Speech Pathology and Audiology Commons^™

Learner Outcomes From An Echo In Augmentative And Alternative Communication, Lillie Reinhart

Theses and Dissertations--Communication Sciences and Disorders

Background: Students with complex communication needs (CCN) rely on the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to support their communication; however, many students are leaving high school without an effective form of communication. To build capacity and increase school professionals’ knowledge and self-efficacy in AAC, this thesis used an adaptation of Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) for use with AAC.

Methods: Using a post then pre-retrospective survey, participants self-reported changes in knowledge, confidence, and overall satisfaction with ECHO sessions. Paired sample t-tests assessed participant-reported change in knowledge. Frequency counts were used to analyze responses about confidence and …

Developmental Language Disorder: A Literature Review, Laura M. Gaudette

The Graduate Review

Developmental language disorder (DLD) is a life-long language condition characterized by difficulty using, learning, and understanding language across modalities (speaking, writing, reading) despite average cognitive and intellectual skills. There is no single cause of DLD, though research suggests a genetic component and environmental factors act as possible predictors. Although there is an incidence rate of around 2-3 students in each class of 30, DLD has very little awareness and is significantly under-researched. There are many factors contributing to this. Most notably, DLD is considered a hidden disability as many people learn to mask their symptoms pretty early in life through …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Special Education: A Case Study, Megan Cercone

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this research project is to explore the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on special education by evaluating the experiences of one child with disabilities who attends public schools. METHODS: A semi-structured interview was conducted with the two parents of the child, who has physical disabilities and an IEP through his school, meaning he receives special education services through intervention teachers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists. The interview was recorded and transcribed, and then interview transcripts were evaluated to identify themes in the subjects’ responses regarding their child’s experience with public education during the pandemic. …

Aac Camp As A Pre- And Post- Service Training Model, Joanne Kim

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of participation in an AAC-based day camp as a pre-service training opportunity for students of speech-language pathology and a post-training opportunity for practicing speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Following the conclusion for the most recent iteration of the AAC Academy hosted by the Diagnostic Center of Central California, students and SLPs who volunteered within the past ten years were recruited via email to participate in semi-structured interviews. Upon thematic analysis of the interview transcripts, the following themes were conceptualized: (1) Many volunteers had some interest, if not experience, with AAC prior to …

Patient And Therapist Perceptions Of Respiratory Functioning Due To Spinal Cord Injury: Implications For Music Therapists, A'Marie Dotson

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Decreased respiratory functioning is a common symptom of spinal cord injury (SCI) and can impact individuals’ personal, professional, and social lives. In spite of this, researchers have not explored the use of music in the lives of individuals with SCIs or music’s role in their healthcare professionals’ treatment plans to improve respiratory functioning. The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand how decreased respiratory functioning affects individuals with SCIs and healthcare professionals through a multiple case study design. Participants were two individuals with SCIs and three healthcare professionals (physical therapist, recreational therapist, and music therapist) who worked with …

Role Of Morphological Awareness In Language And Literacy In Children With And Without Developmental Language Disorder, Melissa Phelan

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Past research has shown phonological awareness is highly correlated with language and literacy success in children with and without Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), but a less examined area of language and literacy is morphological awareness. Delayed morphology in children with DLD has been studied extensively in spoken language, but relatively little in written language in the DLD population. This study explored two research questions: 1) Is morphological awareness related to language and literacy success in children with and without DLD, and 2) Is morphological awareness impaired for those children with DLD and dyslexia similarly to that of phonological awareness. A …

What Do Speech-Language Pathologists Want To Know When Assessing Vocal Development In Children Who Are Deaf/Hard-Of-Hearing?, Olivia Daub, Marlene P. Bagatto, Janis Oram Cardy

PRECISe Preschool Speech and Language Publications

Abstract

Purpose: Delays in vocal development are an early predictor of ongoing language difficulty for children who are deaf/hard-of-hearing (CDHH). Despite the importance of monitoring early vocal development in clinical practice, there are few suitable tools. This study aimed to identify the clinical decisions that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) most want to make when assessing vocal development and their current barriers to doing so.

Method: 58 SLPs who provide services to CDHH younger than 22 months completed a survey. The first section measured potential barriers to vocal development assessment. The second section asked SLPs to rate the importance of 15 clinical …

Current Practices, Supports, And Challenges In Speech-Language Pathology Service Provision For Autistic Preschoolers, Amanda V. Binns, Barbara Jane Cunningham, Allison Andres, Janis Oram Cardy

PRECISe Preschool Speech and Language Publications

Background: Speech-language pathology services are among the most frequently accessed services for young autistic children. Therefore, understanding the nature of these services, what challenges these clinicians face, and what supports they value is critical for developing appropriate policies and practices that can maximize positive outcomes for children and families. This study had two primary aims. The first was to examine the self-reported assessment and intervention practices of community-based Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) and communicative disorders assistants (CDAs; who provide services under the supervision of a SLP) in supporting preschool children with suspected and diagnosed autism. The second aim was to …

Exploring Practice-Based Clinical–Research Partnerships In Speech-Language Pathology: A Scoping Review, Meghan Vollebregt, Lisa Archibald, Julie Theurer, Janis Oram Cardy

PRECISe Preschool Speech and Language Publications

Collaborative partnerships between speech-language pathologists and researchers present an opportunity for practice-based research. For practice-based research to become more widely used in speech-language pathology, a crucial step is outlining the potential purposes and outcomes of these partnership projects. The current article is two-fold. First, we describe a model for practice-based partnerships between researchers and speech-language pathologists. The practice-based research cocreation model developed for this project includes three distinct partnership outcomes: (a) creating practice, (b) capturing current practice, and (c) changing practice. Then, informed by our model, we completed a scoping review to explore the extent and type of practice-based research …

Feasibility And Acceptability Of Administering A Functional Cognitive-Communication Assessment To Individuals With Self-Reported Concussion, Mackenzie Ann Brown

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Purpose: Individuals who experience ongoing symptoms after sustaining a mTBI may not receive the help they need because the deficits they endorse on self-report measures are not identified on current standardized cognitive assessments. The purpose of the current investigation is to determine how to better document ongoing cognitive-communication deficits and to characterize the nature of how these deficits impact daily life and communicative participation, using a multidimensional assessment protocol.

Method: A multiple case study design was selected to comprehensively document the cognitive-linguistic functioning of multiple individuals with concussion. Five participants completed one session over a telehealth platform that included four …

Aac Use By Children With Asd And Their Aac Co-Pilots, Kelcy Rolak

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Employing a multiple case study approach, this study explored the perspectives of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on their child’s use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Deemed “AAC co-pilots” by this study, these parents play a crucial role in their children’s daily AAC use, yet their perspective is largely under-explored in existing research that otherwise explores AAC use by individuals with ASD extensively. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents of children with ASD who have used AAC for at least one year and whose AAC use is documented in their IEP. Findings indicated the depth and …

Speech-Language Pathologists On The Autism Spectrum, Rebecca Freeman Barnett

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This thesis consists of three journal articles for publication that addresses three different aspects of the research that examines the state of diversity in the field of speech-language pathology (SLP) as it pertains to autistic representation and possible implications. In the first article, Demographic Analysis of Autistic Speech-Language Pathologists, the purpose was to determine the demographic differences between SLPs that identified on the autism spectrum and those that did not. A mass survey was conducted of SLPs in the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio. It was concluded that 2.98% of SLPs self-identified on the autism spectrum. Chi-square analyses found …

Partner Perception Of Affective, Behavioral, And Cognitive Reactions To Voice Use In People With Parkinson’S Disease, Zoë Thijs Ph.D., Yan Zhang, Kristiane Van Lierde, Martine Vanryckeghem

Faculty Works: Communication Sciences Disorders

Introduction: People with Parkinson’s disease (PWPD) experience negative feelings, thoughts, and coping behaviors due to the experienced communication challenges. This study aimed to compare the perceptions of PWPD with those of proxies for the affective, behavioral, and cognitive reactions specific to voice production during communicative interactions. Methods: The Behavior Assessment Battery – Voice (BAB-Voice) was administered to 31 PWPD and their close communication partner/proxy. The BAB-Voice contained four subtests: Speech Situation Checklist – Emotional Reaction (SSC-ER), Speech Situation Checklist – Speech Disruption (SSC-SD), Behavior Checklist (BCL), and Communication Attitude Test for Adults (BigCAT). The scores for each of these subtests …

Do Different Learning Environments Influence Graduate Students’ Professional Communication?, Lacey M. Beam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of two educational environments (jigsaw learning activity and standardized patient encounters) on speech-language pathology students’ professional communication when assessing and treating a voice disorder case study. Jigsaw activities are cooperative learning experiences that provide students opportunities to learn from one another. Studies have shown that students have improvements in learning new material, self-confidence, and communication skills (Wong & Driscoll, 2008; Asif et al., 2021). A standardized patient encounter provides a real-life clinical experience for students. There has been a mixed response to students improving their communication skills through …

The Importance Of Learning Deaf Culture Through A Black Deaf Perspective In The Field Of Communication Sciences And Disorders, Lindsay Lee

Honors College Theses

As the diversity in the demographics of clinical populations increases in the United States, clinicians must also be accountable for learning the culture of their patients. The Deaf community, specifically individuals who identify with Deaf culture and Black Deaf culture, is a multifaceted, cultural group that has been marginalized within various settings including social, political, and employment settings, including academic and clinical research. This review will examine the historical developments within Deaf History in the United States, the injustices related to Deaf culture, and more specifically Black Deaf culture, and discuss the critical need for Deaf research and tools that …

Knowledge And Training In Language Sample Analysis Of Us Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students, Allegra Cornaglia

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Purpose: Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) play an integral role in identification and treatment of developmental language disorders (DLD). Best practices include the use of language sample analysis (LSA) as part of a comprehensive evaluation. However, LSA requires a specific set of foundational morphological and syntactic knowledge. Previous studies have shown a knowledge gap for both SLPs and SLP graduate students for other areas of morphosyntax and phonology. This study examined the language analysis skills of current SLP graduate students on a test of Mean Length of Utterance (MLU) analysis and Clausal Density (CD) and whether there were possible factors associated with …

The Effects Of Script Therapy In A Patient With Old Chronic Aphasia, Busra Ensar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

There are some gaps in the literature regarding the efficacy of script therapy in patients with chronic aphasia, particularly chronic aphasia that lasts for several years post-onset, in terms of treatments to improve functional communication during daily activities. This study investigates the relationship between script therapy and communication effectiveness and communicative efficiency. In this context, communication effectiveness was measured by the percent script correct, and communicative efficiency was measured by the total duration to produce the script and the mean duration of pauses at the beginning of sentences.

The efficacy of intensive script training on discourse effectiveness and efficiency was …

Examining The Efficacy Of A Self-Paced Online Training For Goal Writing, Allison Rosborough

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Educational goals can control critical aspects of intervention and progress monitoring for students with disabilities and as such are a central feature of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Despite its importance, school staff frequently report not receiving enough training or support on IEP documentation. Rosborough and Brandel (2020) investigated the quality of IEP goals written in the state of West Virginia. Findings indicated that professional development activities needed to be designed and analyzed related to immediate and long-term efficacy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a self-paced, online training for goal writing. Participants were recruited by …

Conversation As An Outcome Of Aphasia Treatment: A Systematic Scoping Review, Jamie H. Azios, Brent Archer, Nina Simmons-Mackie, Anastasia Raymer, Marcella Carragher, Shriya Shashikanth, Eleanor Gulick

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

PURPOSE: Conversation-focused speech-language pathology services are a top priority for people living with aphasia, but little is known about how researchers measure conversation as an outcome of treatment. This scoping review was undertaken to systematically review the evidence regarding the measurement of conversation in aphasia studies and to identify current practices and existing gaps.

METHOD: A systematic literature search was conducted for studies published between January 1995 and September 2019 in multiple electronic databases. Covidence software was used to manage search results, study selection, and data charting processes. Data were extracted from each study and then collated and organized to …

Modulation Of Electrocochleography Responses By Contralateral Broadband Noise In Young Adults, Riley J. Rickman

MSU Graduate Theses

While it is known the auditory efferent system contains two distinct subgroups – the medial olivocochlear nucleus (MOC) and the lateral olivocochlear nucleus (LOC) – not much is known regarding the function of the LOC in humans. This study aims to evaluate the effect of activating the lateral olivocochlear (LOC) neurons via contralateral broad band noise (CBBN) on electrocochleography responses. A ten-minute time-blocked paradigm was utilized to evaluate both the slow and fast effect of the LOC neurons. Recordings were obtained at four points within this ten-minute block both with and without the presence of 50 dB SPL CBBN to …