Michelle Thompson
HEALTH SCIENCES BLDG
NORFOLK, 23529
Dr. Michelle Boulanger Thompson is an Assistant Professor in research and teaching. She earned her PhD in Special Education, Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, and post-baccalaureate Certificates in Autism and Leadership in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Literature from Indiana University.
Dr. Thompson has worked as an occupational therapy practitioner for 34 years, working with individuals with disabilities and their families across the lifespan in early intervention (birth to age 3), public schools (ages 2-22), and adult home health.
She serves on the Board of Directors for Mosaic, a national organization supporting community living needs for adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), serves in a leadership and research role for the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities’ (AAIDD) Creative Arts special interest network, and serves on the Virginia Division on Early Childhood’s (VA-DEC) leadership board.
Dr. Thompson’s research interests include the importance of play and creativity, parent/caregiver coaching and empowerment, benefits of assistive technology (AT), and the importance of belonging and community for individuals with disabilities and their families.
Website: Michelle Boulanger Thompson, PhD
Ph.D. in Special Education Leadership & Disability Policy, Virginia Commonwealth University, (2022)
Graduate Certificate in Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, Virginia Commonwealth University, (2018)
Graduate Certificate in Autism, Virginia Commonwealth University, (2010)
M.S. in Occupational Therapy, Virginia Commonwealth University, (1988)
B.A. in Spanish Language & Literature, Indiana University, (1986)
- Qualified Mental Health Professional - Adult (QMHP-A)
- Sponsoring Organization: Virginia Board of Counseling
- Date Obtained: 2021-01-20
- Occupational Therapist: 00119000339
- Sponsoring Organization: Virginia Board of Medicine
- Date Obtained: 1991-09-20
- Occupational Therapy, Registered (OTR): 085757
- Sponsoring Organization: National Board Certification for Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)
- Date Obtained: 1998-03-31
Contracts, Grants and Sponsored Research
- Thompson, M. L. "4-VA at UVA Collaborative Research Grants (2022-2023)" $29,000. Higher Education. June 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024
Research Interests
My research interests include studying play and creativity across the lifespan as well as how universal design for learning (UDL) promotes access and equity. My current research studies:
1) Empowering parents to support their child's early literacy (pre-reading and pre-writing through engagement and play)
2) Reducing interfering classroom behaviors through emotion-regulation supports
3) Utilizing the principles of UDL to foster equity and creativity for artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities