About

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Ralf Schlosser's Background and Experience

Ralf holds a PhD in Special Education from Purdue University. He has ~30 years of experience with studying assistive technology and communication supports for autistic children and children with other developmental disabilities, primarily focused on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) supports. He is an applied research methods experts with knowledge of and skills in evidence-based practice, single-case and group experimental designs, outcomes measurement, mixed methods, systematic reviews (scoping reviews, meta-analyses), retrospective chart reviews, and quality appraisal.

As a Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Northeastern University he has contributed to the education of many cohorts of speech-language pathologists, and chaired/served on many thesis and dissertation committees. He has 18+ Years of experience in research facilitation in medical/clinical settings (i.e., Boston Children's Hospital, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital) as well as educational settings (Fayetteville-Manlius School District, Oklahoma State Department of Education, Oklahoma Assistive Technology Center).

Current Positions and Appointments

  • Research Design Consultant ("Associate Personnel"), Augmentative Communication Program, Department of Otolaryngology & Communication Enhancement, Boston Children's Hospital
  • Professor Emeritus, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northeastern University
  • Extraordinary Professor, Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, University of Pretoria, South Africa
  • Co-Editor, Evidence-Based Communication Assessment and Intervention

 

Selected Prior Positions Held

  • Assistant Dean for Research, School of Clinical Rehabilitation Sciences, Northeastern University (2023–2025)
  • Tenured Full Professor, Communication Sciences and Disorders (joint appointment in Applied Psychology), Northeastern University (2005–2025)
  • Director of Research, Autism Language Program, Boston Children's Hospital
  • Director of Oklahoma State Department of Education Assistive Technology Programs
  • Research Manager, Oklahoma Assistive Technology Center
  • Research Coordinator/Clinician, Augmentative Communication Program, Bloorview MacMillan Centre, Toronto
  • Coordinator, Purdue AAC-Technical Assistance Team, Schools in Indiana

Publication and Dissemination Record

  • 113 peer-reviewed articles
  • Approximately 30 book chapters
  • 3 books: (a) Evidence-Based Practice, (b) Single-Case Designs, (c) Visual Immersion System
  • Approximately 9,500 total citations, h-index of 51 (Google Scholar)
  • Approximately 250 presentations at national and international conferences

Honors and Awards

  • "Honors of the Association," the highest honor bestowed by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
  • Fellow of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC)
  • Fellow of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD)
  • Distinguished Switzer Fellow, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)
  • Immediate Past Editor-in-Chief of Augmentative and Alternative Communication
  • Founding Editor-in-Chief of Evidence-Based Communication Assessment and Intervention

Research Funding

  • Social Science Research Council of Canada
  • Ontario Ministry of Education
  • US Department of Education
  • Office of Special Education Programs
  • NIDILRR
  • Angelman Syndrome Foundation
  • Health Resources Services Administration