Scougal, Elaine

Elaine Scougal - The Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland (carnegie-trust.org)

Elaine is a Carnegie Trust-funded PhD student at the University of Dundee. Her research, co-supervised by Professor Annalu Waller (Computing) and Dr Alissa Melinger (Psychology), explores the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) to facilitate the communication of children and young people with Down syndrome.

Elaine graduated from the University of Dundee in 2009 with a First Class Honours degree in Psychology. Prior to, and during, her study, she gained extensive experience in supporting children and young people with additional support needs in a variety of contexts, including summer camps and holiday playschemes. In 2013, she then became a mother to identical twins who have Down syndrome. Her lived experience of the impacts of disability and communication impairment on independence and participation in society, coupled with her drive to improve such, led to her return to complete an MSc in AAC at the University of Dundee in 2019.

During her MSc year, Elaine explored the experiences of parents relating to communication barriers involving their children with Down syndrome. Her dissertation research highlighted gaps in the literature related to the use of AAC methods for this group, motivating Elaine’s PhD project.  

Elaine volunteers for the Straight Talking Group at the University of Dundee – an AAC user group based in the School of Science and Engineering. She particularly enjoys supporting the group to spread awareness of AAC to students and wider society. She also regularly delivers guest lectures at universities relating to her experiences as a parent of children with Down syndrome, advocating for person-centred support, care, and education.