• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
• Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
• Beginning Communicators
• Training communication partners
• AAC in low-resource context

• 2018 Excellence in teaching award (1^st and 2^nd years) – Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya.
• 2018 Excellence in clinical supervision award – Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya.
• 2018 ISAAC Conference 2018 Travel Assistance to Emerging Countries Members Award $2200.
• 2017 Best overall presentation – 2^nd World Conference on Disability and Rehabilitation, Colombo, Sri Lanka
• 2014 ASH Foundation Graduate Student Scholarship – Scholarship for International Students, $5000.
• 2014 The University Office of Global Programs (UOGP) Graduate Travel Grant Award for travel to ISAAC 2014 (Portugal), Pennsylvania State University, 2014. $500
• 2014 ISAAC Conference 2014 Emerging Research Travel Award (2013/2014). $1000
• 2012 The Maryann Peins Memorial Graduate Scholarship in Speech Pathology, Pennsylvania State University, 2012. $1193

• Muttiah, N. (November, 2015). “Status Quo of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Sri Lanka”, Presentation at the International Medical Health Organization (IMHO), Seattle, WA.
• Drager, K., & Muttiah, N. (April, 2016). AAC Applications for Beginning Communicators: Design and Application. Presentation at the at the Pennsylvania Speech-Language Hearing Association, Harrisburg, PA.
• Muttiah, N. & Drager, K. (2016, August). Partner training: addressing critical needs of individuals with CCN in low & middle income countries. Paper presented at the International Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC), Toronto, Canada

Publications in Peer Reviewed Journals

• Muttiah N, Drager KD, Beale B, Bongo H, Riley L. The Effects of an Intervention Using Low-Tech Visual Scene Displays and Aided Modeling With Young Children With Complex Communication Needs. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education. 2019.[Epub ahead of print 2019]

• Muttiah N, Drager KD, McNaughton D, Perera N. Evaluating an AAC training for special education teachers in Sri Lanka, a low-and middle-income country. Augmentative and Alternative Communication. 2018;34(4):276-87.

• Drager KD, Light J, Currall J, Muttiah N, Smith V, Kreis D, Nilam-Hall A, Parratt D, Schuessler K, Shermetta K, Wiscount J. AAC technologies with visual scene displays and “just in time” programming and symbolic communication turns expressed by students with severe disability. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability. 2017;21:1-6.

• Muttiah N, Drager KD, O'Connor L. Special education in Sri Lanka: A snapshot of three provinces. Disability Studies Quarterly. 2016;36(2).

• Muttiah N, Georges K, Brackenbury T. Clinical and research perspectives on nonspeech oral motor treatments and evidence-based practice. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. 2011;20(1):47.

Publications in Conference Proceedings (Oral and Poster Presentations)

• Muttiah, N., Drager, K., & Hall, L. (2016, August). Effects of Training Paraprofessionals to use Low-Tech Visual Scene Displays (VSDs). Paper presented at the International Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC), Toronto, Canada.
• Muttiah, N., Drager, K., McNaughton, D., & Perera, N. (2016, August). An Effective AAC Training for Special Education Teachers based in a Low- Resource Country. Paper presented at the International Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC), Toronto, Canada.
• Muttiah, N., Drager, K., McNaughton, D., & Perera, N. (2015, November). An Effective AAC Training for Special Education Teachers based in a Low- Resource Country. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, Denver, CO.
• Muttiah, N., Drager, K., Beale, B., Bongo, H., & Riley, L. (2015, November). A Low-Tech Visual Scenes Display Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Intervention for young children with complex communication needs. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, Denver, CO.
• Muttiah, N., & Hertz, A. (2015, November). Collaborating to Provide Children with Complex Communication Needs Access to the Power of Communication. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, Denver, CO.
• Therrien, M., Muttiah, N., McNaughton, D., Bronstein, E., Dubrow, S., Livi, F., Rogers, S. (2015, November). A Scoping Review of Supports for Children with Complex Communication Needs in Inclusive Education. Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, Denver, CO.
• Muttiah, N., McNaughton, D., & Drager, K. (2014, July). Planning Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Trainings in Low-Resource Developing Countries. Paper presented at the International Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC), Lisbon, Portugal.
• Muttiah, N., Drager, K., Beale, B., Bongo, H., & Riley, L. (2014, July). A Low-Tech Visual Scenes Display Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Intervention for young children with complex communication needs. Paper presented at the International Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC), Lisbon, Portugal.
• Drager, K., Muttiah, N., & Richardson, L. (2014, July). A Conversation on Global Issues in Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Paper presented at the International Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC), Lisbon, Portugal.
• Drager, K., Light, J., Currall, J., Muttiah, N., Smith, V., Kreis, D., Nilam-Hall, A., Parratt, D., Schuessler, K., Shermetta, K., & Wiscount, J. (2014, July). Just-in-Time Technology and Visual Scene Displays: Adolescents with Severe Disabilities. Paper presented at the International Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC), Lisbon, Portugal.
• Muttiah, N., Drager, K., & O’Connor, L. (2013, November). Parents’ satisfaction with the special education services in Sri Lanka. Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, Chicago, IL.
• Muttiah, N., McNaughton, D., & Drager, K. (2013, November). Planning Augmentative and Alternative Communication Trainings for Low- Resource Countries. Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, Chicago, IL.
• Muttiah, N., Drager, K., & O’Connor, L. (2013, April). Special Education in Sri Lanka: A snapshot of three provinces. Poster presented at the Pennsylvania Speech-Language Hearing Association, Harrisburg, PA. Muttiah, N., Drager, K., & O’Connor, L. (2013, March). Special Education in Sri Lanka: A snapshot of three provinces. Poster presented at the Annual Graduate Exhibition, Pennsylvania State University, University, Park, PA.
• Muttiah, N., Drager, K., & O’Connor, L. (2012, November). Special Education in Sri Lanka: A snapshot of three provinces. Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, Atlanta, GA.
• Muttiah, N. Georges, K., & Brackenbury, T. (2007, November). Controversial Therapies and EBP: Perspectives from Clinicians and Researchers. Presentation at the Annual Conference of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, Boston, MA.
• Drager, K., Finke, E., Richardson, L., Frey, L., Kincaid, S., Klochak, E., Kras, M., Muttiah, N., Serpentine, E., & Tobin, M. (2012, November). Parenting a Child with Autism: Parents’ Perspectives at Different Stages. Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, Atlanta, GA.