Dr. Donald R. Fuller is professor and chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Education and Master of Speech Pathology degrees from Arkansas State University and his doctoral degree at Purdue University, where Dr. Lloyd was his major professor and mentor. During his career in higher education, Dr. Fuller assisted in creating a master's degree program in speech-language pathology at Florida International University and was founding chair of the Department of Speech- Language Pathology at Misericordia University. Although Dr. Fuller's passion lies in administration in higher education, he has maintained his interest in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), publishing several articles and making numerous presentations, primarily involving the iconicity and complexity of aided symbols and theoretical issues in the discipline. He coauthored the 1997 textbook, Augmentative and Alternative Communication: A Handbook of Principles and Practices with Dr. Lloyd and Helen Arvidson. Dr. Fuller was elected a fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in 1998. Dr. Lyle L. Lloyd is considered by some to be a father of AAC. His accomplishments in this discipline are detailed in the In Memoriam section of this book. Upon reading the memorial, one will gain considerable understanding of why he is held in such high esteem by the AAC community. Dr. Lloyd earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Illinois University, his Master of Arts degree from the University of Illinois, and his doctoral degree from the University of Iowa. Dually certified as an audiologist and speech-language pathologist, he served the early part of his career as a clinician and researcher, especially in the area of intellectual disability. His proclivity for research and successful grant writing opened the door to employment at the Parsons State Hospital and Training Center in Kansas and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. He held faculty positions at Western Michigan University, Gallaudet College, and Purdue University. During his tenure at Purdue University, Dr. Lloyd mentored nearly 40 doctoral students; many of these former students are now leaders in the field of AAC. Due to his contributions to AAC, special education, and speech-language pathology, Dr. Lloyd earned honors of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council for Exceptional Children, and the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Dr. Lloyd passed away February 12, 2020, at age 85 years.
