DrStephanie Brewster

Stephanie joined the University of Wolverhampton in September 2007. She had previously been carrying out research for a Doctorate in Education at the University of Birmingham (completed 2007), investigating the communication of adults with learning disabilities and little or no speech. (Brewster, S. (2007) Asymmetries of Power and Competence and Implications for AAC: Interaction between adults with severe learning disabilities and their care staff. Unpublished EdD thesis, University of Birmingham http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/63/

Stephanie’s background is in Speech and Language Therapy, in which she qualified in 1989 at the University of Sheffield. For fourteen years, she carried out a broad range of Speech and Language Therapy posts in the National Health Service, involving primarily clinical work, but also management, research and teaching. From 1996 onwards she specialised in the provision of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems for people with extremely limited verbal communication. Subsequent teaching, research and consultancy work has focused on the participation of such individuals, and those with other impairments, in society.

Stephanie is also Faculty Enabling Tutor for the Institute of Education. Her role is to provide support for students who have a special or additional need that may affect their learning and achievement, or inclusion in university life.

She was course leader for the National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordinators.