Speech and Hearing Science Commons^™

Using Audacity Software To Enhance Teaching And Learning Of Hearing Science Course: A Tutorial, Nilesh Washnik, Chandan Suresh, Chao-Yang Lee

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Audacity is a multi-platform free, open-source audio recorder and editor software. The advantage of Audacity software is as follows: easy installation and simple visual interface, no registrations or hardware requirements, and availability at no cost might make it a preferred software to carry out class demonstrations and lab activities for an undergraduate course in the Communication Sciences and Disorders discipline. The tutorial aims to illustrate how Audacity software can be used to demonstrate various psychoacoustic phenomena commonly taught in undergraduate Hearing Science courses. This tutorial is divided into fundamental and advanced concepts from the pedagogy and student learning standpoint. The …

Knowledge And Perceptions Of Slp Graduate Students Regarding Multiculturalism, Evy Jewell Hayes, Laura Amanda Mathews

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Populations in the United States rise daily, as do the number of people who are considered multicultural. With this comes a greater need for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who are able to assess and treat such individuals – a training process that begins in graduate programs. The primary objective of this study was to determine the knowledge and perceptions of graduate students in speech-language pathology as it pertains to multiculturalism. A survey was conducted to explore graduate students’ knowledge and perceptions of multicultural topics. Participants were recruited from programs in the southeastern United States via email. Just under 400 surveys were …

Gender Diversity Cultural Responsiveness Education In Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Programs: A Pilot Survey, Tara E. Dickinson, Molly A. Normandin, Rachel W. Mulheren

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Purpose: Gender-affirming voice therapy aims to align a person’s voice and communication with their gender identity. Historically, transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) individuals have been marginalized and continue to face significant healthcare disparities. The goal of this research was to examine the self-perceived preparedness of recent speech-language pathology (SLP) graduates for working with TGNC clients. A survey was developed to include both multiple choice and open-ended questions. Topics included graduate-level training on working with TGNC individuals, perceived preparedness to work with this client population, educational resources sought by respondents, and suggested improvements for SLP graduate programs. Thirty recent (since 2016) …

Establishing Cueing Skills When Treating Bilingual Speech Sound Disorders, Carlos D. Irizarry-Pérez, Mirza J. Lugo-Neris, Andrea Martinez-Fisher

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Purpose: This study sought to train cueing skills in first-year graduate students when working with bilingual children with speech sound disorders to ensure fidelity of intervention of a larger research investigation.

Method: Before explicitly training cueing skills, three students were randomly assigned bilingual clients that had been previously diagnosed with a speech sound disorder and asked to administer trial therapy. During the instructional phase, we gave students a cueing protocol, a scoring template, and feedback. We assessed performance according to challenge-point criteria and adherence to our cueing protocol.

Results: Performance varied per student, but overall scores were higher during the …

Alternative Techniques For Amplification: A Capstone Case Series, Toryn Davis, Antony Joseph

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Abstract 1- Introduction: Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is a rare and chronic hereditary disorder that causes motor and sensory damage to the peripheral nervous system. As the disease progresses, hearing sensitivity may worsen. Case Presentation: A young adult-aged patient presented to the clinic with congenital hearing loss and difficulty with conversational speech in quiet and noisy conditions. Discussion: When encountering a patient with CMT, clinicians should be cognoscente of amplification options, especially if nerve pathways begin to deteriorate. When audiologic testing reveals a progression of hearing loss, alternative amplification may be indicated because conventional hearing aids may not provide enough …

Audiological Intervention For Late-Identified Children And Teenagers With Hearing Loss, Melissa Wiedeman, Antony Joseph

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Abstract 1 - Introduction: The family of every child referred for definitive care after a newborn hearing screening should follow up with an audiologist to rule out hearing impairment. Early identification, diagnosis, and intervention are crucial for individualized planning and outcomes. Children who need binaural amplification and are not managed appropriately become exposed to sound deprivation, which leads to diminished speech audibility, sound localization, and speech and language development. Case Presentation: A young child presented to the clinic with an unspecified bilateral mild to moderate hearing loss at 500, 2000, and 4000 Hz. Discussion: Children with monaural amplification have shown …

Ensuring Equitable Treatment For People Of Color Receiving Audiology Care, Isabel Guidotti, Antony Joseph

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Abstract 1- Introduction: As health care providers, serving patients equitably may require concurrent caring for the concerns and demands of family members as well. When striving to provide equitable care to patients of all backgrounds, familial participation throughout an appointment can play a substantial role. Case Presentation: An older adult male patient who used English as a second language presented with moderate, sloping to severe, mixed hearing loss, bilaterally. Hearing aid options were counseled and discussed in detail with the patient and his spouse. Discussion: The patient’s wife played an active role throughout the appointment and served as a valuable …

The Integration Of The Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning Into The Discipline Of Communication Sciences And Disorders, Jennifer Friberg, Jerry K. Hoepner, Allison M. Sauerwein, Kerry Mandulak

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

McKinney (2018) has argued that for the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) to advance within a discipline, the integration of SoTL must be closely examined and opportunities for growth in SoTL must be recognized and discussed. To that end, this paper reflects on the degree to which SoTL is integrated into communication sciences and disorders (CSD) by examining a variety of topics: perspectives and theories historically valued by our discipline, existing supports for SoTL at various levels (i.e., individual teacher-scholars, departments, institutions, and the CSD discipline as a whole), the application of SoTL findings in teaching and learning. Four …

The Effectiveness Of Near-Peer Mentoring And Clinical Laboratory Experiences In Undergraduate Student Perceptions Of Career Preparedness And The Profession Of Audiology, Ashley G. Flagge, Julie M. Estis

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Students in undergraduate Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) programs with an interest in audiology often report feeling unprepared to make career and graduate school decisions due to a lack of exposure to the field. The present study examines the impact of near-peer mentoring and hands-on lab experiences on undergraduate student perceptions of career preparedness and of the profession of audiology by examining pre- and post-course survey responses and lab wrapper responses of 41 undergraduate speech and hearing science majors enrolled in an introductory audiology course. Students were paired in groups with a first-year audiology graduate mentor to walk through a …

Establishing Diagnostic Skills In Novice Bilingual Clinicians: A Scaffolded Approach, Carlos D. Irizarry-Pérez, Mirza J. Lugo-Neris, Lisa M. Bedore, Elizabeth D. Peña

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

This study sought to scaffold administration performance of a standardized bilingual screener to sufficient levels of accuracy for data collection using principles of Cognitive Load Theory by managing task complexity when training pre-service clinicians. Before training administration skills, two students were given copies of the manual for the Bilingual English Spanish Oral Screener (BESOS) and asked to administer the protocol independently. During the intervention phase, students were scaffolded through administration tasks of increasing complexity and given explicit instruction, which included tailored goals, modeling and feedback. Performance for four skills was assessed using a fidelity rubric and analyzed using visual analysis. …

A Capstone Course In Speech-Language Pathology, Linda C. Murdock, Carson M. York

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Capstone courses are considered a high impact practice with the potential to positively affect student learning. This article describes the design and implementation of a capstone in speech-language pathology designed to round out the undergraduate experience by shifting the learning focus away from disorder characteristics and onto individuals living with disabilities. The course is designed to teach students compassion, self-evaluation, and strategies for personal growth.

The Effects Of Complex Listening Environments On Semantic Processing In Young And Middle-Aged Adults, Emily Ferguson B.S., Nicholas Stanley Ph.D. Au.D.

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

The purpose of this research study is to determine how young adults and middle-aged adults process speech in different complex listening environments. Young adult and middle-aged adult volunteers will complete a cognitive screening and audiological evaluation to establish inclusionary status for experimental speech understanding in noise testing. If they meet the requirements of the study and wish to participate further, they will continue with a semantic judgement task, in which they will be asked to listen and respond to words presented in different background noises. Within the task, participants will be asked to identify word pairs into either a "match" …

Assessing Outcomes Of Simulation In Communication Sciences And Disorders, Erin S. Clinard

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Assessment is an ongoing process that is necessary at every stage of designing, implementing, and evaluating simulation-based learning experiences (SBLEs). Designing and aligning a high-quality assessment process provides instructors and researchers with valuable data to understand if students have met the desired simulation learning objectives, where students are in their learning, and opportunities to enhance the SBLE. This reflection discusses the importance of assessing student learning outcomes as well as the effectiveness of all simulation-based learning experiences (SBLEs) in communication sciences and disorders (CSD). While the benefits and effectiveness of simulation have been demonstrated in other health professions, simulation research …

Inner Ear Disorders Associated With Hearing And Vestibular Loss: A Case Series, Kelly Retzlaff

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Introduction: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), a hearing loss of at least 30 dB at three or more consecutive frequencies within a 72-hour period, is typically idiopathic. Potential causes are thought to include viral, autoimmune, vascular, neurologic, neoplastic, or traumatic origins. Treatment consists of steroids. Poor patient follow up and compliance with rehabilitation negatively affect outcomes. Poor follow-up also results in the inadequate medical documentation of outcomes. Case Presentation: a 20-year old female presented with unilateral SSNHL with high-frequency tinnitus in the right ear. Her audiological history includes a known profound hearing loss in the left ear, as well as, …

Vocal Health Preservation For Teachers Of Music: A Literature Review, Lyndsay Byers, Lisa Vinney Phd Ccc-Slp, Kimberly Adelman Ms Ccc-Slp

Graduate Independent Studies - Communication Sciences and Disorders

This literature review explores research findings regarding risk factors of voice disorders for teachers of music. It summarizes current research regarding personal, environmental, and occupational practices teachers of music can implement to help preserve their voices. This document also reviews literature findings regarding when, where, and how music teachers can seek assistance for voice symptoms.

Long-Term Effects Of A Short-Term Study Abroad On Mindset, Madasyn Hofstedt, Heidi Harbers, Amy Yacucci

Graduate Independent Studies - Communication Sciences and Disorders

This literature review will examine 10 studies. The first section will discuss one study regarding common personality traits that practicing SLPs and SLP graduate students possess. The next section will review four studies about studying abroad. The final section will summarize four studies about the impact of mindset on life experiences and one study on how a growth mindset may potentially affect a study abroad experience.

A Method Paper For Earplug-Fitting Augmentative Procedures Tested In Groups Of More Experienced And Less Experienced Users Of Hearing Protection, Natalie Dixon, Antony Joseph

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Although a long history of research has led to extensive knowledge about hearing protection devices (HPDs), there has been limited research about procedures that provide aid and verification during HPD insertion, although several studies have reported about HPD training. No standard methods have been established for training of earplug use (Takahashi, 2011).

A review of the literature revealed a need for tools that might be used to improve user ability to properly insert HPDs consistently, even in the absence of training, because training is rarely provided in the workplace. The prevailing research question was "Does the use of simple fitting …

Recreational Sound Risk For A University Student: Case Study, Michele Wattman, Antony Joseph

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Concern about noise exposure in recreational settings is growing and unsafe levels of sound are frequently being experienced in a variety of non-occupational settings such as pubs, nightclubs, concerts, parties, and fitness classes. Damage to the auditory system may occur with regular participation in these loud activities. A case study was conducted to estimate sound exposure levels and risk associated with common activities. Findings demonstrated that pubs presented a hazardous sound environment, so information about health-oriented behavior is essential to effectively improve hearing conservation awareness for university students. Public awareness and personal hearing protection should be strongly considered to prevent …

Speech-Language Pathology Students’ Motivation For Learning, Amie M. King, Steffany M. Chleboun

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The primary purpose of this exploratory study was to attempt to gain a better understanding of speech-language pathology students’ motivations for learning. Motivation was assessed in undergraduate and graduate students in two categories of coursework. Results showed statistically significant differences between undergraduate and graduate students in the overall areas of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation, while there were no significant differences in other areas of motivation. These results were situated in potential implications for students, professors, and programs as well as the need for follow-up studies.

Assistive Devices For Communication Use With The Elderly, Corrine Koepsell, Antony Joseph

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Hearing loss is one of the prevalent medical conditions in older adults. Although it has been documented that hearing loss is associated with various aspects of social and physical health, hearing assistive technologies and audiologic rehabilitation have been infrequently tapped clinical solutions. Cost and user problems in background noise are two common reasons why hearing aids are underutilized by seniors, and by younger age groups as well. Alternative tools, such as assistive listening devices, may be helpful for older listeners, even though they are used less frequently than hearing aids. To identify if assistive listening devices are satisfactory, a pilot …

Examining The Learning Of Students Participating In An Interactive Simulated Patient Experience, Mary Smyers

Theses and Dissertations

Simulated patients are becoming increasingly used in the educational program of future speech-language pathologists. The use of standardized patients provides the opportunity to teach students clinical skills in a controlled environment (Bradley, 2006; Zraick, 2012). Simucase, a speech-language pathology software program, allows clinicians to practice their assessment and treatment skills on virtual patients and is a valid method when teaching clinical skills. Thus, this project examined five undergraduate senior clinicians’ performance and reflection about the Simucase program and their own clinical knowledge. The undergraduate student clinicians engaged in controlled simulation experiences that shared similar characteristics to their current clients, and …

Differential Diagnosis Of Auditory Processing Disorder In Children: A Literature Review, Jessica Glennon, Benjamin Kirby

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Although there is no consensus on the definition of auditory processing disorder (APD), it is typically characterized by listening difficulties resulting from deficits in auditory perceptual processing of sounds in the central auditory nervous system. APD often co-occurs with other disabilities such as ADHD, dyslexia, and specific language impairment. Presenting symptoms can be very similar to these other disorder, complicating diagnosis. Due to the overlap of symptoms between APD and various other deficits, there are concerns that professionals in different fields are providing children with different labels for the same group of symptoms. Therefore, the aim of this literature review …

Development Of An Audiologic Rehabilitation Program Model For Adult Patients Receiving Care At A Graduate Training Facility, Amanda Mcfadden, Antony Joseph

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Research has shown that untreated hearing loss can negatively impact a person’s quality of life. The average person with hearing loss waits seven years from the onset of symptoms to pursue hearing aids (Hall, 2014). To decrease the negative effects of hearing loss, hearing technology, by itself, is typically not enough support for even the best users (Kelly et al., 2013). To provide supplementary support for these patients, audiologic rehabilitation (AR) is required. Audiologic rehabilitation is the modern term used to classify treatments that were previously so- called “aural rehabilitation.” Per Boothroyd (2007), aural [audiologic] rehabilitation may be defined as, …

The Relationship Between Perceptions Of Vocal Quality And Function With Self-Esteem In Older Adults, Victoria Berto

Theses and Dissertations

Alterations to the voice that occur in older adulthood include changes in vocal fold mass, inadequate approximation of the vocal folds, tremor, and air loss (Lundy, Silva, Casiano, Lu, & Xue, 1998). Many of the vocal changes that occur in older adults, those aged 65 and older (Colby & Ortman, 2015), may affect their social and emotional well-being. While some persons are not affected by life span vocal changes, others suffer from co-occuring depression, anxiety, and social withdrawal (Epstein, Hirani, Stygall, & Newman, 2009; Mirza, Ruiz, Baum, & Staab, 2003; Monini, Filippi, Baldini, & Barbara, 2015). There have been numerous …

Faculty Perspectives Of Student-Faculty Collaborative Course Design, Lauren H. Mead

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

This qualitative research study explored speech-language pathology (SLP) faculty perspectives of collaborative course design (CCD). For the purposes of this study, the term “faculty” includes all those who teach at the university level. Student-faculty CCD offers benefits to course instructors and students; however, research regarding this topic is lacking in the field of SLP. Interviews with faculty members in SLP programs explored faculty perspectives regarding the incorporation of student input into course design as well as anticipated benefits and challenges involved. The results of this study identified several factors related to faculty reluctance to use CCD, including reluctance to share …

Listening Effort Outcome Measures In Adult Populations, Melissa Tednes, Scott E. Seeman Phd

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Listening effort is being considered clinically as an important indicator of patient success with amplification. Listening effort refers to “the mental exertion required to attend to, and understand, an auditory message”. (McGarrigle et al., 2014) Cognitive ability, age, and degree of hearing impairment all must considered when measuring the effort one is exerting on a specific task. Listening effort can be measured using subjective tools, electrophysiologic measures, or with a dual-task paradigm. Subjective tools include self-reports and questionnaires. Electrophysiologic measures can consist of measuring pupil dilation, heart rate variability, and skin conductance. A dual-task paradigm is set-up with two tasks …

Perceived Stress, Self-Compassion, And Emotional Variance In Parents Of Children With Communication Disorders: A Family Approach To Service Delivery In Speech-Language Pathology, Olivia Marie Arnos

Theses and Dissertations

The amount of children born with developmental disorders in the United States is on the rise, increasing from 12.8% in 1998 to 15.04% in 2008 (Huang, Chang, Chi & Lai, 2013). Children with developmental disabilities often have chronic conditions that require additional support across their lifetime, ranging in deficits of attention, physical abilities, visual impairments, hearing impairments, learning disabilities, and communication disorders. Research has shown as dependency of a child on caretakers increases, there is an increase in parental stress and a decrease in perceived well-being. Hall and Graff (2011) found parents of children with developmental disorders are less likely …

Collaboration Occurring Between Professionals In Today's Schools, Kara Lynn Doglio

Theses and Dissertations

The collaborative service delivery model is beneficial in its approach as it allows educators and SLPs to work together to address communication impairments in naturalistic settings in order to maximize the functional potential of all students. The current utilization of collaboration as a viable service delivery option is unknown. The purpose of this study was to identify whether collaboration was occurring and with whom it was occurring. This study also sought to identify similarities and differences across four participant groups regarding perceived beliefs and reported practices in professional collaboration. While administrators took a separate survey than educators (general and special …

The Discrimination Of Cv Synthetic Syllables As A Function Of Phonetic Training And Noise Conditions, Ryan Mulligan, Antony Joseph

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

The aim of this preliminary study was to examine the effect of two signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) and formal phonetic training on auditory discrimination of just noticeable differences (JND) among consonant vowel (CV) synthetic syllables. Fine-grain auditory discrimination abilities of 16 young-adults with undergraduate studies that included phonetic training and 17 young-adults with no phonetic training were assessed using a same/different discrimination task in a +3 SNR and a +13 SNR listening condition. Subjects listened to pairs of CV contrasts presented in rapid succession and indicated whether the contrastive syllables were the same or different. Results revealed a significant difference …

Stakeholder Perspectives Of The Effectiveness Of Augmentative And Alternative Communication Techniques In Children With Autism, Daria Constantinescu

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to utilize focus groups and individual interviews to investigate the effectiveness and efficiency of augmentative and alternative (AAC) techniques in facilitating language in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as expressed by the opinions and attitudes of stakeholders involved in the process. ASD is a disorder that affects an individual's social and communication skills that usually surfaces within a child's first three years of life. There have been numerous studies conducted comparing different types of AAC intervention systems, but there is little information on stakeholders' opinions. The current study utilized one focus group interview …