Sandra Wright, PhD

Sandra Wright is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Baylor University in Waco, TX.  She received her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Tulsa in 1999, and a PhD in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, in 2010. Prior to joining the faculty at Baylor, she spent time as a school-based speech language pathologist specializing in children between 6^th through 12^th grade with complex communication needs.  She also spent two years as a post-doctoral research fellow at Baylor University under Dr. Michaela Ritter’s mentorship evaluating eye movements and neural activation patterns using eye-tracking technology and fNIRS systems. 

Dr. Wright’s current research interests include changing neural activation patterns through the use of narrative teaching for children with autism spectrum disorder, the use of robotic dogs as a means of animal assisted therapy to improve social communication during shared reading activities for those with complex communication needs , and the use of eye-tracking tools to facilitate graduate confidence in improving social competence and awareness of persons with autism spectrum disorder. 

Areas of Research Interest

• Autism and Social Communication Development
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Literacy Intervention
• Autism and Literacy Intervention
• Intervention and Neural Activation
• Intervention and Eye Movement Changes

Courses Taught

• CSD 5313 Augmentative and alternative communication (residential)
• CSD 5325 speech sound disorders (online)