World Book and Copyright Day, observed annually on 23 April, celebrates the enduring power of books and raises public awareness of their role in preserving culture and fostering dialogue. World Book and Copyright Day highlights how reading continues to expand our intellectual horizons while driving progress in education, social development, and the protection of intellectual property. To celebrate this day, we were sincerely honored to interview Dr. Timothy E. Morse, Collection Editor of Encyclopedia (ISSN: 2673-8392).

Name: Dr. Timothy E. Morse Affiliation: Department of Teaching, Leadership, and Research, University of West Florida, Pensacola, USA Interests: special education; single-case design; explicit instruction; response-prompting strategies

 The following is a short interview with Dr. Timothy E. Morse:

1. Could you introduce yourself and share a brief overview of your research field?
I am an assistant professor at the University of West Florida, where I teach undergraduate and graduate special education courses. My research field involves investigations of systematic instructional procedures that maximize students’ active student responding. I am most interested in ways to construct effective, efficient multi-component interventions that can be presented in short-duration lessons. To a lesser degree, I focus on high-quality school programming for students with disabilities, particularly students with autism. My work is a product of my nearly 50 years of professional experience as a special educator and of my personal experiences with family members with disabilities.

2. What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your research career, and how did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge has involved bridging the interface between a university’s institutional review board (IRB) and a classroom teacher’s many responsibilities. Understandably, an IRB has established many procedural safeguards that must be followed to ensure an ethical, safe study. Yet, my experience is that teachers must turn down opportunities to support research in their classrooms because they cannot afford to complete many training requirements that do not compensate them for their work. I must serve as the interventionist in many single-case design studies to fill the void left by teachers who are not sanctioned to serve in this role.

3. In your view, what does World Book and Copyright Day mean to you, both as a researcher and as a member of the global community?
The day allows us to recommit to the importance of books as a vehicle for the transmission of ideas and information. As a researcher, books enable me to learn from others and to extend my understanding of how literacy is defined broadly, so that students with the most extensive support needs can participate meaningfully in literacy activities. As a member of the global community, I continue to learn that people throughout the world have much more in common than differences that cannot be addressed in a civilized manner.

4. Looking ahead, what innovations or initiatives would you most like to see in the next 10 years to ensure universal access to knowledge and the protection of intellectual property?
The initiative I most want to see is one that helps users determine the authenticity and validity of intellectual property. By authenticity, I mean verifying that content is produced by a knowledgeable, reputable human. By validity, I mean that the content is based on genuine scholarly work and not an amalgamation of content posted elsewhere in the cyber community.

5. As a Collection Editor of the Encyclopedia, could you share your experience with MDPI?
MDPI has enabled me to create a venue where peers can contribute substantive knowledge about teaching students with disabilities who manifest extensive support needs. The students comprise a low-incidence population, which presents challenges in finding publishers who truly seek to promote quality work on behalf of everyone while also making a profit. MDPI has distinguished itself as a strong supporter of my endeavor. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a Collection Editor.