Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of A Speech-Generating Ipad Application On The Communication Outcomes Of Students Who Have Complex Communication Needs In Educational Settings: Three Case Studies, Amber Szilagyi

Master's Theses and Capstones

The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the efficacy of the use of a speech-generating application on the Apple iPad as a speech-generating device (SGD) by measuring three students' progress towards individual communication goals using the Speak for Yourself! (SFY) speech-generating app. The proposed speech-generating device was implemented into regularly scheduled speech-language therapy sessions with 3 students with complex communication needs (CCNs) over a 12-week period. Data measured at three different points were collected by students' speech-language pathologists using Goal Attainment Scaling. Results were positive. All student participants made progress towards, reached, or exceeded communication goals during the …

Everyday Food Practices Among Three Low-Income Groups: Rural, Homeless, And Refugee, Amy L. Redman

Doctoral Dissertations

Lower-income groups are more susceptible to diet-related diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease (CDC, 2010). They are also more likely to need food and nutritional assistance (USDA, 2011). Yet very little is known about the day-to-day food practices of these individuals and families. Many times those who are relatively adjacent in terms of income are assumed to have similarities in food consumption (Hupkens, Knibbe, & Drop, 2000); however, this has not been empirically examined. The main objectives of this research are to 1) gain an exploratory in-depth understanding of the everyday food practices of individuals in three low-income groups: …

Protecting The Sanctity Of Human Life: The Catholic Church & Her Relationship With Hiv/Aids Prevention, Emma Joanne Burke

Master's Theses and Capstones

Though prevention is the most stressed component of the global fight against HIV/AIDS, global agreement regarding the most successful prevention method does not exist. For example, the majority of the medical and scientific community agrees that condoms and other safe-sex practices are the key to reducing the number of HIV transmissions, while the Catholic Church and her ranking officials claim that abstinence and monogamy are the only moral solutions.

This Thesis examines the policies of the Church, including her dedication to the protection of the sanctity of human life, in an attempt to determine if the Church's words are shaping …

The Effect Of Specific Professional Development On Speech-Language Pathologists' Perceptions Of Their Knowledge, Skill, And Confidence In Using The Ipad As A Speech-Generating Device With Students Who Have Complex Communication Needs, Kelsey S. Hall

Master's Theses and Capstones

Despite increasing popularity surrounding the implementation of the iPad in therapy by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with students who have complex communication needs (CCNs), no research to date has explored professional development (PD) training and its outcome on SLPs knowledge, skill, and confidence in using the iPad as a speech-generating device (SGD). The present research explores the effect of PD and practice on the knowledge, skills, and confidence of three school-based SLPs, ages 43 to 59, implementing the Speak for Yourself! application on the iPad in therapy with students who have CCNs over 12 weeks.

Changes in the SLP's perceived knowledge, …

The Writing Of Students With Asperger's Syndrome, Christine Zrimsek

Master's Theses and Capstones

The writing of 5 adolescent boys with Asperger's syndrome between the ages of 13 - 18 was examined relative to age and gender-matched typically-developing children. The investigator collected writing samples across three genres: narrative, expository, and persuasive. The samples were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively using a variety of measures. Consistent with the investigator's expectations, results indicated that, relative to controls, students with Asperger's syndrome performed significantly poorer on higher-order aspects of writing: coherence, cohesion, and perspective-taking while not significantly different on spelling, a lower-order aspect. An unpredicted finding was that the children with Asperger's syndrome made significantly more grammatical …