Michael Clarke

Dr. Michael Clarke is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences at San Francisco State University. He holds a Ph.D. in Speech Sciences from University College London (UK), with a focus on conversational interaction involving children using communication aids. His research centers on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), particularly addressing interpersonal interaction challenges faced by non-speaking children and their communication partners. Dr. Clarke leads the Inter-AACtion Lab, exploring AAC implementation in educational and clinical settings.

Education:

• BSc (Hons) Geography, Polytechnic of North London (1989)
• MSc Speech and Language Pathology and Therapy, University College London (1994)
• Ph.D. Speech Sciences, University College London (2005)

Research Interests: AAC system design, functional vision in communication, feeding/swallowing outcomes in ventilated children, and collaborative practices between professionals and parents. His work bridges clinical practice and technology, emphasizing child-centered approaches.

Key Contributions: Developed the Functional Vision for Communication Questionnaire (FVC-Q) and the Eye-Pointing Classification Scale (EpCS). His articles analyze language development in AAC users and eye-gaze technology usability for neurodiverse populations.

Labs/Teams: Inter-AACtion Lab (focus: AAC implementation and child interaction studies).

Advising/Grants: No formal advisees listed, but collaborates widely with international researchers. Funded projects include Delphi studies on AAC technology decision-making and scoping reviews on feeding/swallowing interventions.