My research is focused on improving language and literacy outcomes for children with significant intellectual and developmental disabilities (SIDD), including those who are also deaf and hard of hearing. I was first hired as the Project Director of a 5-year U.S. Department of Education grant, Tar Heel Shared Reader, which involved the development of a complete implementation model that supported 316 professionals in providing shared reading to 442 students with SIDD, most of whom required augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). In my role as project director, I led several sub-studies that examined: a) the quality of teacher interactions during shared reading; b) the impact of training on teacher use of shared reading strategies, and; c) the impact of shared reading with AAC modeling on the communication of students with SIDD who require AAC. In ongoing work on Project Converse, funded by the Engelke Family Foundation, I am leading several studies involving detailed microanalysis of videos documenting classroom interactions during literacy instruction with children with SIDD who require AAC. One such study in press applies conversation analysis to examine growth in expressive language and communication of children with SIDD-AAC over the course of a year as a result of shared reading with AAC modeling of core vocabulary. While successfully directing a large implementation project and leading the publication of several related manuscripts, I secured funding as the PI for a foundation grant and an internal award. These two awards enabled me to take the first steps to document the hearing health needs of students with SIDD and address the widespread under-identification of hearing loss in this population, including co-authoring the first publication on school-based hearing screenings with students with SIDD in the United States.

As a research methodologist, I study the rigor and effectiveness of research methods that combine quantitative and qualitative approaches. As a health services researcher and methodologist specializing in the analysis of large complex secondary databases, I work with various research projects using state-of-the-art research strategies and large databases such as Healthcare Cost & Utilization Project, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, & National Survey of Children’s Health. At UNC-Chapel Hill, I have expanded my research to examine interventions and outcomes for priority populations, which include individuals with special health care needs such as autism.

As Director of Clinical Education, Jennifer works collectively with a team of individuals to place and manage physical therapy students on clinical rotations throughout their educational program. As part of this work, she also trains clinical educators and values the partnership with clinical sites and clinical instructors. Jennifer teaches clinical education seminar courses which prepare students for their clinical rotations and ultimately working as professionals in the field of physical therapy.
Jennifer also serves as the Assistant Director of Clinical Practice for the faculty physical therapy practices. In this roll, she leads day to day clinic operations upholding the standards of the profession, the University and UNC Health. Patient-centered care is a hallmark of this work.

In the Division programs, my teaching is in understanding patient disease and injury states that require medical imaging and/or specific patient care and assessment during imaging. Other topics are in students understanding the clinical practice environment and the legal and ethical issues related to practice.

State and nationally, I am involved in efforts to set standards for education and certification to ensure a safe, optimized, efficient, cost-effective medical imaging experience for our patients and healthcare system.

Dr. Johnson practices as a clinical audiologist at the UNC Hearing and Communication Center (UNC-HCC), a faculty clinic in Chapel Hill. She provides adult diagnostic, tinnitus and aural rehabilitative services, with specialization in hearing and assistive technology. With the UNC-HCC serving as the formative training site for UNC’s doctoral students, Dr. Johnson provides daily clinical education via one-on-one student supervision. Using her expertise in hearing technology. Dr. Johnson teaches the Au.D. hearing aid courses for first and second year students and a third year course on Occupational Audiology. With a commitment to community service, Dr. Johnson can often be found providing interprofessional education on age-related hearing, cognition and audiology treatment.

Dr. Johnson is certified by the American Board of Audiology (ABA) and holds their Certificate for Tinnitus Management (CH-TM). Dr. Johnson is also active in state-level leadership with the North Carolina Audiology Association.

The majority of my work is to serve as a resource for anyone with questions or concerns about their practice, school-based physical therapy, ethical concerns, appropriate funding, and evidence-based practices. I work for and with many stakeholders: school-based and other physical therapist practitioners, NC board of physical therapy examiners, Exceptional Children program directors, parents and family members of students, case workers, school nurses, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, special education teachers, adapted physical education specialists, general physical education teachers, policy makers, finance and compliance staff and other DPI staff, among others. The focus of all these collaborations are to ensure students with disabilities are well served in NC public schools.
I hope my work supports public schools in all parts of NC and beyond, to provide every student with a disability receives excellent services and education. We must facilitate their learning and participation so each student leaves school prepared to work, continue their education and/or participate in their communities.

In the undergraduate Clinical Laboratory Science program at UNC-CH, I teach Biochemistry, integrated molecular and basic skills laboratory, and I am the course director for the clinical rotation in transplantation medicine. In our graduate program in the CLS division, I teach a survey course in Molecular Diagnostics, a genetics course, and a course in molecular diagnostics techniques.
In my faculty role I also advise some of our graduate students which includes advising them about progression through the program and mentoring them through their Capstone project.