Stephanie joined the University of Wolverhampton in September 2007. She had previously been carrying out research for a Doctorate in Education at the University of Birmingham (completed 2007), investigating the communication of adults with learning disabilities and little or no speech. (Brewster, S. (2007) Asymmetries of Power and Competence and Implications for AAC: Interaction between adults with severe learning disabiilities and their care staff. Unpublished EdD thesis, University of Birmingham http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/63/)

Stephanie’s background is in Speech and Language Therapy, in which she qualified in 1989 at the University of Sheffield. For fourteen years, she carried out a broad range of Speech and Language Therapy posts in the National Health Service, involving primarily clinical work, but also management, research and teaching. From 1996 onwards she specialised in the provision of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems for people with extremely limited verbal communication. Subsequent teaching, research and consultancy work has focused on the participation of such individuals, and those with other disabilities, in society.

Stephanie is also Faculty Enabling Tutor for the Institute of Education. Her role is to provide support for students who have a special or additional need that may affect their learning and achievement, or inclusion in university life. 

She is course leader for the National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination

• Academic: subject specialisms related to speech, language and communication, learning disabilities, social inclusion, disability, diversity 
• Supporting students with special/additional needs in higher education

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, reference 39054; 2010
• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Recognition reference: PR069776 Date of recognition 26/11/2014

• Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, University of Wolverhampton
• Doctorate in Education, University of Birmingham
• Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods, University of Birmingham
• Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours) (Speech), Sheffield University   
• British Sign Language Levels 1 and 2
• Supporting Technology Enhanced Learning (SEDA)

• Knowler, H, Richards, H and Brewster, S (Eds) (2023) Developing Your Expertise as a SENCo; Leading Inclusive Practice. St Albans: Critical Publishing

• Manktelow, N., Chadwick, D., Brewster, S and Tilly, L. (2023) The perspectives of people with intellectual disabilities on their experience of voting in UK general elections. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities. 36(3) p. 629-640 https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.13087

• Done, E., Knowler, H., Richards, H. and Brewster, S. (2022) Advocacy leadership and the de-professionalising of the Special Educational Needs Coordinator role. Published online 31.12.22. British Journal of Special Education. 50(2) p197-218 DOI: 10.1111/1467-8578.12449

• Thompson, D. and Brewster, S. (2022) Inclusive placement learning for diverse higher education students: anxiety, uncertainty and opportunity. Educational Review, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2021.2023470

• Brewster, S., Thompson, D. and Scott, D. (2019) Enabling Employability through inclusive placement learning. Report for the University of Wolverhampton

• Black Country Education Insight Report  2019, 2020 and 2021 Edited by Michael Jopling and Matthew Johnson. Education Observatory, University of Wolverhampton

• Clifford, A., Brewster, S., Duncan, N., Williams-Findlay, B., Emira, M. and Taysum, A. (2015) Understanding Leadership from a Disability Perspective. Leadership Foundation for Higher Education www.lfhe.ac.uk/SDP-2014Wlv

• Emira, M., Brewster, S., Duncan, N. and Clifford, A. "What disability? I am a leader! Understanding Leadership in HE from a Disability Perspective". Educational Management Administration & Leadership. Prepublished online November 21, 2016

• Brewster, S., Duncan, N., Emira, M. & Clifford A. (2017) Personal sacrifice and corporate cultures: career progression for disabled staff in higher education. Disability and Society. Prepublished online June 12, 2017 http://hdl.handle.net/2436/620572

• Brewster, S (2013)  Saying the 'F word...in the nicest possible way':  augmentative communication and discourses of disability. Disability and Society,Volume 28, Number 1, January 2013.
• Brewster, S and Coleyshaw, L (2011-12) Participation or Exclusion? Perspectives of Pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorders on their participation in leisure activities. British Journal of Learning Disabilities 39  (No. 4): 284 – 291.
• Brewster, S. (2004). Emancipatory Research with People with Severe Learning Disabilities The University of Birmingham School of Education; Papers From the Student Conference. G. Boag-Munroe and G Houghton (Eds). 17-24.
• Brewster, S. (2004). Putting Words into their Mouths? Interveiwing People with Learning Disabilities and little/no speech.  British Journal of Learning Disabilities.32 (No.4): 166-169.
• Brewster, S. (April 2004) Insights from a Social Model of Literacy and Disability Literacy. 38 (No.1): 46-51.

Book Chapters

• Brewster S. Improving outcomes through evidence-based practice and practitioner enquiry (2023) In Developing Your Expertise as a SENCo Leading Inclusive Practice. Editors: Knowler, Helen, Richards, Hazel, Brewster, Stephanie. First Ed. Critical Publishing, St Albans Publisher URL 

• Brewster S. Working with other professionals (2023) In Developing Your Expertise as a SENCo Leading Inclusive Practice. Editors: Knowler, Helen, Richards, Hazel, Brewster, Stephanie. First Ed. Critical Publishing, St Albans Publisher URL 
• Brewster, S. (2021) An Ethnographic Approach to research the communication of people with severe learning disbilities. Chapter 9 in Tilly, L (ed). Understanding Health and Social Care Research Methods in context. Routledge
• Brewster, S. and Thompson, D. (2021) Disability, diversity and inclusive plaement learning. Chapter 12 in Understanding Contemporary Issues in Higher Education. Routledge
• Brewster, S. (2016) ‘From elitist to inclusive higher education.’ Chapter 10 in Brown, Z. (ed) Inclusive Education: Perspectives on pedagogy, policy and practice. Oxon; Routledge.

Practitioner Publications and Reports

• Department for Education. (2017) “Inclusive Teaching and Learning in Higher Education as a route to Excellence” (acknolwedged as making a significant cotnribution to the report) available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-teaching-and-learning-in-higher-education

Conference Presentations, Oral presentations/seminars/workshops

• Richards, H, Knowler, H, Done, E and Brewster, S. (2023). Professional Development for SENCOs: the future of an accredited National Award. European Conference on Educational Research. Glasgow University August 2023.

• Brewster, S and Thompson, D. (2021) Disability, diversity and inclusive placement learning. Institute of Education Conference: Reflections on Inclusion and Diversity in Higher Education, July 2021, Wolverhampton.

• Brewster, S and Thompson, D. (2019) Enabling Employability through inclusive placement learning. Annual Institute of Education Research and Scholarship Conference, University of Wolverhampton, 28^th June 2019. http://educationobservatory.co.uk/annual-institute-of-education-research-and-scholarship-conference/

•  

  Brewster, S and Thompson, D (2018) Making placement learning inclusive for students facing additional challenges, Society for Research into Higher Education Annual Research Conference December 2018, Wales.

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  Rhodes, S and Brewster, S (2018) Spotlight on inclusive practice – raising the achievement of all Higher Education learners. Staff and Educational Development Association Annual Conference. November 2018, Birmingham.

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  Lavender, P, Rhodes, S, and Brewster, S. (2018) One year on: the Inclusive Teaching and Learning Programme. University of Wolverhampton 21^st September 2018. https://www.wlv.ac.uk/about-us/news-and-events/latest-news/2018/september-2018/inclusive-learning-highlighted-at-special-event--.php

•  

  Brewster, S. (2018) Demystifying Inclusive Teaching and Learning; keynote lecture in 'Formulating Excellence in Inclusive Learning and Teaching Practice', February 2018, University of Wolverhampton.

• Brewster, S. (2016) ‘Understanding leadership in higher education from a disability perspective’. 12th Annual Conference of the British Education Studies Association (BESA); University of Wolverhampton, Telford
• Brewster, S. (2016) ‘Examples from the tutor’. Embedding Inclusive Practice conference. University of Wolverhampton

• Brewster, S (2015) Understanding leadership in higher education from a disability perspective. Presentation at BELMAS 2015 Conference, Reading.

• Brewster, S and Sismey, 0. (2015) Students with Asperger’s Syndrome Participating in Group Work. Presentation at the University of Wolverhampton's Rich Exchanges Conference

  Brewster, S (2014) Dilemmas in ‘Inclusive’ HE for disabled students. Presentation at the 16th Annual Education research Conference; University of Wolverhampton

• Brewster, S (2013) Saying the ‘F word’- ‘in the nicest possible way’; Vocabulary selection for augmented communicators: maintaining or challenging dominant discourses of disability? Presentation at the Discourse, Power, Resistance Conference, University of Greenwich
• Brewster, S. (2012) Saying the ‘F word’- ‘in the nicest possible way’; Vocabulary selection for augmented communicators: maintaining or challenging dominant discourses of disability? Presentation at the University of Wolverhampton School for Education Futures Annual Research Conference
• Brewster, S. (2012) “SEN concerns us all”: Teacher education and inclusion. Presentation at the University of Wolverhampton School for Education Futures Annual Research Conference
• Brewster, S. (2011) Participation or Exclusion? Perspectives of Pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorders on their participation in leisure activities. Presentation at the University of Wolverhampton; Include Me Too ‘Making a REAL Difference’ Seminar.
• Brewster, S. (2010) Everyday Interaction Involving People with Severe Learning Disabilities:
  Taking a Critical Approach. Presentation at the fifth International Disability Studies Conference, Lancaster University.  Available at:
• http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fass/events/disabilityconference_archive/2010/presenters.htm Brewster, S. (2010) Everyday Interaction Involving People with Severe Learning Disabilities:
  Taking a Critical Approach. Presentation at the University of Wolverhampton School of Education Annual Research Conference.
• Thompson, D., S. Brewster, M. Emira, J. Whitmarsh and L. Southern, (2009). Is Inclusion Always the Answer? Presentation at the University of Wolverhampton School of Education Annual Research Conference.

• Various research and evaluation projects associated with social inclusion

Current Doctoral supervision underway:

two completions: Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology and Doctorate in Education

one PhD in Psychology

three PhDs in Education