Rhea Paul, PhD, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathology Education & Research Expert

Rhea Paul, PhD, is a speech-language pathology researcher, educator, and author specializing in child language disorders, autism, and communication development. She founded and chaired the Department of Communication Disorders at Sacred Heart University, where she continues to teach as an adjunct instructor.

Career

Dr. Paul earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Brandeis University, a master’s degree in reading and learning disabilities from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a PhD in communication disorders from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Before joining Sacred Heart University, she served as a research professor at the Yale Child Study Center, where her work focused on communication development in children with autism spectrum disorders. She was also a faculty member in the Department of Communication Disorders at Southern Connecticut State University.

At Sacred Heart University, Dr. Paul established the Department of Communication Disorders and helped build its speech-language pathology program from the ground up. Her responsibilities included developing the curriculum and clinical education model, recruiting faculty, and shaping the program’s educational philosophy.

She is also affiliated with Haskins Laboratories, an independent research institute associated with Yale University.

Current work

Dr. Paul continues to contribute to research and education in speech-language pathology. Her recent work includes research on late language emergence, word learning, vocabulary development, autism, and communication disorders in children.

At Research.com, her expertise supports the development and review of resources covering:

Accredited speech-language pathology programs
Online and campus-based SLP degrees
Clinical practicum and placement requirements
SLP certification and licensing pathways
Praxis examination requirements
Tuition and program affordability
Admissions and prerequisite requirements
Speech-language pathology careers

Her expertise helps ensure that Research.com’s SLP content accurately reflects professional education standards and the realities of preparing for a career in speech-language pathology.

Area of expertise

Dr. Paul’s primary areas of expertise include:

Speech-language pathology
Child language development
Child language disorders
Autism spectrum disorders
Speech-language pathology education
Communication assessment and intervention
Clinical education in communication disorders
Late language emergence
SLP certification and professional preparation

She has authored or co-authored more than 100 academic articles, numerous book chapters, and multiple books on language development and communication disorders.

Her books include Language Disorders From Infancy Through Adolescence and Introduction to Clinical Methods in Communication Disorders. Her research has appeared in publications such as the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research.

She has been a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association since 1991. In 2014, Dr. Paul received the Honors of the Association award from the same body. This is the highest honor bestowed by ASHA and recognizes distinguished contributions to communication sciences and disorders.

Education and professional background

PhD in Communication Disorders: University of Wisconsin–Madison
Master’s in Reading and Learning Disabilities: Harvard Graduate School of Education
Bachelor’s in Sociology: Brandeis University
Certification: Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP), American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
Professional recognition: Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) since 1991
Current position: Adjunct Instructor, Communication Disorders, Sacred Heart University
Previous position: Research Professor, Yale Child Study Center
Affiliation: Haskins Laboratories
Research interests: Autism and child language disorders