Susan Balandin

Susan holds the Deakin Chair in Disability and Inclusion and is a Professor in the School of Health and Social Development in Deakin University’s Faculty of Health.

Susan’s research interests centre on adults with lifelong disability with a particular focus on participation of those with little or no functional speech who require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and those who are ageing.

Susan has conducted research into: health interactions for adults who need AAC, including interactions between this group of adults and staff in hospitals; the impact of dysphagia on those who are ageing with cerebral palsy; a range of issues around friendships and loneliness for both adults and children who use AAC; transition to retirement for adults with lifelong disability; how Norwegian seniors viewed the inclusion of adults with intellectual disability in their senior centres; the affordances of Virtual Worlds for fostering friendships and new leisure experiences for adults with disability; and how such virtual environments can be utilised for teaching students about disability.

She is currently a CI on an ARC Discovery project exploring the causes, consequences and public health advocacy responses to the normalisation of gambling.

1. 3D food printing and its application to adults with dysphagia.
2. Normalisation of gambling and its impact on older people and adults with intellectual disability.
3. Using Google home to develop interactive stories for adults with lifelong disability.
4. Impact of social media use training on the social networks of adults with intellectual disabilities living in supported accommodation.