Erik W. Carter, Ph.D., FAIDD
Luther Sweet Endowed Chair in Disabilities | Executive Director, Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing Baylor University
- Waco TX
Passion for helping schools, churches and communities become places of belonging for people with disabilities and their families.
Media
Biography
One strand of Dr. Carter’s research addresses the intersections of faith and disability. His work in this area addresses the spiritual lives and flourishing of people with IDD and their families, the practices and postures of inclusive churches, and faith-based partnerships with disability service systems. A second strand explores the pathways to inclusion and belonging for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). He is particularly interested in capturing the reciprocal and lasting benefits that come through friendships and life lived together in community.
Dr. Carter has co-authored seven books and more than 300 journal articles, chapters, and other publications. His scholarship and advocacy have also been recognized with awards from All Belong, the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, the Association of University Centers on Disability, and the Council for Exceptional Children. A Wheaton College graduate, Dr. Carter earned his M.Ed. and Ph.D. from Vanderbilt.
Areas of Expertise
Accomplishments
National Leadership Award
American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
2026
President’s Award
Key Ministry
2023
Champion of Inclusive Community Award
All Belong
2021
Education
Vanderbilt University
Ph.D.
Special Education
2004
Vanderbilt University,
M.Ed.
Special Education
1998
Wheaton College
B.A.
Christian Education
1996
Affiliations
- Disability Ministry Network : Board of Directors
- Koinonia Inclusion Network (KIN) : Advisory Council
- Respectability
- Wheaton Center on Faith and Disability
- With Ministries : Board Member
Media Appearances
DOWNLOADABLE: Does Your School Use These 10 Dimensions of Student Belonging?
Education Week online
2024-04-14
So, it’s important that schools go beyond simply including students with disabilities in general education classes and clubs, and focus on ensuring such students feel valued and appreciated in those settings, said Erik Carter, the executive director of the Baylor University’s Center for Developmental Disabilities.
Baylor’s Disability & Church conversation emphasizes belonging
Baptist Standard online
2024-04-24
Erik Carter challenged participants at a Baylor University conference to be catalysts for change—so all really do belong in faith communities.
Articles
Classroom Experiences of Students With Visual Impairments Who Use Assistive Technology
Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness2025
Introduction
Meaningful participation within core academic content classes provides critical access to rich learning and social opportunities for students with visual impairments (i.e., those who are blind or have low vision). This study explores the academic and social participation of secondary students with visual impairments in core classes and examines the factors that shape their experiences.
Barriers to Belonging: The Church Experiences of Families of Children with Disabilities
Review of Religious Research2025
A supportive faith community can be a place of flourishing for families of children with disabilities. Yet, many churches still struggle to welcome their presence and full participation. We interviewed 27 parents of children with various disabilities to map the breadth of barriers they have encountered in their church experiences, past and present. The challenges they described were multifaceted and pronounced. Twenty-two barriers fell within nine major areas: leadership commitments, congregational attitudes, expectations for participation, support availability, volunteer capacity, gathering spaces, communication avenues, child attributes, and parent factors. We offer recommendations for how churches might reflect on and remove these barriers to full participation in community life.
Faithful Inclusion: The Hopes Held by Parents of Children with Disabilities
Inclusion2025
Faith holds a prominent place in the lives of many children with disabilities and their families. Although these families long for inclusion and belonging within their faith communities, churches still struggle to embrace them as vital members. Hearing the hopes these families hold for faith communities could help spur congregations toward a wider welcome. We asked 27 parents of children with disabilities to share their “one wish” for the church as part of a qualitative study. Their responses reveal a collective desire for faith communities to be places that are accepting, safe, supportive, encouraging of contributions, and inclusive of children with disabilities and their families. We suggest areas for future research and practice aimed at equipping churches to more meaningfully include every member.
“It’s So Tough!”: Barriers to Respite Care for Families of Children With Disabilities
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities2025
Although respite care can have a profound impact on the well-being of families, most parents of children with disabilities struggle to access these scarce services. The purpose of this qualitative study was to map the breadth of barriers families encounter in their pursuit of respite care. We interviewed 31 parents of children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) about their experiences and the challenges they navigated. Fifteen key barriers emerged in our analyses, highlighting the complexities of this pursuit and the multifaceted issues that can arise for families. We offer recommendations for research and practice aimed at expanding access to this much-needed—but often elusive—family support.
A Portrait of Paid Employment Pathways for High School Students with Extensive Support Needs
Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation2026
Background
Early paid jobs can equip students with extensive support needs (ESN) for postsecondary employment, but they rarely receive these opportunities. An in-depth examination of the experiences of students who obtain paid jobs during high school can illuminate successful pathways to obtaining and sustaining employment.
Objective
In this study, we describe the early work experiences of 15 high school students with ESN who obtained a paid job during their final year of high school.
