Thomas wins state LATAN award
Thursday, February 4, 2016
by: Rene Abadie
HAMMOND – Donna Thomas, assistant professor in Southeastern Louisiana University’s
Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) program, was presented the Citizen Award
by the Louisiana Assistive Technology Access Network (LATAN).
LATAN is a statewide, nonprofit organization that connects individuals with disabilities
and older persons with the assistive technology that encourages independence in employment,
school and community living.
Thomas, a certified, licensed speech-language pathologist, received the award
for her work in supporting the use of assistive technology in the public school system,
community and at Southeastern’s Speech and Hearing Clinic. She has also developed
and taught a graduate course at Southeastern on augmentative and alternative communication.
A resident of Ponchatoula, Thomas also teaches classes in the areas of speech
and language development, language disorders and swallowing disorders. She also provides
clinical supervision to undergraduate and graduate students in Southeastern’s program.
Her research interests are in the areas of literacy, augmentative communication and
language development.
She is a member of the American Speech, Language, Hearing Association, the Louisiana
Board of Examiners for Speech Pathology and Audiology, and serves as secretary for
the Louisiana Speech and Hearing Association. She earned her doctorate in communicative
sciences and disorders at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little
Rock, a master’s degree in special education/speech, language, hearing specialist
at Southeastern and her bachelor’s degree from Nicholls State University.