PlayING Lab

PlayING Lab’s Mission & Approach

The Play Interventions for Individuals with Neurodevelopmental Genetic Disorders Lab advances evidence-based, individualized supports while preparing practitioners to improve meaningful outcomes for individuals with RNGDs and their families.

PlayING Lab’s Mission

The Play Interventions for Individuals with Neurodevelopmental Genetic Disorders Lab has a two-part mission:

Research

To conduct research that advances evidence-based practices in educational and behavioral interventions and supports for people with Rare Neurodevelopmental Genetic Disorders (RNGDs).

Practitioner Training

To prepare highly skilled practitioners — including behavior analysts, special educators, and school psychologists — who can implement, adapt, and evaluate interventions and supports that improve meaningful outcomes and quality of life for individuals with RNGDs and their families.

A central goal of the lab is to expand the availability and quality of interventions and supports for individuals with rare neurodevelopmental genetic disorders because many RNGDs are underrepresented in the current intervention research literature. Specifically, the PlayING Lab aims to build a stronger evidence base for practices that can be individualized, implemented in natural contexts, and evaluated using rigorous research methods.

The lab also prepares future practitioners, including behavior analysts, special educators, school psychologists, and related professionals, to thoughtfully implement and adapt evidence-based interventions to improve quality of life for individuals with RNGDs and their families.

PlayING Lab’s Intervention Approaches

Play is important to human development and quality of life across the lifespan. In early childhood, play creates opportunities for children to explore their environments, communicate with others, build relationships, practice social interaction, and develop independence. In adulthood, recreational activities and leisure skills support mental health and quality of life.

For individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities, play can serve two important purposes in intervention. First, play can be a natural and meaningful context for intervention, allowing practitioners and caregivers to embed supports for social, communication, and adaptive behavior goals into everyday interactions. Second, play can be an important goal of intervention itself, including improving early play skills in childhood and supporting leisure skills, recreation, hobbies, and community participation across adolescence and adulthood.

The PlayING Lab emphasizes naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention approaches that are evidence based, individualized, and responsive to the strengths and needs of individuals with RNGDs and their families. These approaches use naturally occurring activities, routines, relationships, and interests as opportunities for teaching and support. By embedding intervention within play and/or by expanding an individual’s play repertoire, practitioners can promote skills that are more likely to be useful, enjoyable, and relevant in everyday life.

Research and Practitioner Training

Contact the PlayING Lab team to learn about current opportunities to participate in research, explore community engagement and collaboration opportunities, or connect with the lab.

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Faculty and Leadership

PlayING Lab’s Faculty and Leadership

Dr. Russell Lang

UTSA Faculty, PlayING Lab Director

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Dr. Russell Lang is a University of Texas Regents’ Professor and the Director of the PlayING Lab. His work focuses on advancing evidence-based educational and behavioral interventions and supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with a particular emphasis on individuals with rare neurodevelopmental genetic disorders and their families. His work emphasizes collaboration with students, practitioners, families, and community partners to improve meaningful outcomes and quality of life for individuals with rare neurodevelopmental genetic disorders. Dr. Lang received his Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin and completed a postdoctoral scholar position at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed research articles, books, and book chapters focused on intellectual and developmental disability and has previously served as editor-in-chief of the peer-reviewed journals Developmental Neurorehabilitation, Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, and Evidence-Based Practice in Communication Assessment and Intervention.

Dr. Leslie Neely

UTSA Faculty, PlayING Lab Co-Director

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Dr. Leslie Neely currently holds a dual appointment as a Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and in the Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology. She also serves as the Assistant Dean of Transdisciplinary Research for the College of Education and Human Development as well as the Co-Director of UTSA’s Brain Health Research Consortium. Her work focuses on advancing applied behavior analytic interventions and supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with particular expertise in the assessment and treatment of severe and challenging behavior. Her research often involves the integration of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented reality, virtual reality, and wearable technologies. Through the PlayING Lab, Dr. Neely contributes expertise in single-case research methodology, telehealth, transdisciplinary research approaches, and community engagement.

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Dr. Rebecca Barall

Postdoctoral Researcher, PlayING Lab Manager

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Dr. Barall is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Educational Psychology and the PlayING Lab Manager. Her work focuses on advancing evidence-based educational and behavioral interventions and supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, acquired brain injury, and related neurodevelopmental disabilities. Her research emphasizes increasing the inclusion of underrepresented groups in intervention research, addressing disparities in accessible and affirming care, and developing interventions that support communication, independence, and quality of life for individuals with disabilities. Dr. Barall received her PhD from the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute and her M.Ed in Special Education from California State University, Monterey Bay. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, and credentialed special educator. Prior to her doctoral training, she served as a special education classroom teacher and instructor at The Bay School, May Institute, where she worked with students with moderate to severe disabilities across early intervention and transition-age classrooms. Through the PlayING Lab, Dr. Barall contributes expertise in communication intervention, gesture development, Augmentative and Alternative Communication systems, inclusive research practices, and practitioner training.

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Research

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ABA at UTSA