Kaisa LaunonenKaisa Launonen, Ph.D., is a speech and language therapist, and a professor of logopedics in the Department of Speech Sciences at the University of Helsinki. Her doctoral thesis (1998, in Finnish) dealt with development, application and long-term effets of an Early Signing Programme in the early intervention of children with Downâ€(TM)s syndrome. She is the leading researcher in Finland in the field of augmentative and alternative communication where her principal interests are in developmental issues and in people with the most severe communication challenges. She has also done research in the international field of AAC where she has contributed to several edited publications. Her other interests are early interaction and communication development, as well as ethical issues in communication intervention, professional ethics of speech and language therapists, and research ethics. Read More Read Less