Clinical Research Programs

The Audiology Research Lab, directed by Dr. Lauren Smith Flora and Dr. Kenneth Cox, is located on the first floor of Waldron Hall in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. 

This lab provides opportunities for faculty and students to conduct research on the acquisition and analysis of psychoacoustical, electrophysiological , and vestibular data for both clinical and research purposes. Instrumentation includes the GSI Audera, Neurocom InVision, and Tucker Davis Psychoacoustics and Speech Workstation.

Current research focuses on psychoacoustical responses in individuals with auditory processing disorders and reading disorders, vestibulo-occular reflex performance in athletes and those with a history of concussion, and pediatric hearing evaluations via apps available on smart technology.

The Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Autism Spectrum Disorder Lab, directed by Dr. Diane Millar, is located on the second floor of Waldron Hall in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. 

This lab is designed to provide students, faculty, and members of the community opportunities to learn how various forms of augmentative and alternative communication can enhance the communication skills of individuals with a range of disorders (e.g., cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, autism spectrum disorder). In addition, individuals are encouraged to join in clinical and research opportunities focused on nonverbal and verbal communication strategies used by children, adolescents, and adults, including those with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.  

Current projects are centered around nonverbal communication, intervention strategies for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, and learnability of augmentative and alternative communication systems. 

The Language and Literacy Lab, directed by Dr. Michelle Lenhart, is located on the first floor of Waldron Hall in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. 

This lab affords qualified faculty and students with opportunities to conduct research in the areas of language and literacy development and disorders for children and adolescents. Software and equipment in the lab include Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (SALT) software, statistical software packages (e.g. SPSS), audio recording equipment, and transcription pedals.  

Current projects are centered around language sampling contexts and analyses. 

All of the faculty maintain active clinical research programs. Faculty use grant funding to support their scholarly interests, publish and present their research at local, state, regional and national conferences. Much of their research includes graduate and undergraduate students with an interest in learning more about research in speech-language pathology and audiology. The following are some of the faculty’s recent scholarship.

Authors with an asterisk are students.

2021

Flora, L. S. (Co-Principal), Millar, D. C. (Co-Principal), Lane, K. T. (Co-Principal), "Enhancing Student Learning and Engagement using 3-D Models," Sponsored by Academic Programs, Radford University, $750.00. (2021).

*Hoch, M., *Long, L., & Lenhart, M. H.   Preferred or non-preferred? (2021, April 13-15). How complex can you get? An investigation of syntactic complexity in preferred and non-preferred tasks [conference presentation]. Radford University Student Engagement Forum, Radford, VA, United States. 

Lenhart, M., Pavelko, S., Bronaugh, D., Timler, G., & Dudding, C. (2021) Age-Related Changes Across Sampling Contexts for Older School-Aged Children. [Virtual Poster Presentation] Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Washington, DC.

Lenhart, M.H., Pavelko, S.L., & Timler, G. R. (2021, March 20). Should I use SUGAR or SALT? Does it matter? A preliminary study [Conference presentation]. Speech-Language-Hearing Association of Virginia Conference.

2020

*King, K. & Millar, D. (2020). The Effect of Service-Learning in an Undergraduate CSD Program: Forging Academic Connections and Student Retention. Poster presented at the Radford University Student Engagement Forum in Radford, VA.

Lenhart. M. H., Pavelko, S. L., & Timler, G.R. (2020, November). SUGAR and SALT: Does your Language Sample Analysis Method Impact Your Conclusions? [Conference poster presentation]. Proposal accepted at the Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, San Diego, CA (Convention canceled).

Lenhart, M. H., Pavelko, S. L., & Timler, G. R. (2020, May 28-30). SUGAR and SALT: Does your LSA method impact your conclusions? [Conference poster presentation]. Symposium for Research on Child Language Disorders, Madison, WI, United States. http://www.srcld.org/Archive/PresentationList.aspx?year=2020&list=Session&session=2 (Conference cancelled)

2019

*Acosta, J., Millar, D., Shepard, D., Annual American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Conference, "Service-learning within an Undergraduate Program: Enhancing Academic Performance, Retention, and Community Partnerships," Orlando, FL. (2019).

*Campbell-Doss, A. (Presenter), Epperly, R. D., Munroe, M., Rogers, K., Rohan, K., Smidl, S. L., *Speaks, E., 6th Annual Waldron College Interprofessional Symposium & Expo, "Interprofessional Therapy Missions Trip to Jamaica 2019," Radford University, Radford, VA. (April 18, 2019).

*Gibson, M., *McEntire, C., Millar, D., The Annual Waldron College Interprofessional Symposium and Expo, "Family-Focused Intervention for Improving Feeding and Language Skills: A Case Study," Radford, VA. (2019).

Lanter, E., *Brownmiller, H., *Striano, E., Annual conference of the Virginia Speech, Language and Hearing Association, "Designing Rubrics for Language Sampling: Progress Monitoring Made Easier," Virginia Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Richmond, VA. (March 8, 2019).

Lanter, E., Davis, K., *Maruszczak, A., *Collins, A., Annual conference on Higher Education Pedagogy, "Graduate Students’ Perceptions of Explicit Instructional Tools to Teach Reading," Center for Instructional  Development and Educational Research at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. (January 31, 2019).

Lanter, E. (Principal), *Brownmiller, H., *Franklin, H., *Lineberry, S., *McLachlan, R., "Early Writing Achievements in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Initial Investigation," Sponsored by Waldron College of Health and Human Services, Radford University, $2,400.00. (January 28, 2019 - June 1, 2019).

Millar, D. C., *Berry, J. "The Game Changers: Improving Social Competence through a Social Skills Program for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder," Radford University, $10,000.00. (2019 - 2020).

*Monsein, M., Arndt, K., Waldron College Interprofessional Symposium and Expo, "Who, What, How: Writing and Motivation in School-Age Children with Literacy Deficits," Radford University, Radford, VA. (April 18, 2019).

2018

Arndt, K., Davis, K., SHAV Annual Convention, "Full STEAM Ahead: Connecting Literacy to the Disciplines," SHAV, Williamsburg, VA. (March 24, 2018).

*Bell, M., *Higgins, T., Shelor, T. B., Epperly, R. D., Speech and Hearing Association of Virginia Annual conference 2018, "VNeST Promoting a more Fluent Future," SHAV, Williamsburg VA. (March 22, 2018).

*Bull, L., Flora, L. S., American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, "Ototoxic Implications of 2-hydroxypropyl-β-clyclodextrin for Individuals with Niemann-Pick Disease Type C," ASHA, Boston, MA. (November 2018).

Davis, K., Arndt, K., NBASLH Convention, "Full STEAM Ahead: Connecting Literacy to the Disciplines," NBASLH, Washington, DC. (April 13, 2018).

Epperly, R. D., Annual Conference of the Speech, Language, Hearing Association of Virginia, "Exercising your voice while respecting your boundaries," SHAV, Williamsburg, VA. (March 2018).

Epperly, R. D., Annual Conference of the Speech, Language, Hearing Association of Virginia, "Supervision: Really, how hard can it be?," SHAV, Williamsburg, VA. (March 2018).

Flora, L. S., Millar, D., American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, "An Exploratory Examination of Wellness Strategies and Resliency on Academic Performance in Graduate Speech-Language Pathology Students," ASHA, Boston, MA. (November 2018).

Flora, L. S., Speech and Hearing Association of Virginia, "Student and Faculty Perceptions of Interprofessional Collaboration," SHAV, Williamsburg, VA. (March 2018).

*Frye, M., Arndt, K., SHAV Annual Convention, "Say WHAT?! Self-Regulated Strategy Development, Writing, and Language Impairment," SHAV, Williamsburg, VA. (March 23, 2018).

Lanter, E., Davis, K., Annual conference of the American Speech-Language-Hearing  Association (ASHA), "Give It to Me Straight: Why, How & What Should I Consider in Language Sampling," American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Boston, MA. (November 17, 2018).

Lanter, E., *Vaughn, S., *Weldon, A., *Willits, A., *Campbell-Doss, A., 5th Annual Waldron College Interprofessional Symposium & Expo, "Recommended  Elements in Professional Learning for School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists," Radford University, Radford, VA. (April 10, 2018).

Lanter, E., *Vaughn, S., Annual conference of the American Council on Rural Special Education  (ACRES), "Professional Learning for Related Services Personnel in Rural Schools: Raising Awareness about Language-Based Learning Disabilities.," American Council on Rural Special Education (ACRES), Salt Lake City, UT. (March 15, 2018).

Lanter, E., "Pearson Research Assistance to Support Materials for Radford University Study: Early Writing Achievements in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Initial Investigation," Sponsored by Pearson Assessments, $335.00. (November 7, 2018 - September 1, 2020).

Lanter, E. (Principal), *Brownmiller, H., *Franklin, H., *Lineberry, S., *McLachlan, R., "Early Writing Achievements in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Initial Investigation," Sponsored by Graduate School: SEED, Radford University, $10,000.00. (May 17, 2018 - December 16, 2019).

*Lineberry, S., Millar, D., Radford University Student Engagement Forum, "Facilitating Success for College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder," Radford University, Radford, VA. (2018).

Millar, D., Anthony, A., Annual Conference of the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders, "Faculty Workload: How to Determine Faculty Productivity Expectations," Austin, TX. (2018).

Park, H., Millar, D., *Logue, S., Annual American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Conference, "Addressing Eye Gaze Behaviors in Therapy for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders," Boston, MA. (2018).

Park, H., *Logue, S., Millar, D., Annual Speech-Language-Hearing Association of Virginia, "Different Eye Contact Behaviors Depending on Topics of Conversations," Williamsburg, VA. (2018).

*Reedy, K., Park, H., Waldon College Interprofessional Symposium & Expo, "The Effects of Attention When Assessing People with Aphasia," Waldron College, Radford University, Radford, VA (April 10, 2018).

*Scales, E., Millar, D., Annual Speech-Language-Hearing Association of Virginia, "Collaboration of SLPs and Educators in Serving Students With ASD," Williamsburg, VA. (2018).

*Williams, J., Millar, D., Annual Speech-Language-Hearing Association of Virginia, "The Importance of Teaching Nonverbal Communication and Conversational Acknowledgers," Williamsburg, VA. (2018).

2017

Abel, A.D., Scheule, C.M., Barako Arndt, K., Lee, M.W., & Guillot Blankenship, K. (2017). Another look at the influence of maternal education on preschoolers' performance on two norm-referenced measures. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 38, 231-241.

*Brunstetter, C. & Lanter, E. (2017) The Importance of Incorporating Language Sampling in Clinical Education. Poster presentation at the Annual American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Conference in Los Angeles, CA.

Harper, B., Cox, K., Mickle, A., Siyufy, A., Holshouser, C., & Aron, A. (2017). Adolescent Behavior Regarding Concussion. Presented at the National American College of Sport Medicine Conference.

*Jones, K., *Flores, R., Millar, D., Radford University Student Engagement Forum, "Serving Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder," Radford University, Radford, VA. (2017).

Lanter, E. A., *Bell, M., *Compton, J., *Flood, N., *Leirer, S., 4th Annual Waldron College Inter-Professional Symposium and Expo, "Can Metrics Applied to Children's Narrative Writing Samples Show Growth Over Time?," Radford University, Radford, VA. (April 2017).

Park, H., *Pang, A., Waldron College Interprofessional Symposium & Expo, "Verb and Thematic Role Production in Korean-English Bilingual Children  Compared to English Monolingual Children," Waldron College, Radford University, Radford, VA. (April 11, 2017).

Shelor, T. B. (Co-Presenter), Epperly, R. D. (Co-Presenter), 2017 South Eastern Clinical Educators Conference, "Think Outside the Remediation Plan," SEUCE, Athens GA. (September 28, 2017).

Smidl, S. L., Epperly, R. D., Interprofessional Symposium and Expo, "Service Learning in Belize," Radford University, RU campus. (April 11, 2017).

Vandergrift, K. F., Arndt, K., Our Turn!, "Your Most Productive Summer Ever!," Radford University, Radford, VA. (May 8, 2017).

*VanDerwerker, K., Millar, D., Ignite Student Leadership Conference, "Effective Communication When Working on a Team," Radford University, Radford, VA. (2017).

*VanDerwerker, K., Millar, D., Radford University Student Engagement Forum, "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Link Between ADHD and Executive Functioning," Radford University, Radford, VA. (2017).

*VanDerwerker, K., *Gibson, M., *DeCao, K., *Weaver, K., Millar, D., Radford University Student Engagement Forum, "Selective Mutism: Enhancing Understanding and Improving Treatment Approaches," Radford University, Radford, VA. (2017).