Dr. David McNaughton

Dr. McNaughton is a Professor in the Department of Educational and School Psychology and Special Education, and the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, at The Pennsylvania State University. He teaches coursework in augmentative communication and assistive technology, and collaboration skills for working with parents and educational team members.

Dr. McNaughton’s research interests include literacy instruction for individuals with complex communication needs, and supports to employment for individuals with severe disabilities. Dr. McNaughton is the director of knowledge translation activities for the Augmentative and Alternative Communication Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (The AAC-RERC), a virtual research consortium that is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.   

Dr. McNaughton has published more than 45 papers in leading peer-reviewed journals and has presented more than 70 papers at peer-reviewed conferences. He is a co-author, with Dr. Janice Light, of an evidence-based literacy curriculum for students with complex communication needs, entitled Accessible Literacy Learning: Evidence-based reading instruction for individuals with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and other disabilities. He recently published a new book, Transition Strategies for Adolescents & Young Adults Who Use AAC, co-edited with Dr. David R. Beukelman. His work on literacy instruction and effective interventions for individuals with severe disabilities has been recognized by research awards from the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, and the Council for Learning Disabilities.   A current description of his activities is available at Penn State's faculty website.