Department of Inclusive Education

Dr A Kuyler

College of Education
School of Educational Studies
Department: Inclusive Education
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Tel: +27 12 481 2959
E-mail: kuylea@unisa.ac.za

Qualifications

  • Communication Pathology: Speech-Language Pathology (2012-2015)
  • Augmentative and Alternative Communication (2017-2018)
  • Augmentative and Alternative Communication (2019-2023)

Currently teaching

  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Fields of academic interests

  • Communication disorders in adults with acquired neurological disorders including apraxia of speech, dysarthria, aphasia, voice disorders and neurodegenerative conditions.
  • AAC to access the curriculum/ education in long-term illness or palliative care
  • AAC for children with acquired neurological disorders
  • AAC or communication support for the adult population in the healthcare and palliative care setting
  • Home-based care and communication support for the adults with long-term illness
  • Communication partner training for caregivers of adults with acquired neurogenic communication disorders.
  • School-aged language, literacy and communication disorders

Field of Specialisation

  • Communication disorders in adults with acquired neurological disorders including apraxia of speech, dysarthria, aphasia, voice disorders and neurodegenerative conditions.
  • AAC to access the curriculum/ education in long-term illness or palliative care
  • AAC for children with acquired neurological disorders
  • AAC or communication support for the adult population in the healthcare and palliative care setting
  • Home-based care and communication support for the adults with long-term illness
  • Communication partner training for caregivers of adults with acquired neurogenic communication disorders.
  • School-aged language, literacy and communication disorders

Journal articles

  1. Kuyler, A. & Burger, L. (2015). Motor speech characteristics in developmental and acquired neurogenic stuttering [Honours dissertation, Dept. Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, University of Pretoria]
  2. Kuyler, A. (2018). Preferences of South African patients and nurses on the content of communication boards in Critical Care Units [Masters in AAC mini-dissertation, CAAC, University of Pretoria].
  3. Kuyler, A., & Johnson, E. (2021). Patient and nurse content preferences for a communication board to facilitate dialogue in the intensive care unit. Intensive & critical care nursing, 63, 103005. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iccn.2020.103005
  4. Kuyler, A., Johnson, E., & Bornman, J. (2022). Multimodal communication reported by familiar caregivers to build communication capacity in persons who are minimally conscious. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 1-17. https://doi.org/1080/17549507.2022.2096926
  5. Kuyler, A., Johnson, E., & Bornman, J. (2022). Unaided communication behaviours displayed by adults with severe cerebrovascular accidents and little or no functional speech: A scoping review. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 57(2), 403-421. https://doi.org/1111/1460-6984.12691
  6. Kuyler, A., & Johnson, E. (2023). Patient experiences of nursing care and the influence on their personhood. Nursing Open, 2023(00), 1-9.
  7. Kuyler, A., & Johnson, E. (In press). Nurses’ experiences of patient communication challenges in the critical care unit.
  8. Kuyler, A., Johnson, E., & Bornman, J. (2023). An umbrella review of systematic reviews: Characteristics of communication-partner training for adults with acquired neurological disorders. Canadian Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 47(2), 141-163.
  9. Kuyler, A., Johnson, E. & Bornman, J. (2023). Support needs of familiar caregivers caring for persons who are minimally responsive: An ecological systems approach. Journal of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, 6(4), 102-111.
  10. Johnson E., van Zilj, K., & Kuyler, A. (2023). Pain communication in children with ASD: A scoping review. Paediatric and Neonatal Pain, 5(1), 1-15.
  11. Kuyler, A. (2023, December 31) AAC Intervention for Adults. https://speechbase.org/page/show/112
  12. Kuyler, A. (2023, December 31). AAC assessment: Adults. Speechbase. https://speechbase.org/page/show/128
  13. Johnson, E., Dlamini-Masuku, K., Bornman, J., Nilsson, S., & Kuyler, A. (accepted). Determining the feasibility of the PicPecc app as a mHealth tool: Reflections from South African children.
  14. Kuyler, A., Heyns, T., & Johnson, E. (2024) Critical care nurses' experiences of communication-vulnerable patients in the ICU and the influence on rendering compassionate care. South African Journal of Critical Care, 40(1), 23-30.

Paper presentations

  1. Kuyler, A., & Johnson, E. (2018, July 23). Preferences of South African patients and nurses on the content of communication boards in Critical Care Units [Conference Presentation]. International Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC), Gold Coast, Australia.
  2. Kuyler, A., & Johnson, E. (2018, September 21). Preferences of South African patients and nurses on the content of communication boards in Critical Care Units [Conference Presentation]. AAC Research Seminar, Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, University of Pretoria.
  3. Kuyler, A., Johnson, E., Bornman, J. (2021, August 11). Unaided communication behaviours displayed by adults with acquired neurological disorders and little to no functional speech as reported by familiar caregivers [Conference Presentation]. ISAAC Connect Virtual Conference.
  4. Kuyler, A., Johnson, E., Dlamini-Masuku, K. (2022, June 20). PicPecc in a multicultural context in South Africa [Conference Presentation]. Scientific PicPecc/ eFTS gathering, Lund, Sweden.
  5. Kuyler, A., Johnson, E., Dlamini-Masuku, K. (2022, September 21). South African validation of the PicPecc [Conference Presentation]. The South African Swedish University Forum (SASUF)/UNISA: Implementation of app interventions in different settings with diverse populations, Pretoria, South Africa
  6. Kuyler, A., Johnson, E., Bornman, J. (2023, July 27). Familiar partners’ perspectives on communication with persons in a minimally conscious state: Application of multimodal communication [Conference Presentation]. ISAAC Cancun, Mexico.
  7. Johnson, E., Clasquin-Johnson, M., & Kuyler, A. (2023, September 29). Training ECD teachers for early intervention and inclusion for children with disabilities. [Conference Presentation]. Quality Early Childhood Development in South Africa: A Call to Action, Cape Town, South Africa.
  8. Johnson, E., Kuyler, A., Höök, A., Castor, C., Forsgren, E., Clasquin-Johnson, M., Nilsson, S., & Masuku, K. (2024, 14 May). Cultural adaptation of a paediatric person-centred programme  for implementation in a South African private hospital. [Poster Presentation]. Global Conference for Person-centred Care (GCPCC) in Gothenberg, Sweden.
  9. Johnson, E., Kuyler, A., Höök, A., Castor, C., Forsgren, E., Clasquin-Johnson, M., Nilsson, S., & Masuku, K. (2024, 16 May). Cultural adaptation of a paediatric person-centred programme  for implementation in a South African private hospital. [Poster Presentation]. South African Swedish University Forum (SASUF) Lund, Sweden.

Professional positions, fellowships & awards

  • UP postgraduate bursary (M AAC & PhD AAC)
  • NIH Support grant for Early Career Professionals ISAAC Connect (2021)
  • Publishing an article in one of the top 10 most cited journals
  • SASLHA nomination for remarkable women in field of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (2022)
  • Tobii Dynavox award for best research thesis in the department (2023).
  • Golden Key Society

Projects

  • Feasibility of the PicPecc (mHealth tool) for school-aged children to self-monitor their health outcomes.
  • Co-designing a person-centred care training for paediatric nurses caring for children with gastroenterological disorders.
  • Communication-partner training of hospice carers focused on strengthening multimodal communication with persons who are minimally conscious.

Other

Membership:

  • Health Professions Council of South Africa
  • South African Speech-Language and Hearing Association
  • South African Council for Educators