Education Commons^™

Preservice Augmentative And Alternative Communication Coursework Across 311 Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Programs, Brandon S. Eddy, Emily Sorensen, Mariel Pinto

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Speech-language pathologists often report a lack of preparedness to provide augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) services, suggesting the need for improved graduate level training. Recent studies of AAC coursework offerings found 86% to 88% of programs offered AAC coursework, but these studies relied on survey methods with limited numbers of responses. This study examined AAC course offerings at 311 graduate programs using website and course catalog reviews, supplemented by direct contact with departments when dedicated AAC courses could not be found using online resources. Of these, 282 (90.68%) offered a dedicated AAC course, and 16 (5.14%) offered AAC in combination …

Dyslexia Training: The Impact On The Perceptions And Knowledge-Base Of Pre-Professionals Preparing To Work In K-12 Educational Settings, Colby Fowler

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the perceptions and understanding of dyslexia among first-year graduate students in speech-language pathology. Employing survey methodology, specifically a pre- and post-survey approach, this research investigates the attitudes and knowledge that the participants have in understanding and addressing dyslexia at the beginning of their graduate training. The study seeks to uncover the existing awareness, potential misconceptions, and the overall preparedness of these emerging professionals in dealing with individuals affected by dyslexia. Through a comprehensive survey analysis, the research aims to contribute valuable insights that can inform the development of targeted educational strategies and interventions within speech-language pathology programs, …

Unlocking The Power Of Experiential Learning: Student Reported Changes Following Combined Nicu Instruction, Megan M. Black, Natalie A. Perkins, Valerie F. Mcdaniel

Pacific Journal of Health

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the impact of in-person observation, in conjunction with didactic lectures, on students' perceived knowledge of speech-language pathology's (SLP) role and the roles of other healthcare professionals within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Method: Data for this study were initially collected for educational purposes and were later retrospectively analyzed with Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. Ten participants who met the inclusion criteria underwent a didactic lecture on SLPs in the NICU followed by observing an SLP in action at a local NICU. Participants completed multiple surveys, allowing for a comparison of their perceived knowledge …

Influence Of Personality On Ethical Decision-Making In Communication Sciences And Disorders, Jennifer K. Binkley, Terry W. Baggs

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: A relationship between personality and ethical decision-making has been demonstrated in professions both within and outside of healthcare. However, this relationship has not been examined in the rehabilitation therapies, including speech-language pathology (SLP). Given the ethical dilemmas faced by therapists, it is important to assess this relationship and to modify ethical training when warranted. Methods: A total of 175 undergraduate communication sciences and disorders students participated in completing the Kiersey Temperament Sorter II and the Defining Issues Test-2. Scores were statistically compared to determine the relationship between the two assessments. Results: Based on a model of moral reasoning development, …

Student Perceptions Of Reading Preparation And Textbook Use In Professional Allied Health Programs, Laura Stimler, Camille Skubik-Peplaski, Melba G. Custer, Shirley P. O'Brien

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: In professional allied health education, textbooks are central to developing course content, student learning and certification exams, but little is known about the graduate student’s perspective. This study was intended to describe current trends in graduate students’ point of view, habits and opinions related to buying and using textbooks and other resources in allied health education. Methods: This was a multi-site collaborative research project. An electronic survey was developed to gather data on student habits and perspectives regarding textbook preferences including digital texts, academic reading, exam preparation, and obtaining course materials. The survey was distributed across four academic institutions. …

Multicultural Assessment Practices: A Phenomenological Study Examining Speech-Language Pathologists' Self-Efficacy, Paola Jessica Flores

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand speech-language pathologists’ (SLP) self-efficacy beliefs toward assessing culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students within public elementary schools in California. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory guided this study since it evaluated SLPs’ belief in their capacity to manage their motivation, behavior, and social environment to carry out appropriate assessment procedures for CLD students. As not all students from CLD backgrounds are accurately identified, gathering the SLPs’ lived experiences regarding current assessment practices helped provide insight into the appropriate identification of SLI. Participants included SLPs employed by rural public school districts in California, with students …

Services Provided To Aging Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities: Survey Of Speech Language Pathologists, Claire H. Gatewood

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Purpose: The present study explored current speech-language pathology service provision for aging individuals with intellectual disabilities in the United States, including areas and domains of services, factors restricting service provision, and reported knowledge and confidence of individuals within the field of speech-language pathology in providing services, to identify possible gaps of service and needed improvement.

Methods: Participants (n = 272) from across the United States completed an online survey to gather descriptive information about current speech-language pathology service provision for aging individuals with intellectual disabilities. Participants were recruited through state speech-language hearing associations and universities with speech-language pathology clinics …

Structured Ethics Education In Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students, Jennifer N. Gaylord, Stephanie M. Schaaf, Laura Liljequist, Kristie Guffey Ed.D.

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

This investigation compared the effect of ethics training embedded within a curriculum to structured ethics training regarding the ethics knowledge and self-reported comfort levels of first-year graduate students in speech-language pathology. Two equal, non-randomized groups of participants completed an ethics test and survey at three different times over the course of the investigation. The test and survey were administered prior to and after structured ethics training and ethics training embedded within the curriculum. The results of this study showed a significant difference in ethics knowledge after completion of the structured ethics training module for both groups. After receiving structured ethics …

Multilingualism And Augmentative Alternative Communication: A Review Of The Literature, Hannah N. Lamarca, Natalie R. Andzik

Honors Capstones

Purpose: Individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds who use Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) are often offered English-only AAC systems that do not meet their language needs. Devices that host multiple languages often only offer one at a time.

Method: The authors reviewed the literature by searching relevant databases using a variety of search strings. Following our inclusionary and exclusionary criteria, 15 articles were yielded for analysis.

Results: Authors found that more than half of the included articles were discussion-based papers on AAC delivery, barriers to AAC and multilingualism, and codeswitching using AAC. The included interview studies aimed to …

Comparing Two Methods Of Clinical Supervision, Heather K. Anderson, Sandra Hayes, Julie P. Smith, Stephanie Currie

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare two methods of clinical supervision, remote and in-person, in group speech-language therapy in a university-based outpatient clinic, in terms of student clinical behaviors that occur with each method. Clinical supervision is an essential part of graduate education programs in speech-language pathology and clinical supervisors in university-based speech and hearing clinics often employ remote supervision. The professional literature concerning the impact of remote supervision on student clinical behaviors is limited. The studies found advantages and disadvantages to in-person and remote supervision and no real preference for one method was noted by participants. …

Graduate-Level Leadership Training For Speech-Language Pathologists: Perceptions, Attitudes, And Potential Effect On Career, Sandra Kemper

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The aim of this study is to determine how a perceived lack of leadership training at the graduate level contributes to inadequate preparedness for the clinical, professional, and supervisory leadership roles professionals hold within the field of speech-language pathology (Kummer, 2017). More specifically, this study will seek to identify current leadership concerns of practicing SLPs, exploring whether and/or how lack of leadership training has affected their professional growth or career. The information can serve to guide the development of leadership training opportunities in speech-language pathology graduate programs. This descriptive, non-experimental study utilized purposive sampling of speech-language pathologists licensed in the …

Early Intervention Speech-Language Pathologists’ Knowledge, Beliefs, And Practices Surrounding Culturally And Linguistically Responsive Assessment Practices For Dual Language Learners, Rebecca Lynne Jarzynski

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Early intervention (EI) speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are required to provide culturally and linguistically responsive assessments for dual language learners (DLLs) within an increasingly diverse population. Previous research has documented gaps between SLPs’ beliefs related to assessments for DLLs and their implementation of best practices within school-based and pediatric outpatient settings. The purpose of this present research study was to better understand the current knowledge, beliefs, and practices of EI SLPs in relation to the use of culturally and linguistically responsive assessment practices within the context of EI programs. A total of 134 EI SLPs completed a nationwide survey in which …

Impact Of Community-Based Go Baby Go Project On Interprofessional Collaboration, Sapna Chakraborty, Marc Willey, Lisa Proctor

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPEC) are essential components of healthcare teams in the United States. This study aimed to explore the impact of a community-based Go Baby Go (GBG) project that used assistive technology and environmental adaptation skills to provide interprofessional education and hands-on collaboration between occupational therapy and speech-language pathology graduate students. The interprofessional collaboration (IPC) experiences provided to graduate students were centered on shared lectures and labs on role delineation, evaluation, and treatment focused on modifications through assistive technology and environmental adaptation. The culminating experience included labs with three to four students from each discipline in a …

Training The Next Generation Of Practitioners In Early Intervention And Telepractice: Three University Models, K. Todd Houston, Lauri Nelson, Kristina Blaiser

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to shape the provision of family-centered early intervention services for children who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing and their families. In programs, schools, and centers, direct in-person contact with families have been significantly curtailed as a means to limit the exposure to and spead of the virus. Emergency remote learning has lead to an increase in telepractice, also referred to as teleintervention, as the designated model of service provision. Most early interventionists, speech-language pathologists, and teachers of the Deaf were not sufficiently trained to suddenly implement emergency remote teaching or telepractice services, but service providers had no …

Perceptions And Effects Of Online Clinical Preparation Modules For First-Semester Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students, Elizabeth M. Leatherman, Kris Pedersen

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Students begin graduate school with varying backgrounds and experiences from their undergraduate program, which can result in different degrees of competence as they begin clinical work. This study investigated the effects of a series of seven online modules designed to review foundational clinical skills and enhance students’ clinical success. A cohort of 39 incoming graduate students at a midwestern university participated in the study and completed the modules during program orientation. Mixed methods were used to evaluate the effects and perceptions of the modules, including surveying students and the clinical faculty, comparing students’ clinical evaluations to those of previous students …

Critical Thinking Or Critical Creativity: Applying De Bono's Six Thinking Hats To Speech-Language Pathology Education And Practice., Samantha Hahn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Decision-making is a fundamental skill that health care professionals use daily which involves the interaction of many cognitive systems. Critical and lateral thinking are two approaches to decision-making often cited in literature. Critical thinking emphasizes reasoning and systematic analyzation, while lateral thinking encompasses imagination and creativity. Speech-language pathology (SLP) is a prime example of a profession that amalgamates creative processes with organized methodologies. Edward de Bono described six styles of lateral thinking – each style is equated to a colored “hat”. This study sought to determine if an association exists between a given SLP student’s level of clinical experience and …

The Flipped Classroom Model As Applied To An Augmentative And Alternative Communication Course, Eric J. Sanders, Louise C. Keegan, Mary Culshaw, Colin Tomes

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The Flipped Classroom Model (FCM) is an andragogical approach where students complete content-related work outside of the class and engage in activities related to this content during the class period. This approach has garnered recent attention in the field of speech-language pathology, but its implementation has not been studied in an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) course and there is limited information on student perspectives of the experience. This study presents the results of a qualitative investigation designed to investigate the preferences and experiences of preservice speech-language pathology graduate students in an AAC course utilizing the FCM. Semi-structured interviews with …

Investigating The Role Of Phonological Awareness In The Training Of Phonetic Transcription With Slp Students, Jennifer Kay Binkley

Dissertations and Theses

A dissertation study was developed and completed to further explore the relationship between phonological awareness (PA) and phonetic transcription skills in undergraduate speech-language pathology students. A review of the literature provides gaps in knowledge which the proposal seeks to address. Based upon this literature review, the researcher compared PA skills of undergraduate students of various majors, to determine if there was a change in PA by taking a traditional phonetics course, and to explore phonetic transcription outcomes as the result of direct PA intervention with undergraduate SLP students. Quantitative analysis was used to answer three research questions, which were organized …

Formal Ethics Education In Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students, Jennifer N. Gaylord

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Ethical service provision is an essential foundational skill for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and is fundamental for maintaining the integrity of the profession of speech-language pathology. While practicing speech-language pathologists are required to complete formal ethics training during each certification maintenance interval, there are no guidelines set forth as to the amount and type of training for graduate students in speech-language pathology. This quasi-experimental investigation compared the effect of ethics training embedded within a curriculum to formal ethics training on the ethics knowledge and self-reported comfort levels of first-year graduate students in speech-language pathology. Two equal, non-randomized groups of participants completed …

Clinical Education Outcomes And Research Directions In Speech-Language Pathology: A Scoping Review, George W. Wolford, Schea Fissel Brannick, Sarah Strother, Laura Wolford

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Purpose: To describe what researchers are investigating and how they are measuring the constructs of their investigations within the speech-language pathology (SLP) clinical education literature.

Method: A scoping review methodology (Arksey & O’Malley, 2005) was employed to develop a picture of clinical education articles which reported a measured outcome. Articles that met criteria were categorized by the purpose of the investigation and the outcome measures reported.

Result: 124 articles met inclusion criteria. Analysis of study purposes revealed a wide breadth of foci that were grouped into four broad clusters: Outcome Measures, Student Perspectives, Educational Contexts, and Teaching Methods. Most of …

Student Perceptions Of A Simulated Clinical Experience: A Pilot Study, Haley Elliott, Klaire Brumbaugh

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to document the experience of using a computer-based simulated (Simucase, 2019) learning opportunity in a Master of Science in speech-language pathology program.

Method: Focus groups were held utilizing a semi-structured interview format. Themes were identified using a qualitative methodological approach. Participants were first year graduate students (N=10) that were interviewed after completing an eight-week simulated learning opportunity.

Results: Seven themes emerged from the data. The themes were as follows: setup of the computer-based simulation, the incorporation of computer-based simulation in courses, supplemental information that assisted in development of clinical knowledge, …

Interprofessional Experience For Future Education Professionals: School Psychology And Speech-Language Pathology Students, Shari L. Deveney, Brian Mckevitt

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Educational training programs are tasked with addressing potential barriers to interprofessional practice through experiences that promote interprofessional collaborations. The present study of interprofessional experiences (IPE) had both research and pedagogical purposes. The research purpose was to describe graduate student self-perceptions related to interprofessional teaming/collaboration before and after an IPE involving two educational training programs, school psychology and speech-language pathology. The pedagogical purpose was to convey a detailed description of a case-based IPE offered as a course assignment and offer implementation suggestions. Participants in this course-based IPE were 109 students in the school psychology and speech-language pathology graduate programs at a …

Speech-Language Pathology Preparation To Address Communicative Quality Of Life Among People With Adult Neurogenic Disorders, Ethan Kristek

2021 Projects

Physiological and psychosocial components impact quality of life for adults with neurogenic communication disorders. This study aimed to understand these components in pre-service preparation of speech-language pathology adult neurogenic communication courses. Interview and archival data sources were used in a mixed-methods analysis.

Qualitative Case Review Of A Male With Down Syndrome, Mary Josephine Hoyer

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal condition in the United States. In the United States, about one of every 700 babies is diagnosed with Down syndrome. The purpose of this study was to assess pre-existing data on a 13-year-old male with a diagnosis of Down syndrome to contribute to research on this chromosomal abnormality. The individual received speech and language related services at Western Kentucky University beginning in 2007. Through analysis of previously collected data, the researcher created a qualitative case review that identified the progress of an individual with Down syndrome and emphasized what attributed to his progress. …

Toward The Development Of A Quick, Reliable Assessment Tool For Reflective Journals, April Garrity, Casey Keck, Janet L. Bradshaw, Keiko Ishikawa

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Reflective practice, including reflective writing, can facilitate enriched learning, especially when implemented as part of a service-learning (SL) experience. Reflection is a central component of service-learning (SL) experiences. Students’ reflective abilities are often measured through reflective journaling; however, assessment of students’ reflective journals is not always efficient and straightforward. The goal of the present study was to establish a simple, reliable, and relatively quick tool for use by busy college instructors seeking to encourage students’ deep learning through reflective writing. A total of 258 reflective journals from 43 graduate students in speech-language pathology were evaluated by three raters using a …

The Gendered Experiences Of Male Students In A Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program: A Multi-Case Study, Jairus-Joaquin R. Matthews, Derek E. Daniels

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Speech-language pathology is a profession with a gender disparity wherein the majority of speech-language pathologists are female. This disparity is also reflected in speech-language pathology graduate programs. The American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association has developed many initiatives over the years to address this issue, yet the gender disparity still remains. The purpose of this study was to develop some initial insights into reasons that men enter into the profession of speech-language pathology, and their experiences in graduate programs. In this qualitative case-study approach, interviews were conducted with four male graduate students. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed for major …

Language Sampling Methods For Early Adolescents With Specific Language Impairment, Anna Mckay

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

One essential component of clinical practice in the field of speech-language pathology is eliciting language to assess an individual’s communication abilities. Language becomes more sophisticated during the adolescent stage of development, particularly in the areas of vocabulary and complexity of sentence structures used. The current protocols used to evaluate adolescents are limited in their ability to elicit and analyze language samples, resulting in decreased effectiveness of identifying adolescents with language disorders. Preliminary data was collected at Western Kentucky University in 2018 regarding a new language sampling technique, the Dixit Method (DM), to elicit more lexically diverse language than standard interview …

Communication Sciences And Disorders Graduate Students' Strengths And Vulnerabilities Related To Resilience: A Survey Of Graduate Programs, Janet Tilstra, Megan Coffman, Teresa Gonia, Caroline Koziol, Ellen Liebe

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Burnout in health care professionals may pose a threat to the quality of care provided in any setting. The purpose of this project was to examine dimensions related to future resilience in CSD graduate students. METHODS: In this project, 146 master’s degree students from Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) programs in the Midwest completed an online survey regarding lifestyle stresses affecting resilience, and patterns in five areas correlated with resilience. RESULTS: Top lifestyle stresses affecting academics were general stress, maintaining mental health, and sleep difficulties. Notably, more than half of the participants reported feeling rested three or fewer days …

Improving The Interprofessional Relationship Between Nurses And Speech-Language Pathologists: A Pilot Study, Christina Hamling, Kristy Weissling

Honors Theses

The research presented in this thesis explores the impact of interprofessional education on undergraduate nursing and speech-language pathology students with an overall goal of improving the interprofessional relationship between the two fields. Utilizing quantitative and qualitative methods in the form of a pre-test, educational materials, live guided observation, and post-tests, the researchers found an increase in the nursing students ’ ability to identify the role of the speech-language pathologist in a medical setting (knowledge). There was also an increase in the speech-language pathology students’ ability to understand how and when to communicate with nurses in a medical setting (knowledge).

Clinical Decision-Making In Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students: Quantitative Findings, Carol C. Dudding, Danika L. Pfeiffer

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Clinicians’ decision-making skills are the foundation for the development and implementation of evidence-based practice to provide high quality clinical care. It is proposed that these skills are a result of hands-on clinical experiences (Crebbin, Beasley, & Watters, 2013). Yet some researchers contend that the development of clinical decision-making skills requires direct instruction in critical thinking (Abrami et al., 2011; Finn, 2011). The aim of this study was to explore if and when clinical decision-making processes of speech-language pathology (SLP) students change during graduate study. Web-based case simulations were used to elicit and measure clinical decision-making in eight graduate students at …