Lou Brown received BA and MA degrees in Social Studies and Clinical Psychology respectively from East Carolina University and a PhD degree in Special Education from Florida State University. From 1969 to 2003 he was a professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education at the University of Wisconsin. He retired in 2003 and is now an Emeritus Professor, Lecturer, Expert Witness and Consultant.
In the field of education his efforts have been focused upon developing service delivery models, curricula and values that prepare students with disabilities to live, work and play in integrated society. His dream is that some day soon all persons with disabilities will live in decent family style settings, will produce real work in the real world next to coworkers who are not disabled, will enjoy rich and varied recreational lives with community members who are and are not disabled and will function in the wide array of integrated community environments they would experience if they were not disabled.
Many years ago he expressed his belief that citizens with significant disabilities could and should become contributing members of integrated society. Accordingly, he called for the termination of institutions, special schools and classes, group homes, sheltered workshops, activity centers, work enclaves and other manifestations of segregation. Many considered these views radical or extreme. They are now generally recognized as reasonable, decent and realizable.
Finally, he believes that the terrible and well documented post school outcomes of the expensive educational and related services provided the vast majority of students with disabilities are unacceptable. Thus, massive changes in the ways we prepare them for citizenship are in order.
Education
PHD – Special Education and Vocational Rehabilitation – Florida State University – 1969
MA – Clinical Psychology – East Carolina University – 1965
BA – Social Studies – East Carolina University – 1963
Employment
Western Carolina Center, Morganton, North Carolina,1966
Florida Division for Mental Retardation,1968 – 1969
Instructor, Florida State University, 1969
Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin, 1969 – 1972
Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin, 1972 – 1975
Professor, University of Wisconsin, 1975 – 2003
Visiting Professor, Appalachian State University, 1975
Visiting Professor, University of Hawaii,1975, 1976
Visiting Professor, San Francisco State University, 1977, 1983
Visiting Professor, San Diego State University, 1978
Visiting Professor, University of Calgary,1980
Visiting Professor, University of Maryland,1982
Lecturer, Fundacio Catalana Sindrome De Down, Barcelona, 1989, 1994
Lecturer, Iceland Institute of Education,1990
Visiting Lecturer, Instituto de Inovacao Educacional, Lisbon, 1994, 2002
Emeritus Professor, University of Wisconsin, 2003 – Present
Other
Executive Board, TASH, 1973 – 87
President, TASH, 1978 – 81
Who’s Who In American Education, 1990
Distinguished Educator Alumni Award, College of Education, Florida State University, 2011