Martine Smith

Associate Professor in Speech & Language Pathology and
Head of Discipline

Research Interests

My main research interests are in the augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), especially in a developmental context, as well as inter-relationships between spoken and written language development and disorders. Much of my research explores how children who are learning language use aided communication to solve communication problems and how adults who have used aided communication for many years incorporate it into their overall communication systems. I am also very interested in the impact of severe speech impairments on the development of phonological and literacy skills.

Selected Publications

• Walshe, M., Smith, M., Pennington, L. (2012) Interventions for drooling in children with cerebral palsy. Cochrane database of systematic reviews (Online), 2, pCD008264
• Smith, M. & Murray, J. (2011). Parachute without a ripcord: the skydive of communication interaction. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 27(4), 292-303.
• Smith, M. & Murray, J. (2011). Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devices: The voices of adult users. In J. Pereira (Ed). Handbook of research on personal autonomy technologies and disability informatics. New York: Medical Information Science Reference, 46-59.
• Smith, M., Murray, J., von Tetzchner, S., & Langan, P. (2010) A tale of transitions: The challenges of integrating speech synthesis in aided communication. In J. Mullennix & S. Stern. (Eds). Computer synthesized speech technologies: Tools for aiding impairment. New York: IGI Global, 234-256.
• Dahlgren-Sandberg, A., Smith, M., Larsson, M. (2010) An analysis of reading and spelling abilities of children using AAC: Understanding a continuum of competence. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 26(3), 191-202.
• Larsson, M., Sandberg, AD, Smith, M. (2009). Early reading and spelling abilities in children with severe speech an dphysical impairment: a crosslinguistic comparison. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 30(1), 77-95.
• Smith, M. Sandberg, AD, Larsson, M. (2009). Reading and spelling in children with severe speech and physical impairments: a comparative study. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 44(6), 864-882.
• Smith, M. & Connolly, I. (2008). Roles of aided communication: Perspectives of adults who use AAC. Disability and Rehabilitation. Assistive Technology. 3(5), 260-273.
• Smith, M. (2006). Speech, language and aided communication: Connections and questions in a developmental context. Disability and Rehabilitation, 28(3), 151-157.
  Smith, M. (2005). Literacy and Augmentative and Alternative Communication. New York: Elsevier.

Teaching/Supervision

Most of my undergraduate teaching relates to developmental speech sound disorders and AAC. The modules I am involved with include: Assessment of Speech, Voice & Fluency; Assessment of Language & Communication Disorders; Intervention in Speech, Voice & Fluency; and Intervention in Language & Communication Disorders.  Within our taught MSc, I contribute to the Child Language Specialist strand and the AAC strand.  I am happy to supervise undergraduate and postgraduate research students interested in AAC, developmental speech sound disorders, language-literacy links and aspects of child language, particularly language development in exceptional circumstances.

Martine Smith on the TCD Research Support System

Contact Details

Clinical Speech and Language Studies
Room No XXXX
Trinity College
7 - 9 South Leinster Street
Dublin 2

Telephone: +353 1 896 2027
Fax: +353 1 232 1005
Email: mmsmith@tcd.ie