Stephanie Brewster

Dr Stephanie Brewster is a Senior Lecturer in Special Needs & Inclusion at the Faculty of Education, Health, and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton. She holds an EdD from the University of Birmingham and a BMedSci in Speech and Language Therapy from the University of Sheffield. Her work bridges clinical practice and academic research, focusing on social inclusion, learning disabilities, and equitable higher education practices.

• EdD, University of Birmingham (2007)
• BMedSci, University of Sheffield (1989)
• Postgraduate Certificates in Learning & Teaching (2009) and Research Methods (2003)

Her research explores inclusive education, augmentative communication, and disability leadership. Recent publications analyze SENCo roles, political engagement for people with disabilities, and inclusive placement learning. Notably, she co-edited Developing Your Expertise as a SENCo (2025), which emphasizes evidence-based inclusive practices.

Key trends in her 15 most recent works include:

• SENCo professional development and leadership
• Political and civic participation for people with disabilities
• Equity in higher education placements
• Discourse analysis of disability narratives
• Methodological innovations in disability research

Brewster received a Senior Fellowship from the Higher Education Academy in 2014. She supervises doctoral students on topics such as dyslexia diagnosis in adulthood, AAC systems, and socio-economic educational disparities. Her grants include the Enabling Employability project (University of Wolverhampton) and Talk Derby (Derby County Council).

She serves as Faculty Enabling Tutor, supporting students with additional needs, and as External Examiner at institutions including the University of Suffolk. Her lab work centers on the Wolverhampton Intellectual Disability Network, addressing inclusion through collaborative research and policy development.