Name & Title
Lingyu Li , Assistant Professor
Contact
E-mail Address: lyli@cityu.edu.mo
Academic Qualification
2017–2022 University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA — Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education
2014–2017 University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA — Master of Science in Special Education with Teacher Certification
2009–2013 Zhejiang University of Technology, China — Bachelor of Arts in English
Previous Position
2022–2026 Assistant Professor; Lehman College, City University of New York
2022–2026 Bilingual Special Education Graduate Program Coordinator; Lehman College, City University of New York
Teaching
Globalization, Society and Education
Research Interest
Bilingual/multilingual special education
Inclusive education teacher preparation
Disability Studies in Education
Teacher identity and teacher agency
Assistive and educational technology
Ethnography and narrative inquiry
Education policy analysis
Research & Publication
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
Li, L., Chandrashekhar, S., & Mawene, D. (2026). Beyond siloed systems: A call for integrated approaches to preparing special education teachers for multilingual learners with disabilities. Journal for Multicultural Education. https://doi.org/10.1108/JME-01-2026-0013
Mawene, D., Li, L., Mejia, A., Mella, B., Cass, H. N., Tohuey-Childress, K., & Chandrashekhar, S. (2025). Fostering inclusion: students’ voices in the co-design of a school-district level policy. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2025.2496419
Li, L. (2024). Erasing race and disability from educational policies of a Chinese–English dual language Charter School. Teachers College Record, 126(4-5), 3–30. https://doi.org/10.1177/01614681241258833
Li, L. (2024). Our teaching, our narratives: Untold stories of four Chinese international bilingual teachers in a U.S. dual language immersion school. Journal of Education for Multilingualism, 1(1), 79–101. https://jempub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Li_2024_Our_Teaching_Our.pdf
Li, L., Mawene, D., & Chandrashekhar, S. (2024). Navigating becoming people of color in higher education: A duoethnography of three international students of color. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 37(10), 2782–2796. https://doi.org/10.1080/09518398.2024.2388665
Xin, W., Li, L.*, & Ruppar, A. (2022). Curricular philosophies reflected in the Chinese special school curriculum standards for students with intellectual disabilities. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 71(5), 721–737. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2022.2154325 (*Corresponding author.)
Li, L., Donato-Sapp, H., Erevelles, N., Torres-Gerald, L., & Waitoller, F. (2021). A kitchen-table talk against ableism: Disability justice for collective liberation. Equity & Excellence in Education, 54(4), 361–374. https://doi.org/10.1080/10665684.2021.2047417
Li, L., & Ruppar, A. (2021). Conceptualizing teacher agency for inclusive education: A systematic and international review. Teacher Education and Special Education, 44(1), 42–59. https://doi.org/10.1177/0888406420926976
Book Chapters
Li, L., & Serrano, M. (2025). Special education and learning (dis)ability. In E. Blair & S. Deckman (Eds.). In The SAGE encyclopedia of education and gender (pp. 689–694). SAGE. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071926697
Ruppar, A. L., Li, L., Bubash, S., & Yang, Y. R. (2023). Setting an agenda and setting the tone: Communication during the IEP meeting. In A. L. Ruppar & J. A. Kurth, Equitable and inclusive IEPs for students with complex support needs: A roadmap (pp. 165–178). Brookes.
Reports and Other Publications
Worth, R., Arrigoni, J., & Li, L. (2019). Odyssey Junior Program Evaluation. Wisconsin Evaluation Collaborative, Wisconsin Center for Education Research.
Gonzalez, T., Li, L., Torres-Mercado, M., & Meza, J. P. T. (2018). Grow your own special programs: Contributing more than diversity. Equity by Design. Midwest & Plains Equity Assistance Center (MAP EAC).
Research Projects
2025–2026
City University of New York Research Award Traditional B ($5,997.50)
（PI）
Project title: Teacher Preparation Programs for Special Education Candidates Working with Emergent Bilinguals with Disabilities
2024–2025
City University of New York Research Award Traditional A ($3,500)
（PI）
Project title: Enhancing the Disability Representation in Children’s and Young Adult (YA) Books
2023–2024
City University of New York Research Award Traditional B ($5,444.99)
（PI）
Project title: Erasing Race and Disability: A Case Study of a Dual Language Immersion Charter School Policies
Other
Teaching License
Wisconsin Preliminary License in Cross-Categorical Special Education (K-12+)