Amber Reilly, MS, MA, BCBA, PhD

PhD, Educational Psychology (Special Education)

National Center for Leadership in Intensive Intervention and MN-LEND Scholar

Portrait by TF, age 11

“…what about social validity assessment?”

Personal quote of the year


If I were an intervention, which one would I be?

Video modeling! I loved using video models in my former classroom to teach a variety of skills, but I also use them every day when I attempt (and fail) to learn all the new dances. 

Research interests

  • Neurodiversity-affirming practices
  • How researchers’ experimental and reporting procedures impact practitioner implementation and the balance between intervention fidelity and individual adaptations
  • Evidence-based practice involving family and peers with and without disabilities as interventionists

Current projects

  • Autism evidence-based practice review for inclusion of variables that promote translation from research to practice
  • Virtual video modeling for social communication outcomes
  • Concurrent operant assessments for practitioners
  • Public perceptions of applied behavior analysis
  • Social validity review of autism evidence-based practices 

Publications and presentations

Reilly, A. M., Bak, M. Y. S., Abas, H., Johnson, L. D., Pan, Q., & Xin, S. (2022). Translating evidence-based research to practical interventions for students with autism. Council of Exceptional Children Conference. Orlando, FL.

Crowell, G., Thoele, J., DeAngelo, S., & Reilly, A. (2021). Practice Guide: Using Student Choice to Decrease Challenging Behaviors for Elementary Students With Comorbid Academic and Behavior Difficulties. Washington, DC: US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. 

Reilly, A. M. & Lynberg, J. (2019) Adaptive skills and strategies for all learners in the classroom. Council of Exceptional Children Conference, Nashville, TN.

Reilly, A. M. (2019). Autism panel: Public discussion about students with Autism. University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.

Reilly, A. M. & Lynberg, J. (2018) Adaptive skills and strategies for all learners in the classroom. Knox County’s District Learning Day, Knoxville, TN.

Reilly, A. M. & Lynberg, J. (2018). Incorporating technological differentiation for those on the autism spectrum through embedded visual cues in the classroom. University of Georgia Innovation in Teaching Conference, Athens, GA.

Reilly, A. M. & Lynberg, J. (2018). Real world adaptive skill instruction: Teaching prevocational skills in a differentiated classroom environment. Tennessee Association for Children’s Early Education State Conference, Jackson, TN.