outstanding classroom teacher, 1989, Midland ISD.
