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Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences

Sara Collins, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Assistant Professor
Sara Collins

Assistant ProfessorSara Collins
Email: scollins5@loyola.edu

Education

  • Florida State University, Doctor of Philosophy in Communication Science and Disorders, 2023
  • Florida State University, Master of Science in Communication Science and Disorders, 2020
  • Florida State University, Bachelor of Science in Communication Science and Disorders, 2018 

Publications

  • Barton-Hulsey, A., Phinney, S., & Collins, S. (2021). Augmentative and Alternative Communication for Language and Literacy in Preschool: Considerations for Down Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Seminars in Speech and Language, 42(4), 1-17.
  • Barton-Hulsey, A., Sevcik, R. A., Romski, M., & Collins, S. C. (2022). Home and School Literacy Experiences in Preschool-Age Children with Developmental Disabilities: Identifying Relationships between Speech, Language and Early Literacy Skills. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups: SIG 1, 1-12.
  • Therrien, M. C. S., Biggs, E. E., Barton-Hulsey, A., Collins, S. C., & Romano, M. (2022). Augmentative and Alternative Communication Services (AAC) Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact on Children, their Families, and Service Providers. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 38(4), 197-208.
  • Collins, S. C., Barton-Hulsey, A., Timm-Fulkerson, C.,  & Therrien, M. (2023, in press). AAC & Literacy: A Scoping Review of Print Knowledge Measures for Students who use Aided Augmentative and Alternative Communication. The Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities. 

Areas of Specialization

  • Augmentative and Alternative Communication 
  • Literacy assessment and interventions
  • Alternative assessment 
  • Early intervention
  • School-based language
  • Individualized care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities 
  • Implementation science

Achievements (Past 5 years)

Presentations

  • Collins, S., & Barton-Hulsey, A. (2023, June). An implementation science approach: Teacher and child support needs for group literacy instruction. Poster presented at the 147th Annual American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.  
  • Barton-Hulsey, A., & Collins, S. (2023, April). Correlates of single word reading in children with intellectual and developmental disabilities in K – 3rd grade. Poster presented at the 55th Annual Gatlinburg Conference on Research and Theory in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Kansas City, MO.  
  • Collins, S., & Barton-Hulsey, A. (2023, April). Measuring teacher communication with children who have intellectual and developmental disabilities during whole-group shared reading. Poster presented at the 55th Annual Gatlinburg Conference on Research and Theory in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Kansas City, MO. 
  • Barton-Hulsey, A., Collins, S., Coltellino, B., & Gagnon, H. (2022, November). 1759L: Exploring literacy skills in children with limited speech abilities. Oral seminar presented at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Convention, New Orleans, LA.  
  • Collins, S., Barton-Hulsey, A., & Burnett, T. (2022, November). 9888: Measuring teachers’ communication with children with developmental disabilities during shared book reading. Poster presented at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Convention, New Orleans, LA.  
  • Collins, S., Barton-Hulsey, A., & Farquharson, K. (2022, November). 8520: Intellectual and developmental disabilities: Graduate coursework and school-based service delivery. Poster presented at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Convention, New Orleans, LA. 
  • Hirn, J., Wright, B., & Collins, S. (2022, November). 4016L: Balancing a CF and Ph.D. program: Student reflections and successes. Technical clinical talk presented at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Convention, New Orleans, LA.  
  • Collins, S. (2022, June). Measuring teacher communication during shared reading with children who use augmentative and alternative communication. Oral seminar presented at the Students and Early Career Professionals (SECP) Research Colloquium at the 146th Annual American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) Conference, Jacksonville, FL. 
  • Collins, S. C. (2022, May). Measuring teacher communication during shared reading with children who use augmentative and alternative communication. Oral concurrent session presented at the RERC on AAC Doctoral Student Think Tank, Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania.
  • Collins, S., Timm-Fulkerson, C., Barton-Hulsey, A., Therrien, M. & Khambalia, S. (2022, June). A review of early literacy measures administered to children who use aided augmentative and alternative communication. Oral concurrent session presented at the 146th Annual American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) Conference, Jacksonville, FL. 
  • Collins, S. C., Barton-Hulsey, A., Farquharson, K., & Constantino, C. (2021, November). 8337V: Examining speech sound treatment in school-based service delivery for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Poster presented at the Annual American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Convention, Washington, D.C.  
  • Collins, S. C., Hall-Mills, S., & Wood, C. (2021, November). 8159V: Clause-level grammatical accuracy in the expository writing of children with and without developmental language disorder. Poster presented at the Annual American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Convention, Washington, D.C.  
  • Therrien, M. C. S., Biggs, E. E., Barton-Hulsey, A., Collins, S. C., Douglas, S., Romano, M., & Snodgrass, M. (2021, November). 1366: Partnering with families now and in the future: Lessons learned from providing AAC services during the pandemic. Oral-Seminar presented at the Annual American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Convention, Washington, D.C. 
  • Collins, S., Therrien, M., Barton-Hulsey, A., & Timm, C. (2021, June). AAC & Literacy: An evaluation of word recognition assessment measures for students who use aided augmentative and alternative communication. Poster presented at the 145th Annual American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) Conference, Jacksonville, FL. (Convention held remotely).  
  • Barton-Hulsey, A., Collins, S., Therrien, M., Biggs, E., Romano, M., Allen, A., Coltellino, B., & Emery, E. (2021, April). Contextual determinants that influence family partnerships during augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Poster presented at the 54th Annual Gatlinburg Conference on Research and Theory in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Kansas City, MO. (Convention held remotely).  
  • Collins, S. Hall-Mills, S., & Wood, C. (2020, November). 10801: Differentiating written grammatical accuracy by clause type for students with and without language impairment. Poster accepted at the Annual American Speech Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Convention, San Diego, CA. (Convention canceled). 
  • Hall-Mills, S., Wood, C., & Collins, S. (2019, November). 8673: Differing language impairment from typical language development via measures of written complex syntax. Poster presented at the Annual American Speech-Language Hearing-Association (ASHA) Convention, Orlando, FL. 

Awards

  • Leadership in Language and Literacy Doctoral Fellowship (2020 – 2023)  
  • Outstanding Doctoral Student in Communication Science and Disorders (2023) 
  • Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award Nominee (2021-2022, 2022-2023) 
  • Bob E. Leach Student Leadership Award (2022) 
  • Student and Early Career Professional Scholarship, 146th Annual Meeting on the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (2022) 
  • Meritorious Poster Submission Recognition, “Clause-Level Grammatical Accuracy in the Expository Writing of Children with and without Developmental Language Disorder” presented at the American Speech-Language Hearing Association National Convention, Washington D.C. (2021) 
  • College of Communication and Information Leadership Board Student Leadership Award (2021) 
  • Student and Early Career Professional Scholarship, 145th Annual Meeting on the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (2021)  

About Sara Collins

Sara Collins, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at Loyola University Maryland. She holds a bachelors, masters, and doctorate degree from Florida State University in Communication Science and Disorders, with a focus on enhancing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) services. She is interested in adapted assessments and interventions for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. More specifically, Dr. Collins is interested in the school-based issues that surround access to instruction for students with limited speech abilities and teacher support methods to enhance feasibility in implementing evidence-based interventions in inclusive education settings. Dr. Collins has over 3 years of professional clinical experience working alongside students and teachers in elementary school settings and families in early intervention. She has also taught a range of child development courses, including Language Development, General Curriculum Access for Learners with Extensive Support Needs, Clinical Practicum in the Schools, and Introduction to Language Disorders in addition to providing AAC consultation services within a variety of school-based and rehabilitation centers.