Muneera was the little girl who always played teacher in her room with her dolls and stuffed animals. She stated, “I would set up a play chalkboard and line my dolls up in rows and instruct them on their ABC’s.” She always knew she wanted to be a teacher, but it was not until she was in high school that she decided to become a teacher of special needs children. Her aunt, an assistant principal at a special center, gave her the opportunity to volunteer at that school during the summer and Muneera loved the experience.

After graduating from the University of Maryland in 2000, she taught for several years at the Prince Georges County Infants and Toddlers Program in Maryland. She obtained her M.A. from George Washington University in Infant Special Education. Her colleagues at Prince Georges County were saddened by her decision to leave the program, but they understood that she had a desire to know and do more and was committed to growing. Even from thousands of miles away, she still supports the program by sending articles and current research that would enhance intervention.

Muneera is pursuing her doctorate in education because, after working for several years in the classroom, she believes that the special education system itself needs to be changed. She said, “It is not enough for me to be working with and influencing young children and their families; I need to be able to also influence those who shape and form educational policy.” Not only does she want to educate families to know they have the power to enact change at a systems level, but she also wants to educate policymakers on the need to take the families of young children into account when they are drafting policy. Thus, by working on both sides of the fence, she believes she can best serve children with special needs.

The ICDL program she is pursuing is an online one. She logs in certain times each week to interact via webcam, message board, and instant messaging with her professor and other students. She downloads video lectures and other teaching documents and files. She was afraid she might have to take some time off from school due to finances, but this scholarship will enable her to continue in the fall.

Muneera was nominated for this award by Kevin Sturgess of Keller, Texas.