Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

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 …

Orthographic And Phonological Processing In Beginning Readers, Emily Fisher

Senior Theses

In order to learn to “sound out” new words, children must have phonological awareness, the ability to reflect on and manipulate the sounds in words. However, in skilled readers, performance on phonological awareness tasks is influenced by orthographic awareness, the awareness of spelling patterns and constraints. Both orthographic and phonological awareness are essential to reading, however, until recently the role of orthographic knowledge in phonological awareness has not been thoroughly investigated in beginning readers. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between orthographic and phonological knowledge in beginning readers and established a proof of concept for the use of …

The Ability Of Children With Developmental Language Disorder (Dld) To Infer Emotions From Pictures: Where's The Breakdown?, Mary Rebekah Forbes

Theses and Dissertations

Children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) often have difficulties with social and emotional learning, including emotion understanding and inferencing. Five children with DLD, ages 6;4 to 11;9, identified emotions depicted in pictured scenarios over a period of 10 weeks. Emotion categories included happy, sad, anger, fear, surprise, and disgust. Each child's responses were analyzed and plotted on a confusion matrix. In a few cases, children did not interpret the scenario accurately. Even when they interpreted the scenario accurately, all of the children misapplied, overgeneralized, or confused emotion labels in some cases. These errors represented limitations in social and emotional learning …

A Discourse Analysis Of Clinician-Child Interactions Within A Meaning-Based Phonological Intervention, Brittany Appleby Long

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study analyzed interactions between clinicians and a male child, aged 5 years 9 months old, with significant phonological as well as language deficits within a meaning-based phonological intervention implemented over a nine-month period. Play-based intervention strategies were presented in activities that varied in communicative complexity. The clinician, along with graduate-student assistants, frequently modeled and elicited target word productions as they interacted with the child in routines and scripted play contexts. Transcriptions of interactions were analyzed using a conversational analysis that explored engagement and participation, turn taking, and linguistic complexity of utterances produced in adjacent turns. The analyses illustrated …

A Social Communication Intervention To Facilitate Emotion Word Learning In School-Age Children With Developmental Language Disorders, Sara Elise Avila

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, social communication approaches to intervention for children with developmental language disorders (DLD) have been limited. However, several recent studies have shown that these interventions can produce positive changes in children with DLD. One weakness that children with DLD demonstrate is the production of words to express emotion. This thesis evaluates the effectiveness of a story-based social communication intervention to increase the production of emotion words in three elementary school-age children diagnosed with DLD. Data were collected and analyzed in pre-treatment baseline sessions, throughout the intervention, and in post-treatment follow-up data for the seven target emotion word categories of happiness, …

Articulatory Kinematic Compensation For A Bite Block During Diphthong Production, Michelle Olson Richins

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined the effects of bite blocks on articulatory kinematics when producing diphthongs /ɑɪ/ and /É‘ÊŠ/ within a phrase. Participants consisted of 20 young adults (10 males, 10 females) with no speech, language or hearing disorders. Participants produced the diphthongs in the carrier phrase Im an owl that hoots. A Northern Digital Instruments Wave electromagnetic articulograph measured the articulatory movements while the speaker produced the stimuli in two conditions (pre bite block insertion and post bite block insertion). Bilateral bite blocks were made using Express dental putty, which is a silicone impression material, in order to create a …

Developmental Language Disorders And Reticence In Childhood, Aimee Diehl

Theses and Dissertations

Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) struggle in a variety of social contexts. These children display different forms of social withdrawal, the most prevalent being shyness which is behaviorally manifested as reticence. The goal of the current study was to further explore the relationship between DLD and reticence in children using a revised set of items from the Teacher Behavior Rating Scale (TBRS). A total of 220 children participated in the study. A univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine if there were significant differences related to group, age, and gender on reticence. Findings revealed a significant difference …

Interprofessional Education For Pre-Service School-Based Professionals: Faculty And Student Collaboration, Julie Strunk, Debi Kipps-Vaughan, Stacey L. Pavelko, Dannette Allen-Bronaugh, Karen Myers, Tammy Gilligan, Michele Kielty, Elizabeth Richardson, Joseph Tacy

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Interprofessional collaboration is necessary for school-based professionals who provide services for students with disabilities. Most pre-service training, however, takes place in separate programs and does not afford students opportunities to learn effective collaborative techniques. This study examined the effects of a one-day interprofessional learning experience for pre-service school-based professionals. The goals were twofold: 1) increase students’ understanding of the core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice (Interprofessional Education Collaborative, 2016) and 2) provide an opportunity for students to participate in interprofessional collaboration within a simulated school-based context. A mixed method design examined changes in students’ knowledge of the IPEC competencies. Students …

Training Students Through A Community Outreach Program To Support Families Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Joann P. Benigno`, John W. Mccarthy, Sarah O. Taylor, Bridget Gornichec Wright, Chao-Yang Lee

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

This outreach program involved training eight graduate and 19 undergraduate students to create evidence-based communication supports for families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) within the context of a two-course sequence on ASD. During the training program, ten families in rural Appalachia benefited from our services. Student and family satisfaction data with the outreach program was highly positive. Undergraduate and graduate university students participating in the program met or partially met 97% of their goals set at the beginning of each semester. Undergraduate students’ self-ratings of their own knowledge about material covered in the course were significantly higher than …

Autoscore: An Open-Source Automated Tool For Scoring Listener Perception Of Speech, Stephanie A. Borrie, Tyson S. Barrett, Sarah E. Yoho Leopold

Psychology Faculty Publications

Speech perception studies typically rely on trained research assistants to score orthographic listener transcripts for words correctly identified. While the accuracy of the human scoring protocol has been validated with strong intra- and inter-rater reliability, the process of hand-scoring the transcripts is time-consuming and resource intensive. Here, an open-source computer-based tool for automated scoring of listener transcripts is built (Autoscore) and validated on three different human-scored data sets. Results show that not only is Autoscore highly accurate, achieving approximately 99% accuracy, but extremely efficient. Thus, Autoscore affords a practical research tool, with clinical application, for scoring listener intelligibility of speech.

Speech-Language Pathologists' Collaboration With Interpreters: Results Of A Current Survey In California, Terry Saenz, Henriette W. Langdon

Faculty Publications

One of the challenges of bilingual speech and language assessment, intervention, and conferencing is the effective collaboration with interpreters in such interpreted interactions when the professional does not share the same spoken language with the client. A survey of California speech-language pathologists who were members of the California Speech-Language-Hearing Association (CSHA) was performed to obtain information on their training to collaborate with, experiences with, and opinions of interpreters. In addition, these professionals were surveyed about the training of the interpreters and suggestions for improvement in interpreted interactions. Findings from 229 participants indicated that: (a) Most of the speech-language pathologists had …

Deaf Education: The Past, Present, And Future, Diana Burke

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Back in the 1800's, sign language was banned from schools because of the prevailing view that sign language inhibited children who are deaf from interacting with the hearing society. Today, due to the growth of technology, children who are deaf can communicate using sign language and spoken language. These children can attend mainstream schools or schools for the Deaf. This paper will focus on the history of schools for the Deaf and my observations as a student observer at the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind (VSDB). VSDB is a residential school providing students who are deaf and blind …

Implications Of Dual Language Scoring Of The Preschool Language Scale-Fifth Edition Spanish For Bilingual Preschool-Aged Children, Callie Mae Mathis

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: Spanish versions of standardized tests used in language evaluations are not well studied. The purpose of this study is to further examine the appropriateness of the Preschool Language Scale, Fifth Edition Spanish (PLS-5S) in a U.S./Mexico border community by comparing the Dual language scores versus the Spanish only scores and comparing the normative sample of the PLS-5S to the population of El Paso, TX.

Method: Twenty-three bilingual preschool aged children in the El Paso area completed the Spanish Edition of the PLS-5S. The parents and teachers of the participants completed two language proficiency questionnaires (Bilingual Input Output Survey; BIOS …

Effects Of A Sensory Diet On Attention And Participation In Children With Autism, Leighanne Smith-Mrkaja

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide initial knowledge regarding sensory diets and sensory-based interventions. The need for classroom-based sensory interventions are not always considered, especially with the high number of students diagnosed with ASD at the researcher’s school. Often sensory intervention may not be considered educationally relevant, especially in the prekindergarten level. With the proper training and materials, as well as the guidance of the school-based occupational therapist, teachers, other therapists, classroom assistants, parents, and school-based staff might be able to utilize sensory-based activities like sensory diets to increase participation, positive behaviors, and attention. The following applied research study …

A Resource Manual For Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students On Culturally Relevant Therapy Materials, Anna Yates, Heidi M. Harbers, Ciera M. Lorio

Graduate Independent Studies - Communication Sciences and Disorders

This literature review will discuss the effects of shared book reading interventions on the language outcomes of young children from mainstream and diverse backgrounds. The first three studies will identify parent-child shared book reading interventions with children from the dominant culture. The next three studies will discuss the effects of providing shared book reading interventions to children who are bilingual. The final four studies will examine the use of culturally relevant materials in bilingual shared book reading interventions.

Strategies To Address Challenging Behaviors In Children With Down Syndrome, Emily Sproat, Ciera M. Lorio, Kimberly Adelman Ms Ccc-Slp

Graduate Independent Studies - Communication Sciences and Disorders

As a future speech-language pathologist, it is imperative to develop knowledge and skills regarding how to provide therapy while managing challenging behaviors. Challenging behaviors could have long and short-term effects on the individual themselves and multiple entities in the child’s environment including caregivers, teachers, peers and other professionals. The presence of challenging behaviors can significantly impact learning as well as impede social interaction with peers. The purpose of this literature review is to inform speech-language pathologists about behavioral aspects of individuals with Down syndrome, with a focus on challenging behavior, and the best application of strategies and interventions for success. …

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 …

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 …

Reflections On Changing Pedagogy Of Augmentative And Alternative Communication, Kelly Kleinhans, Lauren E. Bland, Richard Dressler

Journal of Excellence in College Teaching and Learning

Augmentative and alternate communication (AAC) is a service delivery area in the field of speech-language pathology. Individuals with significant and complex communication impairments benefit when a speech-language pathologist develops a communication system that either replaces or augments traditional speech. AAC includes the use of assistive technology designed to represent language and produce voice output. The profession's credentialing body, the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, requires university training programs to document student's knowledge and skills in AAC for working with clients across the lifespan. The authors reflect on how pedagogy associated with AAC has been transformed over time by external influences like …

Barriers To Change For Augmentative And Alternative Communication, Lauren E. Brown

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of counseling training on speech language pathologists’ (SLPs) perceived competency to address Attitude Barriers within the augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) assessment process as presented by Beukelman and Mirenda (2005). Counseling techniques, such as the use of the Readiness to Change© tool, are within the scope of practice for SLPs. Unfortunately, there is a lack of research on how to apply these tools and techniques with individuals who use AAC .

A training seminar was conducted to educate participants in the use of the Readiness to Change© tool. Data was …

Letter Reversals In L2 Learners And The Link Between Letter Reversals And Phonemic Awareness Skills, Bayley Renee Politte

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to find the prevalence of letter reversals in L2 students and a possible link between letter reversals and phonemic awareness skills. The participants were all bilingual children who spoke Spanish as their first language (L1) and English as their second language (L2). All participants were initially given a spelling test composed of words that contained letters that were often reversed. The spelling test was given to all participants prior to the Jordan Left-Right Reversals Test- Third Edition (JLRRT-3) (Jordan, 2011). The JLRRT-3 was standardized on both English and Spanish speaking children. The Dynamic Indicators …

Personal Commitment Statements In Evaluating Continuing Education: Evolutionary Practice, Juan Bornman, Brenda Louw

ETSU Faculty Works

The use of a Commitment-to-Change (CTC) statement to evaluate Continuing Education was investigated through a case study design. A CE event on communication disorders within the ICF-CY framework was evaluated by a Personal Commitment form and a follow-up survey. Results of a thematic analysis of statements and follow-up survey illustrate the important potential of this evolutionary approach.

An Exploratory Study Of Speech-Language Pathologists' Perceptions Of Multicultural Counseling In Communication Sciences And Disorders, Crystal C. Randolph, Janet L. Bradshaw

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Speech-language pathologists’ (SLPs) perceptions of multicultural counseling vary according to their academic (teaching and learning), educational, supervisory, supervisee, and clinical experiences. With the increase of culturally and linguistically diverse populations, the implementation of multicultural counseling in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) is essential to providing efficacious assessments and interventions. The current research reports data from a recent survey that queried SLPs’ perceptions of multicultural counseling in CSD. Results from the survey reveal that SLPs' perceptions of MC vary according to their experiences (e.g., educational, supervisory, clinical).

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

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

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).

Speech-Language Pathology Student Participation In Verbal Reflective Practice Groups: Perceptions Of Development, Value And Group Condition Differences., Gina D. Tillard, Kate Cook, Daniel Gerhard, Lydia Keast, Megan Mcauliffe

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The aim of this study was to determine whether significant differences in perceptions of reflective practice were present across two groups of students engaged in standard practice and experimental group conditions. Twenty-seven undergraduate speech-language pathology students participated in the study. A two-condition, non-randomised, pre-test post-test design was employed with two groups (a standard practice condition and an experimental practice condition, utilizing structured activities and prompts). Participants took part in weekly reflective practice groups over a six week period, in which discussion centered on students’ clinical experiences. Pre and post intervention, the students completed a questionnaire designed to examine perceptions of …

Language, Literacy, And Multiliteracies: Preparing Graduate Students To Provide Language Intervention In The 21st Century, Wanda M. V. Kent

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The concept of multiliteracies and its application in educational settings are described with a specific focus on the potential benefits and challenges in use of this approach with children with a language-based learning disability (LLD). The role of traditional literacy skills within a multiliteracies perspective is examined and the literacy skills required by children when using new modes of communication such as texting are discussed. Finally, the implications for educating prospective speech-language pathologists to provide service in a broader literacy landscape are examined.

Impact Of Virtual Simulation And Coaching On The Interpersonal Collaborative Communication Skills Of Speech-Language Pathology Students: A Pilot Study, Jacqueline A. Towson Ph.D., Ccc-Slp, Matthew S. Taylor Ph.D., Jennifer Tucker Pt, Dpt, Pcs, Claire Paul Ph.D., Bcba, Patrick Pabian Pt, Dpt, Scs, Ocs, Richard I. Zraick Ph.D., Ccc-Slp

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Communication between clinicians, teachers, and family members is a critical skill when addressing and providing for the individual needs of patients. However, graduate students in speech-language pathology (SLP) programs often have limited opportunities to practice these skills prior to or during externship placements. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of virtual-reality based rehearsal with coaching on the interpersonal collaborative communication skills of SLP graduate students when delivering information regarding a singular patient to different stakeholders. Three graduate students completing their third semester in a SLP program participated in the study. Each participant was provided a clinical …

Early Literacy Abilities In Spanish-English Emergent Bilingual Children From Varied Dialectal Backgrounds, Antonietta Mastrota

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Hispanic population within the United States has grown to a considerable amount. The state of Florida’s population is 25% Hispanic, with projected estimates of this population continuing to grow in the coming years (Ortman & Shin, 2011). Statistics show that 28.3% of the state’s population, over the age of five, speak a language other than English at home. With this considerable number of Spanish-speakers comes the responsibility to adjust certain educational practices to best meet their needs. Literacy is an essential part of learning, and therefore assessing early literacy is an essential part to any child’s academic development.

Phonological …

Factors Related To Successful Implementation Of An Aac Device For An Individual With Autism, Michaela Worms

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Communication impairment is a defining characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (American Psychiatric Association, 2013); therefore, the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) has become an essential part of language intervention for children with autism that experience significant difficulties with communication (Flores et al., 2012). Assessing children’s preferences for AAC options may be important with respect to AAC abandonment, which is a problem in the AAC field (Johnson, Inglebret, Jones, & Ray, 2006). This single-subject study identified factors related to successful implementation, acquisition, and usage of an AAC system. The clinician collected baseline data on the client’s spontaneous production …

Ethnographic Insight Into The Developmentally Diverse Worlds Of Twins: “L & J”, Allison Gallant

Senior Honors Projects

According to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (2016), approximately 3 of every 1000 infants are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears: with 90% of these infants being born to hearing parents. Immediately following the birth of a deaf child, parents are often bombarded with decisions regarding interventions to “fix” their child’s “disability”. This decision can impact how their child will experience the world and others. The situation is a very different stressor when a hearing child is born to deaf parents. Embracing one’s deaf identity and engaging in “deaf …