Espinas, Daniel

Dr. Daniel Espinas
(he/him/his)
PhD, Vanderbilt University
Assistant Professor
Special Education
Special Education: General Curriculum
Phone: This information is not available
Email: dsherloc (@gmu.edu)
George Mason University
Fairfax Campus
Finley Building 208A
4400 University Dr.
MS 1F2
Fairfax, VA 22030
Daniel Espinas is an Assistant Professor of Special Education in the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University. His research examines mathematics and literacy development and instruction for children and adolescents with learning difficulties. His research on mathematics education has focused on understanding the cognitive profiles of children with mathematics difficulties and evaluating the efficacy of teacher-implemented fractions instruction. His work on literacy education has focused on spelling assessment and instruction, disciplianry writing, and multiple source use in history and science. He has also studied the prevalence, correlates, and interventions for children with learning disabilities and co-occurring neurodevelopment conditions. His work has been published in journals such as Journal of Educational Psychology, Pediatric Research, Child Development Perspectives, and Journal of Learning Disabilities.
mathematics development and instruction; literacy development, assessment, and instruction; comorbidity and multimorbidity
Miller, A., Espinas, D. R., McNeish, D., & Barnes, M. A. (in press). Dosage effects in mathematics interventions for K-3 students with mathematics learning disabilities. Educational Psychology Review.
Cook, B., Therrien, B., Fleming, J., & Espinas, D. R., McLucas, A. S., & Hodges, J. (in press). Null effects in the special education research base. Remedial and Special Education.
Espinas, D. R., Vaughn, S., & Fuchs, L. S. (in press). Interventions for children and adolescents with specific learning disability and co-occurring disorders. Pediatric Research. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-025-04261-0
Espinas, D. R., & Fuchs, L. S. (2025). Interventions for comorbid learning disabilities. Child Development Perspectives, 19(3), 156-164. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep/12538
Fleming, J., Wilson, S., & Espinas, D. R., van Dijk, W., & Cook, B. G. (in press). Special education researchers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices relating to the three open science practices of open access, data sharing, and preregistration. Remedial and Special Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325241237268
Fuchs, L. S., Fuchs, D., Cho, E., Barnes, M. A., Koponen, T., & Espinas, D. R. (2025). Comorbid word reading and math computation difficulty at the start of first grade. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 58(2), 112-127. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222194241248188
Bottema-Beutel, K., Sasson, N. J., McKinnon, R., Braun, C., Guo, R., Hand, B. N., Kapp, S., Espinas, D. R., Bailin, A., & Lester, J. N. (2024) Recognizing and resisting ableist language in schools: Suggestions for school-based speech language pathologists and related professionals. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 55(4), 1025-1038. https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_LSHSS-24-00036
Espinas, D. R. & Wanzek, J. (2024). Predictors of multiple document comprehension among third-grade students with reading difficulties and disabilities. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 39(4), 189-201. https://doi.org/10.1177/09388982241275650
Fuchs, L. S., Seethaler, P. M., Sterba, S. K., Fuchs, D., Cutting, L. E., Mancilla-Martinez, J., Martin, B., & Espinas, D. R. (2024). Transfer between reading comprehension and word-problem solving. Journal of Educational Psychology, 116(7), 1093-1111. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000911
Espinas, D. R., & Chandler, B. (2024). Correlates of K-12 students’ intertextual integration. Educational Psychology Review, 36:48. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09889-8
Fuchs, L. S., Seethaler, P., Fuchs, D., & Espinas, D. R. (2023). Severe pandemic learning loss in students with learning disabilities and the promise of remotely delivered intervention. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 56(4), 278-294. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222194231170313
Espinas, D. R. & Fuchs, L. S. (2022). The effects of language instruction on math development. Child Development Perspectives, 16(2), 69-75. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12444
Espinas, D. R. & Fuchs, L. S. (2022). Data-based individualization in reading. The Reading League Journal, 3(1), 4-13.
Li, Y., Wang, M., & Espinas, D. (2022). Self-teaching new words among English language learners. Reading and Writing, 35(10), 2389-2408. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-022-10291-5
Nelson, G., Cook, S. Zarate, K., Powell, S. R., Maggin, D., Drake, … & Espinas, D. (2022). A systematic review of meta-analyses in special education: Exploring the evidence base for high-leverage practices. Remedial and Special Education, 43(5), 344-358. https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325211063491
Li, A., Wang, M., & Espinas, D. R. (2021). Orthographic learning through self-teaching among learners of English as a second language. Reading and Writing, 34, 1295-1320. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-020-10115-4
Lloyd, B., Wehby, J., Goldman, S., Weaver, E., Harvey, M. N., & Sherlock, D. (2015). Implementation and validation of trial-based functional analyses in public education settings. Journal of Behavioral Education, 24, 167-195. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-014-9217-5
Barton, E.E., Reichbow, B., Schnitz, A., Smith, I. C., & Sherlock, D. (2015). A systematic review of sensory-based treatments for children with disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 27, 64-80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2014.11.006