MaryAnn Romski
Regents' Professor Regents Professor, Department of Communication (Joint Appointments in Psychology, Communication Sciences & Disorders) Director, Center for Research on Atypical Development and Learning (CRADL) Communication, CRADL, Psychology- Education
Ph.D., University of Kansas, 1981
- Biography
I am an ASHA certified, Georgia licensed, speech-language pathologist with more than 30 years clinical and research experience in the area of developmental disabilities, augmentative communication, and early language intervention. My scholarly research examines how children with severe communication disorders develop language and communication skills. I am particularly interested in the role of receptive language skills in development and how interventions that employ augmented means (e.g., computers that speak, sign language) can influence the course of language and literacy development for children and adults with a range of developmental disabilities. As part of my collaborations, I value mentoring graduate and undergraduate students’ research and professional development.
Currently, with my colleagues Rose Sevcik and Juan Bornman (University of Pretoria South Africa), I have a Fogarty/NIDCD-funded project that has developed an APP for caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disorders in northern South Africa. The APP focuses on teaching the caregivers communication strategies to use at home with their children. We are testing its effect on the children’s language development. I also have an early language database from 113 toddlers with significant developmental delays and less than 10 words from two completed IEs and NIDCD studies that examined the effects of early parent-implemented language interventions on the course of communication development in young children who are at extremely high risk for delayed language and communication development. I am also a collaborator on Rose Sevcik’s project on reading interventions and school-aged children with intellectual disabilities.
As Director of the Center for Atypical Development and Learning, I am committed to advancing the interdisciplinary study of all aspects of atypical development at GSU. I am also working on the extension of my research and practice into different cultures and languages, specifically in South Africa and Hong Kong.
As a faculty member, I am active in contributing to the governance of the university. As a member of the University Senate, I have focused my efforts on Research and Academic Program issues within the university.
- Publications
Barton-Hulsey, A., Sevcik, R.A., & Romski, M.A. (2017). Narrative language and reading comprehension in students with mild intellectual disabilities. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 122, 392-408.
Fisher, E., Romski, M.A., & Sevcik, R.A. (2017). Cognitive development in a young child with mucolipidosis type IV: A case report. Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease Reports, 35, 97-103.
Ogletree, B., Brady, N., Bruce, S., Evan, D., Romski, M.A., Sylvester, L. & Westling, D. (2017). Clinical Forum: Mary’s Case: An illustration of inter-professional collaborative practice for a child with severe disabilities. American Journal of Speech Language Pathology, 26, 217-226.
Brady, N.C., Bruce, S., Goldman, A., Erickson, K., Mineo, B., Ogletree, B.T., Paul, D., Romski, M.A., Sevcik, R., Siegel, E., Schoonover, J., Snell, M., Sylvester, L., Wilkinson, K. (2016). Communication Services and Supports for Individuals With Severe Disabilities: Guidance for Assessment and Intervention. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Vol. 121, No. 2: 121-138.
Romski, M. A., Sevcik, R. A., Cheslock, M., & Barton, A. (2016). The System for Augmenting Language: AAC and Emerging Language Intervention. In R. McCauley & M. Fey (Eds.) Treatment of Language Disorders in Children: Conventional and controversial intervention; 2ndEdition (pp. 155-186). Paul H. Brookes
Sevcik, R.A., & Romski, M.A., (2016). Communication Interventions for Individuals with Severe Disabilities: Exploring Research Challenges and Opportunities. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
Foster, M.E., Sevcik, R.A., Romski, M.A., & Morris, R.D. (2015). Effects of phonological awareness and naming speed on mathematics skills in children with mild intellectual disabilities. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 18, 304-316.
Romski, M.A., Sevcik, R.A., Barton-Hulsey, A., & Whitmore, A.S. (2015). Early intervention and AAC: What a difference thirty years makes. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 31, 181-202.
Smith, A.L., Romski, M.A., Sevcik, R.A., Adamson, L.B., & Barker, R.M. (2014). Parent stress and perceptions of language development: Comparing Down Syndrome and other developmental disabilities. Family Relations, 63, 71-84.
Whitmore, A., Romski, M.A., & Sevcik, R.A. (2014). Early augmented language intervention for children with developmental delays: Secondary motor outcomes. Augmentative and Alternative Communication,30, 200-212.
Adamson, L.A., Romski, M.A., & Barton-Hulsey, A. (2013). Early Language Acquisition in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Developmental View. In V. B. Patel, V. R. Preedy & C. R. Martin (Eds.) A Comprehensive Guide to Autism. New York: Springer.
Barker, R.M., Sevcik, R.A., Morris, R.D., & Romski, M.A.(2013). A model of phonological processing, language, and reading for students with mild intellectual disability. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 118, 365-380.
Smith, A.L., Romski, M.A., & Sevcik, R.A. (2013). Examining the role of communication on sibling relationship quality and interaction for sibling pairs with and without a developmental disability. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 118, 394-409.
Romski, M.A., Sevcik, R.A., Adamson, L.B., Smith, A., Cheslock, M., & Bakeman, R. (2011). Parent perceptions of the language development of toddlers with developmental delays before and after participation in parent-coached language interventions. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 20, 111-118.
Smith, A.L., Romski, M.A., Sevcik, R.A., Adamson, L.B., & Bakeman, R. (2011) Parental stress and its relation to parental perceptions of communication following parent-coached language intervention. Journal of Early Intervention, 33, 135-150.
Adamson, L.B., Romski, M.A., Bakeman, R., & Sevcik, R.A. (2010). Augmented language intervention and the emergence of symbol-infused joint engagement. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 53, 1769-1773.
Bornman, J., Sevcik, R.A., Romski, M.A., & Pae, H.K. (2010). Successfully translating language and culture when adapting assessment measures. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 7, 111-118.
Donohue, D.K., Wise, J.C., Romski, M.A.,Henrich, C., & Sevcik, R.A. (2010). Self-concept development and measurement in children with mild intellectual disabilities. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 13, 322-334.
Romski, M.A., Sevcik, R.A., Adamson, L.B., Cheslock, M.A., Smith, A., Barker, R.M., & Bakeman, R. (2010). Randomized comparison of parent-implemented augmented and non-augmented language intervention on vocabulary development of toddlers with developmental delays. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 53, 350-364.[Received 2011 Editor’s Award]
Wise, J.C., Sevcik, R.A., Romski, M.A., & Morris, R.D. (2010). The relationship between phonological processing skills and word and nonword identification performance in children with mild intellectual disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 31, 1170-1175.
Adamson, L., B., Bakeman, R., Deckner, D., & Romski, M. A.(2009). Joint Engagement and the Emergence of Language in Children With Autism And Down Syndrome.Journal of Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 39, 84-96.
Romski, M. A., Sevcik, R. A., Smith, A., Barker, R. M., Folan, S., & Barton-Hulsey, A. (2009). The system for augmenting language: Implications for children with autism spectrum disorders. In P. Mirenda, T. Iacono, & J. Light (Eds.) AAC and Autism. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
Cheslock, M., Barton-Hulsey, A., Romski, M. A., & Sevcik, R. A. (2008). Using a speech generating device to enhance communicative abilities and interactions for an adult with moderate intellectual disability: A case report. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 46,376-386.
Romski, M. A., Krupa, J. H., Cheslock, M., Sevcik, R. A., & Adamson, L. B. (2008). Language and communication changes in a child with holoprosecephaly: A case report Medical Journal of Speech Language Pathology, 14, 10-19
Sevcik, R. A., Barton-Hulsey, A., &Romski, M. A. (2008). Early Intervention, AAC, and Transition to School for Young Children with Significant Spoken Communication Disorders and their Families. Seminars in Speech and Language, 29, 155-167.
Romski, M. A., Sevcik, R. A., Adamson, L. B., Cheslock, M., & Smith, A. (2007). Parents can implement AAC interventions: Ratings of treatment implementation across early language interventions. Early Childhood Services, 1, 249-259.
Barton, A., Sevcik, R. A. & Romski, M. A. (2006). Visual-Graphic Symbol Acquisition by Pre-School Age Children with Developmental and Language Delays, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 22, 10-20.[received AACEditor's Award for BestStudent Paper]
Romski, M.A., & Sevcik, R.A. (2005). Early intervention and augmentative communication: Myths and realities.Infants and Young Children, 18, 174-185
Romski, M.A., Sevcik, R.A., Adamson, L.B., & Bakeman, R. (2005). Communication patterns of individuals with moderate or severe cognitive disabilities: Interactions with unfamiliar partners. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 110, 226-239.
Sevcik, R.A., Romski, M. A, & Adamson, L.B. (2004). Augmentative communication and preschool children: Case example and research directions. Disability and Rehabilitation. 26, 1323-1329.
Romski, M. A. & Sevcik, R. A. (2003). Augmented input: Enhancing communication development. In J. Light, D. Beukelman, & J. Reichle (Eds.) Communicative Competence for Individuals Who Use AAC(pp. 147-162). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
Snell, M.E., Caves, K., McLean, L., Mineo Mollica, B., Mirenda, P., Paul-Brown, D., Romski, M.A.,Rourk, J., Sevcik, R., & Yoder, D. (2003). Concerns regarding the application of restrictive “eligibility” policies to individuals who need communication services and supports. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 28,70-78.
Romski, M.A., Sevcik, R.A., & Adamson, L.B. (1999). Communication patterns of youth with mental retardation with and without their speech-output communication devices. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 104, 249-259.
Romski, M. A., & Sevcik, R. A. (1996).Breaking the Speech Barrier: Language Development through Augmented Means. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing
Barton-Hulsey, A., Sevcik, R.A., & Romski, M.A. (in press).The relationship between speech, language, and phonological awareness in preschool age children with developmental disabilities. American Journal of Speech Language Pathology.
Bornman, J., Romski, M.A., Tönsing, K., Sevcik, R.A., Barton-Hulsey, A., (in press). Adapting and translating the Mullen Scales of Early Learning for the South African Context. South African Journal of Communication Disorders.
Romski, M. A.,Bornman, J., Sevcik, R. A., Tönsing, K., Barton-Hulsey, A., Morwane, R., Ani Whitmore, A., & White, R.(in press).Language assessment for children with a range of neurodevelopmental disorders across four languages in South Africa. American Journal of Speech Language Pathology.