Prof. Emer Ring , B.Ed., LLB., M.Ed. (Special Education). M.Ed. (Autism); Ph.D.is the Dean of Early Childhood and Teacher Education at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. Emer previously worked as a mainstream class teacher, a learning support teacher, a resource teacher at primary school level and a senior inspector with the Department of Education and Skills. In particular Emer’s teaching experience was in the area of early years and special education. Emer is Course Leader for the Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Care and Education programme (BAECCE) at Mary Immaculate College (MIC), Limerick. Emer lectures on the BAECCE and the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) programmes and also supervises students’ research at undergraduate, Master’s and Ph.D. levels. Emer is consultant placement supervisor for students during practicum experiences. The BAECCE and B.Ed. programmes at MIC are strongly influenced by progressive movements in early years education internationally and continue to develop student-exchange programmes with a range of institutions including, Queen Maud University, Trondheim, Norway, Citta di Castello in Italy and Gannon University, Pennsylvania, United States. Emer has recently been joint principal investigator in two national research projects: An Evaluation of Concepts of School Readiness among Parents and Early Years Educators in Ireland, commissioned by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and An Evaluation of Educational Provision for Students with Autistic Spectrum Disorder in the Republic of Ireland, commissioned by the National Council for Special Education.