Meghan E. Wendelken | Faculty Profiles

Diplomas/Degrees

Ph.D., Communication Sciences and Disorders, The Pennsylvania State University (2022)

M.S., Speech-Language Pathology, Duquesne University (2013)

B.S., Speech-Language Pathology, Duquesne University (2012)

Licenses and Certifications

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP)

Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD) (Professional Certificate)

Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets (PROMPT) - Level II Bridging Trained

Certified Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) Implementer (2016-2019)

New York State (NYS) Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist

Tennessee Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist

World Campus Graduatue Student Online Teaching Certificate

Schreyer Institute Teaching Certificate - College Teaching

Professional Experience

Speech-Language Pathologist, 2013-Present

Director Elect of Doctoral Program in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Recent Courses

Autism Spectrum Disorders For Speech Language Pathologists

Language Disorders In Children II

Research Methods In Communication Sciences And Disorders

Speech Disorders In Children

Courses Previously Taught

Anatomy & Physiology for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

Neurology for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

Diagnostics for Speech-Language Pathology

Introduction to Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Introduction to Communication Sciences and Disorders

Phonetics

Child Language Disorders

Research Interests

Autism and neurobiological differences impacting information processing, AAC intervention, communication partner training

Articles

Wendelken, M.E. & Williams, D.L. (2025). Effects of an asynchronous online training program for caregivers of children with autism using augmentative and alternative communcation, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/07434618.2025.2567056.

Caron, J., O’Neill Zimmerman, T., Meneskie, M., Babb, S., & Wendelken, M. (2025). “It’s caused our whole family to enjoy each other:” a family’s perspective on the impact of disability and AAC on the family system. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/07434618.2025.2546876.

Wendelken, M. E. & Williams, D. L. (2023). Is research on augmentative and alternative commmuication intervention with children with autism spectrum disorder reflected in the clinical practice of speech-language pathologists? Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 8, 1432-1455. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_PERSP-23-00022

Coburn, K. L., Jung, S., Ousley, C. L., Sowers, D. J., Wendelken, M., & Wilkinson, K. M. (2021). Centering the family in their system: a framework to promote family-centered AAC services. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 37(4), 229–240. https://doi.org/10.1080/07434618.2021.1991471.

Conference Presentations

Wendelken, M.E., Blankenship, K., & Davis, K. (2025, November). Let the Students Lead the Way. [Oral Seminar]. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Washington, D.C.

Wendelken, M.E. & Williams, D.L. (2025, November). Graphic Symbol Comprehension Impacts on AAC Expressive Output: A Comparison of Two Aided Modeling Interventions. [Poster Presentation]. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Washington, D.C.

Wendelken, M. E. & Williams, D. L. (2024, December). Development of an Evidence-Based Asynchronous Online Training for Parents of Children with ASD Using AAC. [Oral Seminar]. Tennessee Association for Assistive Technology (TAAT) Convention, Franklin, TN.

Wendelken, M.E. & Williams, D. L. (2024, December). Effects of an Asynchronous, Online Training Program for Parents of Children with Autism Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication. [Oral Seminar]. Tennessee Association for Assistive Technology (TAAT) Convention, Franklin, TN.

Wendelken, M.E. & Williams, D. L. (2024, September). Is Research on Augmentative and Alternative Communication Intervention With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Reflected in the Clinical Practice of Speech-Language Pathologists? [Oral Seminar]. Tennessee Association of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists (TAASLP) Conference, Clarkesville, TN.

Wendelken, M. E., Caron, J., Babb, S., & Kremkow, J. (2023, November). Asynchronous Online Training for Communication Partners of Individuals Using AAC: A Systematic Review. [Poster Presentation]. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Boston, MA.

Wendelken, M. E. & Williams, D. L. (2023, November). Development of an Evidence-Based Asynchronous Online Training for Parents of Children with ASD Using AAC. [Poster Presentation]. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Boston, MA.

Sultana, J., Wendelken, M. E., & Williams, D. L. (2023, November) Effect of the SO(A)R Intervention on the Communication Functions of Autistic Children Using AAC. [Poster Presentation]. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Boston, MA.

Wendelken, M.E. & Williams, D. L. (2023, September). Effects of an Asynchronous, Online Training Program for Parents of Children with Autism Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication. [Oral Seminar]. Tennessee Association of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists (TAASLP) Conference, Clarkesville, TN.

Wendelken, M. E. & Williams, D. L. (2022, November). Effects of an Asynchronous, Online Training Program for Parents of Children with Autism Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication. [Oral Seminar]. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, New Orleans, LA.

Wendelken, M. E. & Williams, D. L. (2022, November). AAC Intervention Practices for Individuals with ASD and Severe Language Impairments as Reported by SLPs: A Qualitative Study [Poster Presentation]. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, New Orleans, LA.

Wendelken, M. E. & Williams, D. L. (2021, November). A Systematic Review of Aided AAC for Autism: Communicative Functions, Intervention Approaches, Receptive Language, and Outcomes [Poster Presentation]. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Washington, D.C.

Wendelken, M. E. & Williams, D. L. (2020, November). AAC Intervention Practices for Individuals with ASD and Severe Language Impairments as Reported by SLPs: A Qualitative Study [Poster Presentation]. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, San Diego, CA. (Conference canceled)

Wendelken, M. E. & Williams, D. L. (2020, November). A Systematic Review of Aided AAC for Autism: Communicative Functions, Intervention Approaches, Receptive Language, and Outcomes [Poster Presentation]. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, San Diego, CA. (Conference canceled)

Wendelken, M. E. & Williams, D. L. (2014, May). The Relationship Among Social Cognition, Executive Dysfunction, Language, and Theory of Mind Ability in High-Functioning Autism [Poster Presentation]. International Meeting For Autism Research, Atlanta, GA.

Wendelken, M. E. & Williams, D. L. (2013, November). “The Relationship Among Social Cognition, Executive Dysfunction, Language, and Theory of Mind Ability in High-Functioning Autism. [Poster Presentation]. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Chicago, IL.

Invited Presentations

Miller, C. & Wendelken, M. E. (2023). Communication is the Foundation of Language. Virtual, synchronous online presentation for Centre for Research & Intervention Analysis (CRIA) Foundation provided to parents and professionals working with children with autism in New Delhi.

Wendelken, M. E. (2023). Introduction to Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Middle Tennessee State University, Physician’s Assistant Program.

Wendelken, M. E. (2023, February). Effects of an Asynchronous Online Training for Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Middle Tennessee State University, Department of Health and Human Performance.

Wendelken, M. E. (2022). AAC Intervention for Beginning Communicators. Tennessee Talks/Tennessee Department of Education.

Wendelken, M. E. (2022). Culturally Responsive Services: Considerations for Bilingual Children with Language Disorders. Penn State University, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Wendelken, M. E. (2020). Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations and AAC Considerations. Penn State University, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Wendelken, M. E. (2019). Autism Spectrum Condition Interventions. Penn State University, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Dissertations Chaired

Sklar, J. (in progress). Text messaging experiences for individuals with autism: A qualitative study. Doctoral thesis, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY.

SLPD Committee, Chair

Primis, L., (2025). The effects of a multimodal intervention using SO(A)R on expressive communication in autistic children using AAC. [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Rocky Mountain University.

Theses Advised

Arcot, A. (2023). Incidental vocabulary learning and biases across different linguistic input modalities. Undergraduate honors thesis, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN.

Projects Mentored

Sultana, K. (2023). Effect of the SO(A)R intervention on the communication functions of children with autism using AAC. [Unpublished master's thesis]. The Pennsylvania State University.

Honors and Accomplishments

(2023) American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Showcase

Wendelken, M. E. & Williams, D. L. (2023). Is research on augmentative and alternative commmuication intervention with children with autism spectrum disorder reflected in the clinical practice of speech-language pathologists? Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 8, 1432-1455. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_PERSP-23-00022.

(2021) Best Student Paper Award from the Journal of Augmentative an Alternative Communication

Coburn, K. L., Jung, S., Ousley, C. L., Sowers, D. J., Wendelken, M., & Wilkinson, K. M. (2021). Centering the family in their system: a framework to promote family-centered AAC services. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 37(4), 229-240. https://doi.org/10.1080/07434618.2021.1991471.

(2019-2022) Fellowship - AAC Doctoral Leadership Grant

U.S. Department of Education (grant #H325D170024)