Research Reports

• Understanding the needs of siblings of individuals with disabilities: Their perspectives (2024)

  A Research Report for Families and Community Partners by Gillian C. Neff, M.Ed., Alexandra Da Fonte, Ph.D., Robert Hodapp, Ph.D., Meghan Burke, Ph.D., Department of Special Education, Vanderbilt University

• Training Parents to be Advocates for Their Adult Sons and Daughters with Autism (2022)

  A Research Report for Families and Community Partners by Julie Lounds Taylor, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

• Teaching the Teacher: How Are We Training Future Educators in Augmentative and Alternative Communication, and How Can We Support New Teachers Who Use AAC in the Classroom? (2022)
  

  A series of Research Reports for special education providers and faculty members who prepare students for a career in education by M. Alexandra Da Fonte, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of the Practice, Department of Special Education, Vanderbilt University.
  

  1. A Snapshot of Self-Reported AAC Knowledge and Skills of Tennessee Special Educators
  2. Reflections on Training in Augmentative and Alternative Communication: The Views of Tennessee Special Education Teachers
  3. Teacher to Teacher: Recommendations on AAC Practices

• Measuring Receptive Communication in Angelman Syndrome (2021)

  A Research Report for Families by Alexandra (Sasha) Key, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor of Hearing & Speech Sciences and Director of Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Psychophysiology Lab

• Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Employment of Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) (2020)
  

  Five-year research project focused on equipping parents to address the employment outcomes of their family members with IDD. Collaborators include Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Kent State University, and Vanderbilt University/VKC UCEDD. Results from the first year of the study are reported in the four briefs below:

  • RRTC Project Brief 1 - The Voice of Families: Exploring Perspectives on the Pathways to Integrated Employment
  • RRTC Project Brief 2 - Meaningful Work for Individuals with IDD: Insights from Families
  • RRTC Project Brief 3 - Barriers to Employment for Individuals with IDD: Insights from Families
  • RRTC Project Brief 4 - Supporting Integrated Employment Pursuits for Individuals with IDD: Insights from Families

• Hyperphagia in Children with Prader-Willi Syndrome: Insights From Eye Gaze and Brain Response Measures (2021)

  A Research Report for Families by Alexandra (Sasha) Key, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor of Hearing & Speech Sciences and of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences; Director, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Psychophysiology Lab

• A Possible Way to Reduce the Risk of a Communication Disorder in Baby Brothers and Sisters of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (2019)

  A Research Report for Families by Paul J. Yoder, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University and Wendy L. Stone, Ph.D., University of Washington

• Brain Responses Can Serve as Biomarkers of Cognition in Angelman Syndrome (2018)

  A Research Report for Families by Alexandra (Sasha) Key, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor of Hearing & Speech Sciences and of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences; Director, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Psychophysiology Lab

• An Effective Speech Therapy Method for School-aged Children with Down Syndrome (2015)

  A Research Report for Families by Paul J. Yoder, Special Education, Vanderbilt University; Stephen Camarata, Hearing & Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University; Tiffany Woynaroski, Hearing & Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University; and Catherine Bush, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center.

• Peer Partner Project, Fall 2014 Summary

  A Research Report for Families by Erik Carter, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University, and Jennifer Asmus, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison.

• Early Findings From The Center on Secondary Education for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (2013)

  A Research Report from Erik Carter, Ph.D., Professor of Special Education, on behalf of The Center on Secondary Education for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (CSESA). The CSESA is a five-year project funded by the U.S. Department of Education to develop a comprehensive program to meet the needs of high school students on the autism spectrum (csesa.fpg.unc.edu/). Researchers from six universities—including Vanderbilt—are collaborating with schools, families, community members, and adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to develop an effective, comprehensive intervention for high schools focused on the following areas: (a) social competence; (b) transition and families; (c) academics; (d) personal responsibility, independence, and self-management; and (e) professional development.

• Understanding Aging in Down Syndrome: A First Step (2013)

  A Research Report by Alexandra Key, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor of Hearing and Speech Sciences and Director of Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Psychophysiology Lab, and Elisabeth Dykens, Ph.D., Annette Schaffer Eskind Chair, Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Pediatrics, and Director of Vanderbilt Kennedy Center.

• A Key Question: Is More Better? (2012)

  A Research Report for Families by Paul Yoder, Ph.D., Professor of Special Education and VKC Investigator (2012). Describes a study to find out whether daily or weekly treatment sessions were more helpful in improving the spoken vocabulary of young children with Down syndrome compared with children with a different cause of intellectual disability.