Elizabeth Ducy
Associate Professor, Program Coordinator EDSP, Education Specialist Prospective Teacher Advisor, Education Specialist Candidate Advisor
Contact
Office
Stevenson 2015Advising Area
- ECSE-AA Program Advisor
- Special Education Credential Program Advisor
Dr. Elizabeth Ducy is an Associate Professor of Special Education at Sonoma State University with diversified professional experience in the field of disability, including serving as a special education teacher for students ages 3 to 15. Her research examines how children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities experience grief, trauma, disasters, and other significant life disruptions, with an emphasis on translating research into trauma responsive, evidence-based practices for educators. Dr. Ducy is the Principal Investigator of the federally funded Seawolves to Education Specialists (SEEDS) project, a U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Personnel Preparation Grant that aims to increase the number of highly qualified special education teachers prepared to meet the needs of students with disabilities and their families.
Academic Interests
- Grief, bereavement, and resilience among children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities
- Trauma and grief responsive practices in special education
- Disability-inclusive disaster preparedness, response, and recovery
- Mental health and social-emotional well-being of students with disabilities
- Teacher preparation and professional learning in special education
- Family-school partnerships and inclusive educational practices
- Supporting students with extensive support needs
Concentrations
- EDSP 421: Foundations of Special Education Pedagogy
- EDSP 432: Young Children with Special Needs
- EDSP 460: Assessment and Fieldwork
- EDSP 522: Family partnerships in ECSE
Selected Publications & Presentations
Gaines, A. G., Wright, P. M., Goldberg, J., Ducy, E. M., McPherson, M. L., & Cagle, J. G. (2025). Caring Connections: A Grounded Theory Study of the Grief and Bereavement Experiences of Children With Intellectual Disabilities. OMEGA-Journal of Death and Dying, 00302228251384463.
Ducy, E. M., & Stough, L. M. (2021). Psychological effects of the 2017 California wildfires on children and youth with disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 114, 103981, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103981
Ducy, E.M. & Stough, L.M. (2021). Educational experiences of children and youth with disabilities impacted by wildfires. Disaster Prevention and Management, 30 (3), pp. 279-292, https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/DPM-10-2020-0310/full/html
Ducy, E.M. (2021, Spring). Ashes to ashes: Wildfire needs still urgent. Impact: Feature Issue on Crisis Management for People with Intellectual, Developmental, and Other Disabilities. https://publications.ici.umn.edu/impact/34-1/ashes-to-ashes
Ducy, E.M. (2021, January). “I feel really sad. I feel sad about my house:” Emotional reactions of youth with developmental disabilities impacted by wildfires. DADD-CEC annual conference.
Stough, L. M., Ducy, E. M., Kang, D., & Lee, S. (2020). Disasters, schools, and children: disability at the intersection. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 45, e101447-e101447.
Stough, L.M. & Ducy, E.M. (2019). Evacuating under fire: Children with special health needs in disaster. Research Counts Children and Disasters Special Collection. Boulder, CO. Natural Hazards Center.
Ducy, E.M., & Stough, L. M. (2018). Teacher perspectives on grief among children with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 23(2), 159-175.
Stough, L.M., Ducy, E.M., & Holt, J. M. (2017). Changes in the social relationships of individuals with disabilities displaced by disaster. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 24, 474-481.
Stough, L.M., Ducy, E.M., & Kang, D. (2017). Addressing the needs of children with disabilities experiencing disaster or terrorism. Current psychiatry reports,19(4), 24