Dr Laura Gormley is a specialist researcher and lecturer within the School of Inclusive and Special Education at DCU. Her work is centred on bridging the gap between academic theory and frontline practice, ensuring that evidence-informed strategies are both accessible and effective for educators, employers and practitioners. With an extensive background in applied research, she brings a rigorous, data-driven approach to the study of neurodiversity and intellectual disabilities.
Laura’s research is deeply rooted in the belief that environments must adapt to the individual. Her recent projects focus on the lived experiences of autistic individuals, seeking to foster neuro-affirmative spaces in both education and the wider professional world.
Peer Reviewed Journal
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | (2026) '‘So I have autism … ’: Exploring the experiences of autistic children who were availing of autism special class provision in mainstream Irish primary schools'. European Journal of Special Needs Education, . [DOI] | |
| 2025 | Ward, L.; Gormley, L. (2025) 'Gathering Autistic Children’s Views on Their Educational Experiences: A Systematic Review of Methods'. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 60 . [Link] | |
| 2025 | Gormley, Laura; Hines, Roberta (2025) 'The Well-Being of Early Childhood Providers in Ireland'. Early Childhood Education Journal, 53 (7). [DOI] | |
| 2024 | Gormley, L.; Ramey, D.; Grennan, C.; Koka, N. (2024) 'Individual Education Plan Priorities: Insights From the Autistic Community and Educators Supporting Autistic Learners'. European Journal of Education, 59 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2024 | Gormley, L.; Feeney, A.; McNally, S. (2024) 'A scoping review of research trends and future directions for research on the experiences of autistic students and staff in post-secondary education'. European Journal Of Higher Education, 14 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2020 | Gormley, L.; Penrose, H.; Bracken, M.; Barron, B. (2020) 'Training behavioural therapists in presession pairing skills to evaluate the impact on children’s life skill acquisition rates'. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 66 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2019 | Gormley, L., Healy, O., O'Sullivan, B., O'Regan, D., Grey, I. & Bracken, M. (2019) 'The Impact of Behavioural Skills Training on the Knowledge, Skills and Well‐being of Front Line Staff in the Intellectual Disability Sector: A Clustered Randomised Control Trial'. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 63 (11):1291-1304. [DOI] | |
| 2018 | Doherty, Amanda; Bracken, Maeve; Gormley, Laura (2018) 'Teaching Children with Autism to Initiate and Respond to Peer Mands Using Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)'. Behavior Analysis In Practice, 11 (4):279-288. [DOI] |
Other Publication
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Gormley, L.; Belton, C.A.; Lunn, P.D.; Robertson, D.A. (2022) Interventions to increase physical activity: An analysis of candidate behavioural mechanisms. [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2020 | Gormley, L.; Healy, O.; Doherty, A.; O’Regan, D.; Grey, I. (2020) Staff Training in Intellectual and Developmental Disability Settings: a Scoping Review. [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2019 | Ramey, D.; Healy, O.; Lang, R.; Gormley, L.; Pullen, N. (2019) Mood as a Dependent Variable in Behavioral Interventions for Individuals with ASD: a Systematic Review. [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2026 | Gormley, L; Brennan, A (2026) Back to office pressure. https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/remote-working-6-6935609-Jan2026/ |
Conference Contribution
Published Report
Research Interests
Autism & Neurodiversity: Analysing the barriers and facilitators for autistic students and staff within post-secondary education.
Evidence-Informed Practice (EIP): Evaluating the dissemination of research and how effectively it is implemented by frontline staff in the disability sector.
Behavioural Science: Utilising behavioural mechanisms to enhance communication, increase physical activity, and improve skill acquisition for learners with complex needs.
Staff Well-being & Training: Investigating the impact of Behavioural Skills Training (BST) on the professional efficacy and mental health of practitioners.
Co-Produced Research: Collaborating with communities to produce meaningful research designs and outcomes.
Research Projects
Teaching Interests
Supporting pupils with complex learning needs
Education of autistic pupils
Education of pupils with severe and profound general learning disability
Evidence-informed practice and its dissemination
Behaviour analysis
Positive Behaviour Support