Email

Campion Hall
Room 120

617.552.4239

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION

Ph.D., M.A., B.A., Michigan State University

EXPERTISE/INTERESTS

 My research emphasis is on the development of communication and language in learners with severe and multiple disabilities including those who are congenitally deafblind.  I am especially interested in how children with these disabilities learn to express symbolically.  This interest has led me to examine the connections between the following developmental milestones and the onset of linguistic expression:  joint attention, imitation, object permanence, means-end, self-recognition, and categorization.

HONORS/PUBLICATIONS/PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Honors

Expert team member (2010 to present). Selected by Jan van Dijk, Netherlands, as one of six scholars for an international expert team in deafblindness

Peer Reviewer of the Year (2008) (awarded May, 2009). Journal of Visual  Impairment & Blindness

Virginia M. Sowell Award (2006).  Awarded for outstanding contributions in deafblindness/multiple disabilities.  Awarded by The Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER).

Selected publications

Bruce, S. M, Trief, E., & Cascella, P. W. (2011). Teachers’ and speech-language pathologists’ perceptions about a tangible symbols intervention: Efficacy, generalization, and recommendations. AAC Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 27, 172-182.

Ogletree, B., Bruce, S., Finch, A., & Fahey, R. (2011). Recommended communication-based interventions for individuals with severe intellectual disabilities. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 32(3), 164-175.

Parker, A. T., Bruce, S. M., Spiers, E., Ress, S. V., & Davidson, R. C. (2010). Deafblind young adults in action: Legislative advocacy and leadership. AER Journal: Research & Practice in Visual Impairment & Blindness, 3(4), 124-131.

Bruce, S. M.  (2010). Holistic communication profiles for children who are deafblind. AER Journal: Research & Practice in Visual Impairment & Blindness, 3(3), 106-114.

Trief, E., Bruce, S. M., & Cascella, P. W. (2010). The selection of tangible symbols by educators of students with multiple disabilities and visual impairment. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 104(8), 499-504.

Pizzo, L. & Bruce, S. (2010). Language and play in students with multiple disabilities and visual impairment or deafblindness. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 104(5), 287-297.

Narayan, J., Bruce, S. M., Kolli, P., & Bhandari, R. (2010). Cognitive functioning of children with severe intellectual disabilities and children with deafblindness: A study of the perceptions of teachers and parents in the U.S. and India. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 23, 262-278.

Bruce, S., Campbell, C., & Sullivan, M. (2009). Supporting children with severe disabilities to achieve means-end. TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 16(1), Article 2, http://escholarship.bc.edu/education/tecplus/vol16/issue1/art2. (Case studies with video in online peer-reviewed journal.)

 Bruce, S. & Zayyad, M. (2009). The development of object permanence in children with intellectual disability, physical disability, autism, and blindness. International Journal of Disability, Development, and Education, 56(3), 229-246.

Trief, E., Bruce, S., Cascella, P. & Ivy, S. (2009). The development of a universal tangible symbol system. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 103(7), 425-430.

Bruce, S. & Zayyad, M. (2009). The development of object permanence in children with intellectual disability, physical disability, autism, and blindness. International Journal of Disability, Development, and Education, 56(3), 229-246.

Trief, E., Bruce, S., Cascella, P. & Ivy, S. (2009). The development of a universal tangible symbol system. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness.

Bruce, S., Randall, A., & Birge, B. (2008). Colby's growth to literacy: the achievements of a child who is congenitally deafblind. TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 5(2). Article 6, http://escholarship.bc.edu/education/tecplus/vol5/iss2/art6.

Bruce, S., DiNatale, P., and Ford, J. (2008). Meeting the changing needs of the deaf student population through professional development. American Annals of the Deaf, 153(4), 368-375.

Bruce, S., Pike-Parnell, E., & Zayyad, M. (2008). Assessment and instruction of self-recognition. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 41(1), 36-41.

Bruce, S. (2008).  The use of action plans to support communicative programming for children who are deafblind.  RE: view.

Bruce, S., Mann, A., Jones, C., & Gavin, M. (2007). The topography, rate, and function of gestures expressed by children who are congenitally deafblind. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 101(10), 637-652.

Bruce, S. & Vargas, C. (2007).  Intentional communication acts expressed by children with severe disabilities in high rate contexts.  AAC Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 23(3), 1-12.

Bruce, S. (2007).  Teacher preparation in deafblindness:  A retrospective and prospective view.  Deaf-Blind Perspectives, 14(2), 9-12.

Bruce, S., Fasy, C., Gulick, J., Jones, J., & Pike, L. (2006).  Making morning circle meaningful.  TEACHING  Exceptional Children Plus.  2(4) Article 1 http://escholarship.bc.edu/education/tecplus/vol2/iss4/art1.

Narayan, J. & Bruce, S. (2006).  Perceptions of teachers and parents on the cognitive functioning of children with severe mental disability and children with congenital deafblindness.  International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 29(1), 9-16.

Bruce, S. & Conlon, K. (2005).  Colby's daily journal: a school-home effort to promote communication development.  TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 2(1).  Article 3.  http://escholarship.bc.edu/education/tecplus/vol2/iss1/3

Bruce, S. (2005). The impact of congenital deafblindness on the struggle to symbolism. International Journal of Disability, Development, and Education.

Bruce, S. (2005). The application of Werner and Kaplan's "distancing" to children who are deaf-blind. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 99(8), 464-477.

Bruce, S. (2005). Visual impairment across the lifespan. In C.B. Fisher & R.M. Lerner (Eds). Applied developmental science: An encyclopedia of research, policies, and programs.Volume 2., pp. 1126-1130.  Sage Publications. (Invited submission for university level encyclopedia.)