Research Institute

Assistant Director, Communication Center, Assistive Technology Coordinator, Speech-Language Pathologist

Phone: 402.483.9459
Email: sfager@madonna.org
Office: Institute for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering, Room 6008

Mailing Address:
Institute for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering
Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital
5401 South Street
Lincoln, NE 68506

Professional Interests:
Susan Fager is the assistant director of the Communication Center of Excellence in the Institute for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital. Susan has more than 10 years of experience in the area of assistive technology and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and recently completed her doctoral training in AAC and motor speech disorders at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her research focuses on assistive technology options for persons with severe physical and/or cognitive impairments due to acquired neurological or degenerative conditions, such as traumatic brain injury, brainstem stroke, spinal cord injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, or chronic Guillain Barre.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Motor Speech Disorders (2008), University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• M.S. Speech-Language Pathology (1997), University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• B.S. (1995), University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Selected Articles/Book Chapters:

• Fager, S., Beukelman, D., Jakobs, T., & Hosom, J.P. (2010). Evaluation of a speech recognition prototype for speakers with moderate and severe dysarthria: A preliminary report. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 26, 267-277.
• Ball, L., Nordness, A., Fager, S., Kersch, K., Pattee, G., & Beukelman, D. (2010). Eye gaze access of AAC technology for persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Journal of Medical Speech Language Pathology, 18,11-23.
• Nordness, A., Ball, L., Fager, S., Beukelman, D., & Patte, G. (2010). Late AAC Assessment for Individuals with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Journal of Medical Speech Language Pathology, 18(1), 48-54.
• Fager, S., & Spellman, C. (2011- in press). Augmentative and alternative communication intervention in children with traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine.
• Fager, S., & Karantounis, R. (2010-accepted). AAC assessment and interventions in TBI. In K. Hux (Ed.).Assisting survivors of traumatic brain injury, 2nd Edition.(pp. 227-254), Austin, TX: Pro-ed.
• Beukelman, D.R., Ball, L.J., & Fager, S. (2008). An AAC personnel framework: Adults with acquired complex communication needs. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 24, 254-266.
• Yorkston, K. M., Hakel, M., Beukelman, D. R., & Fager, S. (2008). Evidence for effectiveness of treatment of loudness, rate or prosody in dysarthria: A systematic review. Journal of Medical Speech-Language Pathology.
• Beukelman, D., Fager, S., Ball, L., & Dietz, A. (2007). AAC for adults with acquired neurological conditions. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 23, 230-242.
• Fager, S.K., Doyle, M., & Karantounis, R. (2007). Traumatic brain injury. In Beukelman, D.R., Garrett, K.L., & Yorkston, K.M. Eds.), Augmentative communication strategies for adults with acute or chronic medical conditions (pp. 131-162). Baltimore: Brookes Publishing.
• Culp, D., Beukelman, D.R., & Fager, S.K. (2007). Brainstem Impairment. In Beukelman, D.R., Garrett, K.L., & Yorkston, K.M. Eds.), Augmentative communication strategies for adults with acute or chronic medical conditions (pp. 59-90). Baltimore: Brookes Publishing.
• Fager, S., Beukelman, D., Karantounis, R., and Jakobs, T. (2006). Use of Safe-Laser Access Technology to Train Head Movement in Persons with Severe Motor Impairment: A Series of Case Reports. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 22 , 222-229.
• Fager, S., Hux, K., Karantounis, R., & Beukelman, D. (2006). Augmentative and Alternative Communication Use and Acceptance by Adults with Traumatic Brain Injury. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 22 , 37-47.
• Fager, S. K., Green, J.R., Nip, I., & Hakel, M. (2006). Facial Kinematics of a Speaker with a Palatal Lift Following Brainstem Impairment. Journal of Medical Speech-Language Pathology, 14 (4), 235-240.
• Beukelman, D., Hanson, E., Hiatt, E., Fager, S., & Bilyeu, D. (2005). AAC Technology Learning Part 3: Regular AAC Team Members. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 21(3), 187-194.
• Fager, S. & Beukelman, D.R. (2005). Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury. In D.R. Beukelman & P. Mirenda (Eds.), Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Supporting Children & Adults with Complex Communication Needs (pp. 517-531). Baltimore, MA: Paul Brookes Publishing Co., Inc.
• Hanson, E., Beukelman, D.R., Fager, S., & Ullman, C. (2004). Listener Attitudes Toward Speech Supplementation Strategies Used by Speakers with Dysarthria. Journal of Medical Speech-Language Pathology, 12 (4), 161-166.
• Hakel, M., Fager, S., Beukelman, D.R., Green, J., & Marshall, J. (2004). Nasal Obturator for Velopharyngeal Dysfunction in Dysarthria: Technical Report on a One-Way Valve. Journal of Medical Speech-Language Pathology, 12(4), 155-159.

Selected Presentations:

• Hosom, J.P., Jakobs, T., Baker, A., & Fager, S. Automatic Speech Recognition for Assistive Writing in Speech Supplemented Word Prediction.Presented at InterSpeech, Makuhari, Japan.
• Fager, S., Beukelman, D., Jakobs, T., & Hosom, P. Supplemented Speech Recognition for Individuals with Dysarthria: Preliminary Results.Presented at RESNA's annual convention 2010 in Las Vegas.
• Fager, S., Beukelman, D., & Jakobs, T. Duration and Variability in Speakers with Dysarthria and Traumatic Brain InjuryPresented at the Conference on Motor Speech in Savannah.
• Fager, S., Jakobs, T., & Beukelman, D. Supporting Communication of Individuals with Minimal Movement.Presented at ATIA's annual convention 2010 in Orlando.
• Fager, S., Beukelman, D.R., & Jakobs, T. Supporting Communication of Individuals with Minimal Movement. Presented at RESNA's annual convention 2009 in New Orleans.
• Fager, S.K., Beukelman, D.R., Jakobs, T.E., & Ullman, C. Duration and Variability of Dysarthric Speech in TBI.Presented at the American Speech Language Hearing Association national convention 2008 in Chicago.
• Nordness, A., Ball, L., Fager, S., & Beukelman, D. Identifying Factors Affecting Delayed AAC Referrals for Individuals with ALS. Presented at the American Speech Language Hearing Association national convention 2008 in Chicago.
• McCarthy, J., Fager. S., & Beukelman, D.R. Dynamic Capture & Representation of Visual Content in Medical Settings. Presented at the American Speech Language Hearing Association national convention 2008 in Chicago.
• Fager, S., Beukelman, D.R., Jakobs, T. Head Tracking for Persons with Minimal Movement: A Case Study. Presented at the American Speech Language Hearing Association national convention 2007 in Boston, MA.
• Fager, S., Beukelman, D.R., Jakobs, T. Augmented Speech Recognition for Severe Dysarthria- Initial Pilot Study Results. Presented at the American Speech Language Hearing Association national convention 2007 in Boston, MA.
• Fager, S., Beukelman, D.R., Culp, D. Brainstem Impairment: Supporting Communication at all Stages of Recovery. Presented at the American Speech Language Hearing Association national convention 2007 in Boston, MA.
• Fager, S. AAC for persons with Brainstem Impairment. Presented at the American Speech Language Hearing Association national convention 2006 in Miami, FL.
• Fager, S., Green, J., Beukelman, D.R., Hakel, M. Facial Kinematics of Speaker With Palatal Lift Following Brainstem Impairment. Presented at the Conference on Motor Speech Disorders 2006 in Austin, TX.
• Fager, S., Beukelman, D.R., Karantounis, R., Jakobs, T. Use of Safe-Laser
• Technology to Train Head Movement in LIS. Presented at the American Speech Language Hearing Association national convention 2005 in San Diego, CA.
• Fager, S., Green, J., Beukelman, D.R., Hakel, M. Facial Kinematics of Speaker With Palatal Lift Following Brainstem Impairment. Presented at the American Speech Language Hearing Association national convention 2005 in San Diego, CA.
• Fager, S., Green, J., & Beukelman, D., Orofacial Kinematics in a Complex Clinical Presentation. Presented at the American Speech-Language Hearing Association national convention 2004 in Philadelphia, PA.
• Fager, S., Hux, K., & Beukelman, D. AAC Acceptance and Use with 25 Adults with TBI. Presented at the American Speech-Language Hearing Association national convention 2004 in Philadelphia, PA.
• Fager, S., Hux, K., Karantounis, R. & Beukelman, D. AAC Acceptance and Use for Persons with TBI. Presented at the Nebraska Speech, Language, Hearing Association, October, 2004.
• Fager, S., Beukelman, D., & Jakobs, T. (2004). Safe Laser Access System: An innovative AAC treatment option for LIS. Presented at the Nebraska Speech, Language, Hearing Association, October, 2004.
• Hanson, L., Beukelman, D., Fager, S., & Ullman, C. (2004). Listener attitudes toward speech supplementation strategies used by survivors of TBI. Presented at the Speech Motor Control Conference, March, 2004.
• Hakel, M., Beukelman, D., Fager, S., Green, J., & Marshall, J. (2004). Nasal Obturation for velopharyngeal dysfunction in dysarthria: Technical report on a one-way valve. Presented at the Speech Motor Control Conference, March, 2004.
• Fager, S., Beukelman, D., & Ball, L. New AAC Interfaces. Presented at the American Speech-Language Hearing Association national convention 2003 in Chicago, IL.
• Fager, S. Transitional Issues in TBI and AAC. Presented at the American Speech-Language Hearing Association national convention 2003 in Chicago, IL.
• Fager, S. AAC Intervention in Severe TBI. Presented at the Nebraska AAC Conference 2003 at Mahoney State Park, Nebraska.
• Fager, S., Beukelman, D. & Hakel, M. Communication Intervention for Persons with Brainstem Involvement. Presented at the American Speech-Language Hearing Association national convention 2002 in Atlanta, Georgia.
• Beukelman, D., Fager, S., & Jakobs, T. Voice Access System- Using Residual Speech Sounds to Control Assistive Technology. Presented at the American Speech-Language Hearing Association national convention 2002 in Atlanta, Georgia.