Contact Information
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
603 E. Daniel Street
Psychology Building, Room 711
Champaign, IL 61820
Office Hours
Research Areas
Biography
I am an Assistant Teaching Professor with a PhD in Special Education and practical clinical experience as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. I developed and teach PSYC 338: Neurodiversity in Practice, an interdisciplinary course that draws from psychology, disability studies, special education, and applied behavior analysis. My teaching approach draws on Universal Design for Learning principles and incorporates multiple modes of instruction, discussion, reflection, and community-engaged learning. I also supervise service-learning courses at Cunningham Children’s Home.
My clinical practice and research inform my teaching. My work centers assent, functional communication, and assessment-based support for behaviors that interfere with learning and participation. I am especially interested in strengthening the capacity of caregivers, teachers, and other professionals who support autistic individuals.
Research Interests
Participatory autism research; culturally adapted caregiver and professional training; caregiver and teacher capacity building; assent, functional communication, and assessment-based intervention; behaviors that interfere with learning and participation; family experiences with autism services; and transitions from intensive behavioral intervention to public schools.
Education
- PhD, Special Education, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2024
- MEd, School Counseling, Suffolk University, 2005
- BA, Psychology, American University of Beirut, 2001
Courses Taught
PSYC 338: Neurodiversity in Practice
Recent Publications
Haidar, B., Alqunaysi, R., Meadan, H., Martin Loya, M. R., & De Alwis, M. (2026). Cultural Adaptation of a Caregiver Training Program for Arabic-Speaking Families: Feasibility and Social Validity. Behavior Modification: Special Issue on Natural Change Agents. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/01454455261444277
Haidar, B., & Meadan, H. (2025). Navigating the Transition: Behavior Analysts’ Insights on Supporting Autistic Children Moving from Intensive Behavior Intervention to Public School. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-025-01092-7
Haidar, B., & Meadan, H. (2024). Consequence does not equal punishment, Early Childhood Education Journal: Special Issue on Effective Practices. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-024-01813-7
Price, R., Martin, M. R., Folkerts, R., & Haidar, B. (2024). Behavior analysis forums and the ethical landscape of social media behaviors. Behavior Analysis in Practice: Special Issue. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-024-00921-5
Haidar, B., & Meadan, H. (2024). Examining parental stress and autism in the early days of the pandemic: A mixed-methods study. Disabilities, 4(1), 144-162. https://doi.org/10.3390/disabilities4010010(invited submission)
Haidar, B., & Meadan, H. (2023). Covid-19 pandemic experience for families of young children with autism. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-023-09933-5
McGuire, S. N., Martin, R. M., Meadan, H., Adams, N. B., Haidar, B., Griffin, C., & Folkerts, R. (2022). Black, Mexican American, and White caregiver practices to prevent challenging behavior. Early Childhood Education Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-022-01403-5
Lee, J. D., Hacker, R. E., Meadan, H., & Haidar, B. (2022). Challenging behaviors online modules for parents of young children with disabilities: A pilot feasibility study. Education and Treatment of Children, 1-15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s43494-02100067-x
Adams, N. B., McGuire, S. N., Meadan, H., Martin, M. R., Terol, A. K., Haidar, B., & Fanta, A. S. (2021). Impact of challenging behavior on marginalized and minoritized caregivers of children with disabilities. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/02711214211052087
Chung, M. Y., Lee, J. D., Meadan, H., Sands, M. M., & Haidar, B. (2021). Building professionals’ capacity: The cascading coaching model. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 24(4), 313-324. https://doi.org/10.1177/10983007211039295
Haidar, B., Folkerts, R., Miranda, D. R. G., Gilmartin, E., & Meadan, H. (2024). Conquering challenges in social media recruitment for education research. February newsletter, Division for Research, Council for Exceptional Children, FOCUS on Research, 37(1). Retrieved from https://cecdr.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/dr_newsletter_february2024_v3.pdf