Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Functional Connectivity Evoked By Orofacial Tactile Perception Of Velocity, Yingying Wang Dr., Fatima Sibaii, Rebecca Custead, Hyuntaek Oh, Steven M. Barlow

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

The cortical representations of orofacial pneumotactile stimulation involve complex neuronal networks, which are still unknown. This study aims to identify the characteristics of functional connectivity (FC) evoked by three different saltatory velocities over the perioral and buccal surface of the lower face using functional magnetic resonance imaging in twenty neurotypical adults. Our results showed a velocity of 25 cm/s evoked stronger connection strength between the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the right thalamus than a velocity of 5 cm/s. The decreased FC between the right secondary somatosensory cortex and right posterior parietal cortex for 5-cm/s velocity versus all three velocities …

Wireless Sensing Of Lower Lip And Thumb-Index Finger ‘Ramp-And-Hold’ Isometric Force Dynamics In A Small Cohort Of Unilateral Mca Stroke: Discussion Of Preliminary Findings, Steven M. Barlow, Rebecca Custead, Jaehoon Lee, Mohsen Hozan, Jacob Greenwood

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Automated wireless sensing of force dynamics during a visuomotor control task was used to rapidly assess residual motor function during finger pinch (right and left hand) and lower lip compression in a cohort of seven adult males with chronic, unilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke with infarct confirmed by anatomic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A matched cohort of 25 neurotypical adult males served as controls. Dependent variables were extracted from digitized records of ‘ramp-and-hold’ isometric contractions to target levels (0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 Newtons) presented in a randomized block design; and included force reaction time, peak force, and dF/dtmax …

Predictors Of Swallowing Outcomes In Patients With Combat-Injury Related Dysphagia, Nancy Pearl Solomon, Angela M. Dietsch, Katie Dietrich-Burns

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Background: Traumatic injuries, such as those from combat-related activities, can lead to complicated clinical presentations that may include dysphagia.

Methods: This retrospective observational database study captured dysphagia-related information for 215 United States military service members admitted to the first stateside military treatment facility after sustaining combat-related or combat-like traumatic injuries. A multidimensional relational database was developed to document the nature, course, and management for dysphagia in this unique population and to explore variables predictive of swallowing recovery using Bayesian statistical modeling and inferential statistical methods.

Results: Bayesian statistical modeling revealed the importance of maxillofacial fractures and soft …

Development Of First- And Second-Language Vocabulary Knowledge Among Language-Minority Children: Evidence From Single Language And Conceptual Scores, J. Marc Goodrich, Christopher J. Lonigan

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

This study evaluated the development of vocabulary knowledge over the course of two academic years, beginning in preschool, in a large sample (N = 944) of language-minority children using scores from single-language vocabulary assessments and conceptual scores. Results indicated that although children began the study with higher raw scores for Spanish vocabulary knowledge than for English vocabulary knowledge, this was reversed by the end of the first year of the study. Similarly, at the beginning of the study unique Spanish vocabulary scores were larger than unique English or shared Spanish-English vocabulary scores; however, by the end of the first year …

Retinoic Acid Degradation Shapes Zonal Development Of Vestibular Organs And Sensitivity To Transient Linear Accelerations, Kazuya Ono, James Keller, Omar López Ramírez, Antonia González Garrido, Omid A. Zobeiri, Hui Ho Vanessa Chang, Sherri M. Jones, Andrianna Ayiotis, Gregg Duester, Charles C. Della Santina, Sarath Vijayakumar, Kathleen E. Cullen, Ruth Anne Eatock, Doris K. Wu

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Each vestibular sensory epithelium in the inner ear is divided morphologically and physio- logically into two zones, called the striola and extrastriola in otolith organ maculae, and the central and peripheral zones in semicircular canal cristae. We found that formation of striolar/central zones during embryogenesis requires Cytochrome P450 26b1 (Cyp26b1)- mediated degradation of retinoic acid (RA). In Cyp26b1 conditional knockout mice, formation of striolar/central zones is compromised, such that they resemble extrastriolar/peripheral zones in multiple features. Mutants have deficient vestibular evoked potential (VsEP) responses to jerk stimuli, head tremor and deficits in balance beam tests that are consistent with abnormal …

The Perceptions Of Aac Professionals On Supporting The Clinical Translation Of Brain-Computer Interface Technology, Kevin Pitt, Miechelle L. Mckelvey, Kristy Weissling, Brynley Klein

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) provide access to augmentative and alternative communication devices by decoding an individual’s neurological activity. However, while BCI developments are progressing in the research setting, barriers still exist in the clinical setting. These must be overcome to support the successful translation of BCI technology into clinical practice which improves patient outcomes. Therefore, to help facilitate the clinical integration of BCI-AAC, our study sought to identify the perspectives of AAC professionals regarding their

Photos For Visual Scene Displays: Input From Interviews With Visual Media Experts, Kevin Pitt, Meghan Salley, Kathrin Sindt, John Mccarthy

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Visual Scene Displays (VSDs) are a promising interface for AAC systems for children and adults. Although recent research has focused on design principles of traditional grid displays, there is comparatively little information on VSDs. Ten individuals with a background in photography and visual composition were interviewed following a brief overview of visual scene displays applied to AAC systems. Interviews were analyzed for themes, lasting around 45 minutes each. Participants gave feedback on principles of composition, how those principles inform their own work, and “quick tips” on matching photos with goals related to communication in VSDs.

Individuals whose natural speech is …

Effect Of Pacifier Design On Nonnutritive Suck Maturation And Weight Gain In Preterm Infants: A Pilot Study, Alexander Ziegler, Jill L. Maron, Steven M. Barlow, Jonathan M. Davis

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Background: Pacifiers are effective in promoting oral feeding by increasing the maturation of nonnutritive sucking to nutritive suck in preterm neonates. It is unclear whether pacifier design can influence suck dynamics and weight loss during the first week of life. Objectives: This pilot study examined the feasibility of studying the effect of pacifier design on suck maturation and weight loss in preterm neonates. Methods: Twenty-five preterm neonates (mean [SD] birth weight 1791 [344.9] grams, mean [SD] gestational age 33.1 [1.2] weeks) were studied in a single newborn intensive care unit. Neonates were assigned to either an orthodontic pacifier (n = …

Adhd Parent And Teacher Symptom Ratings: Differential Item Functioning Across Gender, Age, Race, And Ethnicity, George J. Dupaul, Qiong Fu, Arthur D. Anastopoulos, Robert C. Reid, Thomas J. Power

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Parent and teacher ratings of the two attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptom dimensions (i.e., inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity) have been found to differ across child gender, age, race, and ethnicity. Group differences could be due to actual variation in symptomatic behaviors but also could be due to measurement items functioning differently based on child characteristics. This study extended prior investigations establishing measurement invariance at the symptom dimension and item levels, by examining possible measurement variance across child demographic characteristics at the item level (i.e., differential item functioning [DIF]) in two large national samples. Using the Rasch rating scale model (Andrich Psychometrika, 43, …

Supporting The Visual-Cognitive Sciences By Exploring The Application Of Photographic Composition To Visual Scene Displays, Kevin Pitt, John Mccarthy, Adrienne R. Pitt

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

AAC systems may be accessed via techniques such as touch, eye gaze and switch scanning, which are then translated into communication output. Traditionally, aided AAC displays utilize a grid layout, arranging communication items in a decontextualized manner. In contrast, visual scene displays (VSDs) utilize context rich images (e.g., photographs) that depict events and activities, presenting communication items in a contextualized manner (e.g., a toy in a toy chest; Wilkinson, Light, & Drager, 2012). Recent research focusing on principles of the visual-cognitive sciences has found that even small changes in how we present communication items in a grid or VSD format …

A Review Of Factors And Display Characteristics Influencing P300 Brain-Computer Interface Performance For Aac., Kevin Pitt

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

For individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), neurodegeneration can lead to a state of near-total paralysis, with intact cognition and sensation (Fried-Oken. et al., 2013). This loss of voluntary speech and motor system control (including oculomotor) can cause individuals with ALS to lose a reliable form of communication. Brain-computer interfaces for AAC (BCI-AAC) can provide a non-invasive link between an individual’s neurologic activity and a communicational device via electroencephalography (EEG), circumventing the necessity of reliable motor control for AAC access. Different BCI techniques may afford communication access through a range of techniques such as the P300 (including rapid serial visual …

Effects Of Sentence-Combining Instruction For Spanish-Speaking Language-Minority Students: Evidence From Two Single-Case Experiments, J. Marc Goodrich, Michael Hebert, Mackenzie E. Savaiano, Tim Andress

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Research indicates that sentence-combining instruction is effective for improving writing outcomes; however, no studies to date have examined the effects of sentence- combining instruction on the writing skills of Spanish- speaking language-minority (LM) students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of explicit sentence-combining instruction that focused on correct adjective use when used with Spanish-speaking LM students with poor sentence construction skills. Across two studies, seven Spanish-speaking LM children in third to fifth grade participated in sentence-combining inter- ventions designed to teach adjective placement. Results in- dicated that there was a functional relation between the in- …

Behind The Scenes Of Noninvasive Brain– Computer Interfaces: A Review Of Electroencephalography Signals, How They Are Recorded, And Why They Matter, Kevin M. Pitt, Jonathan S. Brumberg, Jeremy D. Burnison, Jyutika Mehta, Juhi Kidwai

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose: Brain–computer interface (BCI) techniques may provide computer access for individuals with severe physical impairments. However, the relatively hidden nature of BCI control obscures how BCI systems work behind the scenes, making it difficult to understand “how” electroencephalography (EEG) records the BCIrelated brain signals, “what” brain signals are recorded by EEG, and “why” these signals are targeted for BCI control. Furthermore, in the field of speech-languagehearing, signals targeted for BCI application have been of primary interest to clinicians and researchers in the area of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). However, signals utilized for BCI control reflect sensory, cognitive, and motor …

Auditory, Cognitive, And Linguistic Factors Predict Speech Recognition In Adverse Listening Conditions For Children With Hearing Loss, Ryan W. Mccreery, Elizabeth A. Walker, Meredith Spratford, Dawna Lewis, Marc A. Brennan

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Objectives: Children with hearing loss listen and learn in environments with noise and reverberation, but perform more poorly in noise and reverberation than children with normal hearing. Even with amplification, individual differences in speech recognition are observed among children with hearing loss. Few studies have examined the factors that support speech understanding in noise and reverberation for this population. This study applied the theoretical framework of the Ease of Language Understanding (ELU) model to examine the influence of auditory, cognitive, and linguistic factors on speech recognition in noise and reverberation for children with hearing loss.

Design: Fifty-six children with hearing …

How Does Pre-Teaching Of Vocabulary And The Use Of Technology Increase Student Learning In Science, Jennefer A. Hilgenkamp

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

Understanding science vocabulary is one of the key components leading to student success in mastering science content. This study looks at the research surrounding pre-teaching vocabulary and the use of technology in the classroom. The purpose is to further investigate and deepen knowledge of science vocabulary. This research will use mixed methods of data collection. The study reports aggregated data on twenty-seven students of varying academic levels and needs (Regular Education, English Language Learners (ELL), Special Education), within Team 6A, of the 6^th grade and data for seven students, who consented for the project, will be evaluated further, through …

Taste Manipulation And Swallowing Mechanics In Trauma-Related Sensory-Based Dysphagia, Angela M. Dietsch, H. Duncan Dorris, William Pearson, Katie E. Dietrich-Burns, Nancy Pearl Solomon

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose: This study explored the effects of highconcentration taste manipulation trials on swallow function in persons with sensory-based dysphagia.

Method: Dysphagia researchers partnered with clinical providers to prospectively identify traumatically injured U.S. military service members (N = 18) with sensorybased dysphagia as evidenced by delayed initiation and/or decreased awareness of residue/penetration/ aspiration. Under videofluoroscopy, participants swallowed trials of 3 custom-mixed taste stimuli: unflavored (40% weight/volume [wt/vol] barium sulfate in distilled water), sour (2.7%wt/vol citric acid in 40% wt/vol barium suspension), and sweet–sour (1.11% wt/vol citric acid plus 8% wt/vol sucrose in 40% wt/vol barium suspension). Trials were analyzed …

Enhancing Self-Monitoring With Differential Negative Reinforcement Of Alternative Behavior For Increasing Students’ Writing Production, Meghann Torchia

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

Writing is a difficult task for many students who find it aversive, and who attempt to escape the task. Self-monitoring and differential negative reinforcement of alternative behavior (DNRA) are two approaches that have been shown to improve quantity of performance, but no studies were found that combined the two methods to determine whether they are more effective in combination than in isolation. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using DNRA to enhance self-monitoring for increasing writing productivity using a multiple probe, across participants, design. Number of words and number of sentences were measured. For …

Motor-Induced Suppression Of The N100 Event-Related Potential During Motor Imagery Control Of A Speech Synthesizer Brain–Computer Interface, Jonathan S. Brumberg, Kevin M. Pitt

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose: Speech motor control relies on neural processes for generating sensory expectations using an efference copy mechanism to maintain accurate productions. The N100 auditory event-related potential (ERP) has been identified as a possible neural marker of the efference copy with a reduced amplitude during active listening while speaking when compared to passive listening. This study investigates N100 suppression while controlling a motor imagery speech synthesizer brain–computer interface (BCI) with instantaneous auditory feedback to determine whether similar mechanisms are used for monitoring BCI-based speech output that may both support BCI learning through existing speech motor networks and be used as a …

Atoh1 Directs Regeneration And Functional Recovery Of The Mature Mouse Vestibular System, Zahra N. Sayyid, Tian Wang, Leon Chen, Sherri M. Jones, Alan G. Cheng

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Utricular hair cells (HCs) are mechanoreceptors required for vestibular function. After damage, regeneration of mammalian utricular HCs is limited and regenerated HCs appear immature. Thus, loss of vestibular function is presumed irreversible. Here, we found partial HC replacement and functional recovery in the mature mouse utricle, both enhanced by overexpressing the transcription factor Atoh1. Following damage, long-term fate mapping revealed that support cells non-mitotically and modestly regenerated HCs displaying no or immature bundles. By contrast, Atoh1 overexpression stimulated proliferation and widespread regeneration of HCs exhibiting elongated bundles, patent mechanotransduction channels, and synaptic connections. Finally, although damage without Atoh1 overexpression failed …

Considering Augmentative And Alternative Communication Research For Brain-Computer Interface Practice, Kevin M. Pitt, Jonathan S. Brumberg, Adrienne R. Pitt

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose: Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) aim to provide access to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices via brain activity alone. However, while BCI technology is expanding in the laboratory setting, there is minimal incorporation into clinical practice. Building upon established AAC research and clinical best practices may aid the clinical translation of BCI practice, allowing advancements in both fields to be fully leveraged.

Method: A multidisciplinary team developed considerations for how BCI products, practice, and policy may build upon existing AAC research, based upon published reports of existing AAC and BCI procedures.

Outcomes/Benefits: Within each consideration, a review of BCI research …

Individualized Instruction In Letter Name Identification For A Student With Cortical Visual Impairment, Holli Luff

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

Students with cortical visual impairment (CVI) have difficulties participating in literacy activities and the reading process. An evidenced-based curriculum was adapted and modified to teach letter naming to a student with CVI. A multiple probe design was used to determine whether the instruction was effective with a student with CVI and if instruction in letter identification support identification of letter sounds for a student with cortical visual impairment. There was a functional relationship between the explicit instruction and the students immediately recorded correct responses, but the skill was not maintained.

Advisor: Mackenzie Savaiano

Least Prompts Approach For Improving Reading Comprehension Of Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Marisa M. Hoins

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

In this study, the researcher employed a least prompts intervention to improve listening comprehension responses for three participants with intellectual disabilities (ID). All participants were required to (a) be diagnosed with a moderate ID or have a medical diagnosis of a disability typically co-occurring with ID (e.g., Downs Syndrome), (b) be in grades one to seven, (c) communicate orally, and (d) have normal hearing and vision. In addition, all participants expressed choices through orally responding yes/no or by pointing to a response board. The researcher used a multiple baseline design across three participants to determine if there was a functional …

Uncoordinated Maturation Of Developing And Regenerating Postnatal Mammalian Vestibular Hair Cells, Tian Wang, Mamiko Niwa, Zahra N. Sayyid, Davood K. Hosseini, Nicole Pham, Sherri M. Jones, Anthony J. Ricci, Alan G. Cheng

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Sensory hair cells are mechanoreceptors required for hearing and balance functions. From embryonic development, hair cells acquire apical stereociliary bundles for mechanosensation, basolateral ion channels that shape receptor potential, and synaptic contacts for conveying information centrally. These key maturation steps are sequential and presumed coupled; however, whether hair cells emerging postnatally mature similarly is unknown. Here, we show that in vivo postnatally generated and regenerated hair cells in the utricle, a vestibular organ detecting linear acceleration, acquired some mature somatic features but hair bundles appeared nonfunctional and short. The utricle consists of two hair cell subtypes with distinct morphological, electrophysiological …

Sodium-Activated Potassium Channels Shape Peripheral Auditory Function And Activity Of The Primary Auditory Neurons In Mice, Daniël O.J. Reijntjes, Jeong Han Lee, Seojin Park, Nick M.A. Schubert, Marcel Van Tuinen, Sarath Vijayakumar, Timothy A. Jones, Sherri M. Jones, Michael Anne Gratton, Xiao-Ming Xia, Ebenezer N. Yamoah, Sonja J. Pyott

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

potassium (K+) channels shape the response properties of neurons. Although enormous progress has been made to characterize K+ channels in the primary auditory neurons, the molecular identities of many of these channels and their contributions to hearing in vivo remain unknown. Using a combination of RNA sequencing and single molecule fluorescent in situ hybridization, we localized expression of transcripts encoding the sodium-activated potassium channels KNa1.1 (SLO2.2/Slack) and KNa1.2 (SLO2.1/Slick) to the primary auditory neurons (spiral ganglion neurons, SGNs). To examine the contribution of these channels to function of the sGNs in vivo, we measured auditory brainstem responses in KNa1.1/1.2 double …

Differentiation Of Patients With Balance Insufficiency (Vestibular Hypofunction) Versus Normal Subjects Using A Low-Cost Small Wireless Wearable Gait Sensor, Tam Q. Nguyen, Jonathan H. Young, Amanda Rodriquez, Steven Zupancic, Donald Y. C. Lie

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Balance disorders present a significant healthcare burden due to the potential for hospitalization or complications for the patient, especially among the elderly population when considering intangible losses such as quality of life, morbidities, and mortalities. This work is a continuation of our earlier works where we now examine feature extraction methodology on Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) tests and machine learning classifiers to differentiate patients with balance problems versus normal subjects on an expanded cohort of 60 patients. All data was obtained using our custom designed low-cost wireless gait analysis sensor (WGAS) containing a basic inertial measurement unit (IMU) worn by …

Automatic Nonnutritive Suck Waveform Discrimination And Feature Extraction In Preterm Infants, Chunxiao Liao, Austin O. Rosner, Jill L. Maron, Dongli Song, Steven M. Barlow

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Background and Objective: The emergence of the nonnutritive suck (NNS) pattern in preterm infants reflects the integrity of the brain and is used by clinicians in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to assess feeding readiness and oromotor development. A critical need exists for an integrated software platform that provides NNS signal preprocessing, adaptive waveform discrimination, feature detection, and batch processing of big data sets across multiple NICU sites. Thus, the goal was to develop and describe a crossplatform graphical user interface (GUI) and terminal application known as NeoNNS for single and batch file time series and frequency-domain analyses of …

Examining Sensory Ability, Feature Matching And Assessment-Based Adaptation For A Brain–Computer Interface Using The Steady-State Visually Evoked Potential, Jonathan S. Brumberg, Anh Nguyen, Kevin M. Pitt, Sean D. Lorenz

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose: We investigated how overt visual attention and oculomotor control influence successful use of a visual feedback brain-computer interface (BCI) for accessing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices in a heterogeneous population of individuals with profound neuromotor impairments. BCIs are often tested within a single patient population limiting generalization of results. This study focuses on examining individual sensory abilities with an eye toward possible interface adaptations to improve device performance.

Methods: Five individuals with a range of neuromotor disorders participated in four-choice BCI control task involving the steady state visually evoked potential. The BCI graphical interface was designed to simulate …

A Screening Protocol Incorporating Brain-Computer Interface Feature Matching Considerations For Augmentative And Alternative Communication, Kevin M. Pitt, Jonathan S. Brumberg

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose: The use of standardized screening protocols may inform brain-computer interface (BCI) research procedures to help maximize BCI performance outcomes and provide foundational information for clinical translation. Therefore, in this study we developed and evaluated a new BCI screening protocol incorporating cognitive, sensory, motor and motor imagery tasks.

Methods: Following development, BCI screener outcomes were compared to the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Cognitive Behavioral Screen (ALS-CBS), and ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALS-FRS) for twelve individuals with a neuromotor disorder.

Results: Scores on the cognitive portion of the BCI screener demonstrated limited variability, indicating all participants possessed core BCI-related skills. When compared …

Guidelines For Feature Matching Assessment Of Brain–Computer Interfaces For Augmentative And Alternative Communication, Kevin M. Pitt, Jonathan S. Brumberg

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose--Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) can provide access to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices using neurological activity alone without voluntary movements. As with traditional AAC access methods, BCI performance may be influenced by the cognitive–sensory–motor and motor imagery profiles of those who use these devices. Therefore, we propose a person-centered, feature matching framework consistent with clinical AAC best practices to ensure selection of the most appropriate BCI technology to meet individuals' communication needs.

Method--The proposed feature matching procedure is based on the current state of the art in BCI technology and published reports on cognitive, sensory, motor, and motor …

Effects Of An Ipad-Supported Phonics Intervention On Identifying And Generalizing Consonant Blends, Caitlin Kendrick

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

Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate the individual sound within words and is a crucial predicator of reading skills. Students with reading and writing difficulties often struggle with phonemic awareness tasks. Technology contributes to early literacy skills through providing means of communication, phonemic awareness instruction and comprehension skills. This study is an extension upon a previous study that evaluated the effectiveness of an iPad supported phonics intervention on identifying and generalization of consonant blends. A multi-element single case research design was used to address the following two research questions: 1) Is there a functional relation between the …