Research in Developmental Disabilities Language Lab

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United States
Madison, WI
Research in Developmental Disabilities Language Lab

Our lab is interested in language and cognition in people with developmental disabilities.

We are interested in the development of language and cognitive skills in children and adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Through our work we hope to inform both clinical work and theory on issues surrounding assessment and treatment of language, the impact of additional diagnoses on language and behavior, and overlap between syndromes. We work with families who have children with fragile

X syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, and Down syndrome. Current research questions include:

1) What are the most effective language assessment methods for children with FXS and children with ASD?
2) What is the impact of co-diagnoses for children with neurodevelopmental disorders?
3) For individuals with FXS, what is the impact of the premutation on language and cognition?
4) Is expressive language stable over time in children with FXS and children with DS?

07/03/2026

RIDDL Lab members attended the 2026 Symposium on Research in Child Language Disorders to learn and share new research! Swipe to see photos featuring some of the work presented from the RIDDL Lab!

06/13/2026

Join us in congratulating Dr. Sterling on receiving the 2026 Distinguished Honors Faculty Award! Dr. Sterling received the award for her instruction of the undergraduate honors course in the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders.

The RIDDL Lab’s Prinicpal Investigator Audra Sterling and the other awardees will be recognized at the Honors First-Year Dinner on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.

Congratulations, Audra!

05/26/2026

Congratulations to this years RIDDL Lab graduates! We are so proud of our graduates and all that they have accomplished. Swipe through or read below to learn more about their future plans!

McKenzie Millard was a behavior coder and will be attending UW-Whitewaters MS-SLP program. Her favorite UW-Madison memory: getting to storm the field at Camp Randall twice during my senior year!

Ellie Engels was a research assistant and will be attending Northern IlliUniversity’s MS-SLP program. Her favorite UW-Madison memory: going on walks on the lakeshore path with friends.

Sydney Meyers was a data collector and will be completing her clinical fellowship in speech language pathology in a K-5 elementary school in Michigan. Her favorite UW-Madison memory: My parents came into town and we started our day at the Curve (best diner in Madison), following it with the Vilas Zoo and ending at the Arcade Bar IO before dinner at the taco truck on Fish Hatchery.

03/22/2026

Happy World Down Syndrome Day! The RIDDL Lab is excited to celebrate individuals with Down syndrome and discuss this year’s theme, together against loneliness.

02/25/2026

Earlier this month, our very own Claudia Schabes, Amy Banasik, Latifatu Mohammed, and PI Audra Sterling had the opportunity to present their presentation titled "Language Disorders & Executive Function: Considerations for Assessment and Intervention in Schools." at the 2026 WSHA Convention!

01/28/2026

Happy New Year!

The RIDDL Lab had another successful and productive year of research. Look through our slides to see everything we accomplished in 2025!

Thank you to all the participants, families, and lab members who made our research possible this year.

12/27/2025

The RIDDL Lab had a fabulous time attending ASHA this year! Beow you can learn more about what the RIDDL Lab presented on at ASHA 2025!

11/15/2025

Have you ever heard of JavaAbilities? JavaAbilities is a coffee shop in Monona, WI that promotes inclusivity for both customers and employees, employing individuals with disabilities and creating an accessible coffee shop for its customers. Check out JavaAbilities today! ☕️

10/29/2025

October is AAC Awareness Month!! 🍁🍂Celebrate with us by learning more about AAC and debunking some common AAC myths! 🍂🍁

Text description:
AAC stands for Augmentative and AlternativeCommunication.
* Augmentative: to enhance/supplement speech
* Alternative: used instead of speech
Communication is a human right, and AAC is sometimes the key in achieving this human right.

AAC Myths
FALSE: AAC will prevent someone from talking
AAC may actually increase speech production and improves participation in conversation. The production of speech by an AAC device provides a consistent model for speech.

FALSE: My child is too young to use AAC
AAC can result in postiive effects on speech produciton and there are no prerequisites for communication (this includes AAC)!

FALSE: Some speech is enough
AAC can support an individual in expressing exactly the message they want to produce and participate in longer/deeper interactions.

09/03/2025

Meet RIDDL Lab member, Kenzie!

Kenzie is a senior at UW-Madison majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders with certificates in Disability Rights and Services, Education and Educational Services, and Educational Policy. After undergrad Kenzie hopes to become a school-based Speech-Language Pathologist and work with children with developmental disabilities.

Fun Fact: Kenzie loves to bake!

Address

1500 Highland Avenue
Madison, WI
53705

Website

https://riddl.waisman.wisc.edu/

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