Caitlin Slaney

Caitlin Slaney serves as a Clinical Educator and Lecturer in Speech Pathology at Charles Sturt University's School of Allied Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences, based at the Community Engagement & Wellness Centre in Albury/Wodonga. As a PhD Candidate researching community participation for preschool children with Complex Communication Needs, her work directly supports UN Sustainable Development Goals for inclusive education and reduced inequalities.

Education:

• Bachelor of Health Science (Speech Pathology) with Honours, Charles Sturt University (2015)
• PhD Candidate, Charles Sturt University (2022–present)

Research Focus: Slaney's work centers on dismantling systemic barriers for individuals with disabilities through three interconnected pillars: community participation (examining environmental facilitators for children with communication needs), communication accessibility (developing AAC strategies for inclusive community activities), and methodological innovation (applying ethnography to capture authentic participant experiences). Her research deliberately shifts power dynamics by prioritizing participant voices through collaborative frameworks.

Publication Trends: Recent outputs (2021-2025) reveal a strategic evolution from foundational ethnographic studies in dance classes for adults with disabilities toward targeted investigations of preschool community participation. This trajectory demonstrates growing emphasis on practical implementation of AAC in real-world settings, coupled with parallel research on virtual work-integrated learning for speech pathology students.

Scientific Recognition:

• Charles Sturt Excellence Awards: Social Responsibility (Highly Commended, 2023)

Teaching & Mentorship: Slaney delivers undergraduate and Master's level instruction in communication disabilities and AAC, integrating clinical insights from her 8+ years of early intervention practice. She actively develops hands-on learning experiences through Charles Sturt's Teaching First program and Digital Learning Team collaborations, with recent focus on telepractice competency development for students.

Professional Integration: As an active member of the Community Engagement & Wellness Centre, Slaney bridges academic and community contexts through collaborations with the AAC EBP Network, AGOSCI, and interdisciplinary teams including occupational therapists. Her media engagements (2024) demonstrate commitment to public translation of research on communication barriers for young children.