Gail L. Ensher, Ed.D
In addition to her work as Professor of Education,
Dr. Ensher is Coordinator of two master's
degree programs in the School of Education
at Syracuse University: Early Childhood Special
Education and the Inclusive Program on Severe
Disabilities. She received her doctorate in special
education from Boston University in 1971. Prior
to receiving her doctoral degree, she taught for 3
years in Hanover, New Hampshire, and Quincy,
Massachusetts. She later assumed a position on
the faculty at the Pennsylvania State University
in State College prior to taking a position on the
faculty at Syracuse University.
For many years, Dr. Ensher has been actively
involved in teaching, writing and research,
and community service related to families and
young children who are at risk and have developmental
disabilities. At Syracuse University,
she teaches courses at the undergraduate and
graduate levels about methods and curriculum
in early childhood special education, families of
young children with special needs, the assessment
of infants and young children, and the theoretical
foundations of early childhood special
education. She has extensive experience in clinical
work with infants, young children, and their
families and continues to train graduate students
in this area of expertise. She has authored play-based
assessments for infants and toddlers, most
recently Partners in Play: Assessing Infants and
Toddlers in Natural Contexts (Thomson/Delmar
Learning, 2007). In addition, Dr. Ensher co-authored
with Dr. David Clark the first and second
editions of Newborns at Risk: Medical Care and
Psychoeducational Intervention (Aspen Publishers,
1986, 1994).
Dr. Ensher is a single mother of two daughters
adopted from Calcutta, India-Kimberly and
Lindsey.