Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

Investigating Speech-Language Pathologists’ Perceptions On Bilingual/Multilingual Aac Intervention And Quality Of Care, Lillian D. Griffith

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study examined U.S.-based speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) perceptions of bilingual/multilingual AAC service provision and the barriers SLPs encounter to determine if SLP beliefs align with practices. An anonymous survey was distributed to 307 ASHA-certified SLPs, resulting in 21 completed responses. The survey consisted of questions that gathered information on participant demographics, caseload, perceptions/beliefs, and practices, with optional open-ended questions for additional context. SLPs in the participant sample strongly believed that AAC intervention should occur in all the languages spoken by the client. Despite this belief, they struggled to implement it due to barriers. Key barriers identified included SLP language limitations, …

Connecting With Augmentative And Alternative Communication Users: An Internship Report, Karaline Kerzie

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Honors Theses

This article evaluates and reflects on personal experiences working with children with autism in an early intervention, multidisciplinary setting. Implementation of Applied Behavior Analysis, Speech-Language Pathology, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, and Occupational Therapy techniques created a multifaceted and comprehensive intervention environment in a free-clinic setting.

Supporting An Inclusive Summer Camp For Children With Developmental Disabilities Who Use Aac And Their Neurotypical Peers: A Practice-Based Report, Jessica Hicks

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Honors Theses

For my honors research, I completed an internship in an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) lab at the University of Arkansas. For most of my internship work, I helped support an inclusive AAC summer camp for children with and without developmental disabilities, such as autism, for whom speech does not fully meet their communication needs. AAC includes high-tech tools such as communication apps on tablets that serve as speech-generating devices (SGDs). SGDs were used by many of the AAC summer camp participants with developmental disabilities. In this report, I will provide background information on AAC and developmental disabilities. I will …

Person-Centered Care In Adult Auditory Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review, Marien Alet Graham, Nannette Nicholson, Rachel Glade, Sonja Delport, Faheema Mahomed-Asmail

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective To scrutinise the efficacy of person-centered care (PCC) in enhancing outcomes for adults navigating hearing loss through a comprehensive examination of literature on PCC in auditory rehabilitation (AR). Design A scoping review was conducted following Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) reporting standards. A context framework guided the research question. Study Sample Structured searches across multiple databases identified 36 records which were categorised by research design, mapped by the first author's country, and depicted by number of publications per year. Six identified elements of PCC were anaylzed …

Exploring The Impact Of Age On Traumatic Brain Injury Cause And Recovery In Arkansas: A Retrospective Review, Abby Jones, Steven Wheeler, Jessica Danley

2026 Honors Symposium

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) remain a major public health concern, and increasing evidence goes to show the significance of the effect of age in quality of care, diagnosis, and recovery outcomes. In rural states, such as Arkansas, where research has shown a lack of resources and higher fatality rates among TBI patients, healthcare professionals can become better informed and equipped as a result of research efforts to uncover the effects of age on cause and recovery for inpatient TBI individuals in the early stages (Daugherty et al., 2022). Current research and prior evidence suggests that older individuals are more likely …

Investigating Speech-Language Pathologists’ Perception On Bilingual/Multilingual Aac Intervention And Quality Of Care., Lillian Griffith

2026 Research Poster Competition

In recent decades, the caseloads worldwide of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have become increasingly linguistically diverse (Soto & Yu 2014). However, current research in the field of communication sciences and disorders is primarily focused on monolingual populations, with a similar lack of research in the field regarding bilingual/multilingual Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) (Tönsing & Dada 2022). AAC refers to methods of communication other than spoken language and can augment existing speech or serve as an alternative to speech (ASHA n.d.). Although advancements in the field regarding AAC use for monolingual/English-speaking clients have been made, there is a lack of research …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists Following Implementation Of H.R.1 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act), Jenna Burns

2026 Research Poster Competition

Communication is a human right. As such, ASHA’s official Code of Ethics (2023) states that all speech-language pathologists working under the organization’s credentials have a responsibility to provide equitable and accessible care, regardless of socioeconomic status, citizenship status, or place of origin; however, there can be many barriers to the provision of this service, one of the most prominent being policy. Beginning in 2025, federal policy reforms enacted under H.R.1, colloquially known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” have impacted health care access, immigration policy, and educational funding, leading to eventual effects on the services of paraprofessionals in publicly-funded …

Exploring The Impact Of Age On Traumatic Brain Injury Cause And Recovery In Arkansas: A Retrospective Review, Abby Jones

2026 Research Poster Competition

Traumatic brain injury remains a major public health concern, and increasing evidence demonstrates the significance of the effect of age in quality of care, diagnosis, and recovery outcomes. In rural states, such as Arkansas, where research has shown a lack of resources and higher fatality rates among persons with TBI, healthcare professionals can become better informed and equipped to optimize recovery and rehabilitation as a result of research efforts to explore the effects of age from the standpoint of cause and recovery (Daugherty et al., 2022). This study was a retrospective analysis involving data covering a two-year period extracted from …

In The Pursuit Of Parent Caregiver Well-Being: A Phenomenological Study, Glenda E. Hux, Natalie King, Sarah A. Schoen

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Unmet needs in parent of children with chronic and complex conditions often result in adverse outcomes to their mental health and well-being. This descriptive phenomenological study explores their lived experiences and daily participation patterns. Thirteen participants in a global cohort shared their experiences via a secure digital platform. Five themes emerged illustrating the parents' pursuit of well-being and the barriers encountered: Embodying the Caregiver Life, Navigating Intricate Realities, Emotional and Existential Landscape, Navigating Healthcare Systems, and Connected Yet Alone. This study underlies parents' occupational participation challenges and the crucial need to address them using parent-centered approaches to promote family well-being.

A Socioecological Needs Assessment Of Alternative Learning Environments: Implications For Occupational And Mental Well-Being In School Settings, Glenda Hux, Sydney Rice, Lexus Brettell Wicinski, John V. Rider

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Alternative learning environments (ALEs) support students with complex behavioral, emotional, and social needs, yet only a small amount of research has examined their occupational and mental health needs using a socioecological approach. This study aimed to demonstrate the process of conducting a socioecological needs assessment in an ALE and identify needs from multiple stakeholder perspectives. A qualitative descriptive design was employed. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with 24 stakeholders, including students, educators, counselors, administrators, and a dietitian. Data were analyzed thematically by stakeholder group. Four overarching themes emerged: This School is a Shelter, We Believe in Resilience, We …

Integrating Lived Experience In Preprofessional Training In Speech Pathology And Audiology, Rachel Glade, Saira Hussain, Claire Wilkes, Christine Hunter, Faheema Mahomed-Asmail

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background Incorporating persons with lived experience (PWLE) has proven effective in supporting preprofessionals in their training by providing authentic insights that foster empathy, compassion and critical thinking. However, limited research exists on its integration into audiology and speech-language pathology courses. This project aimed to determine the benefits of incorporating lived experience engagements into preprofessional audiology and speech-language pathology training.Method Preprofessional students enrolled for a course in adult auditory (re)habilitation and engaged with PWLE during scheduled class sessions. Six PWLE from different countries, each with unique hearing experiences and various hearing technologies, interacted with the students. Students reflected on their experiences …

The Effect Of Genotype On Self-Reported Dysarthria And Dysphagia In Parkinson's Disease: A Parkinson's Progression Marker Initiative Study, Matthew Dumican, Therese Reyers, Alyson Malczewski, Zoe Thijs

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objectives The objective of this study was to examine baseline and longitudinal differences of self-reported dysarthria and dysphagia in the most common genetic subtypes of Parkinson's disease (PD) using the Parkinson's Progression Marker Initiative (PPMI) dataset. Methods This was a retrospective, longitudinal study utilizing data from the PPMI dataset. Dysarthria- and dysphagia-specific questions from the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and Scales of Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease-Autonomic questionnaire (SCOPA-AUT) were extracted for people with Parkinson's disease (PwPD) with leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 gene (LRRK2), GBA, and SNCA genotypes across up to five research visits. Relevant patient (age, sex, etc.) …

Overcoming Barriers To Literacy For Individuals Who Need Or Use Aac: Lived Experiences, Key Research Findings, And Future Directions, Janice Light, Christine Holyfield, David Mcnaughton, Dana Nieder, Jamie Preece

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Literacy supports participation in education, employment, healthcare, and community living, and enhances communication for individuals who need or use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Research has demonstrated that individuals with developmental disabilities who need or use AAC can successfully acquire a wide range of literacy skills when provided with effective tools and evidence-based, adapted instruction delivered by trained professionals. Unfortunately, individuals who need or use AAC typically face significant barriers to literacy learning: (1) They may be excluded from literacy instruction or only have access to instruction that requires spoken responses severely limiting their participation; (2) Their service providers may …

External Challenges For Individuals Who Need Or Use Aac Who Are Learning Language: Lived Experiences, Key Research Findings, And Future Directions, Christine Holyfield, Janice Light, Dana Nieder, Jamie Preece

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Language skills are essential to effective communication, but learning language is by no means a simple process for individuals with developmental disabilities who cannot rely on speech alone to be heard and understood. Research demonstrates that augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions positively impact development across language domains (e.g., pragmatics, semantics, morphosyntax) and may also benefit speech production. However, these gains can only be realized if people have timely access to effective AAC and have meaningful opportunities to interact with others. This paper integrates the lived experiences of individuals who need or use AAC and their families with key research …

Creating A Multi-Sensory Room At The University Of Arkansas, Alexandra R. Smith

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder, or autism, is a genetic neurological condition that can affect all aspects of an individual’s life, depending on their symptoms. Autistic people tend to struggle most significantly with social and emotional issues, which often results in declining academic success. With such a multifaceted disability, autistic students can struggle to perform at the same standards as their non-autistic peers, mostly due to the complications from their disability paired with limited accommodations. The consequences of these issues can manifest as lower admission rates, higher dropout rates, and higher stress levels for autistic students. This creative and service-learning honors thesis …

Examination Of Language Sample Analysis In Children Who Are D/Hh Using Clan, Caroline G. Stewart

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Honors Theses

Hearing is the building block of developing receptive and expressive oral language skills used to effectively communicate. Children who experience hearing loss typically experience delays in phonological, morphological, semantic, and even pragmatic development. Understanding the specific language challenges faced by deaf and hard of hearing (D/hh) young preschool-age children is crucial for developing targeted intervention strategies aimed at optimizing their language development. This research aims to analyze the nuanced aspects of phonological, morphological, semantic, and pragmatic language development among D/hh children, shedding light on areas that may require specialized support. The preliminary research will inform best practices in language assessment …

Assessing Language Skills Of Children Within The Head Start Program Using Language Sampling Analysis, Lynley Bowen

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fluency disorders, including stuttering and cluttering, disrupt one’s natural rate of speech and can cause implications for one’s emotional well-being. This study explores the relationship between language factors and stuttered events in preschool-age children by analyzing a spontaneous language sample using two transcription software programs, CLAN and SALT. A language sample was collected from a child enrolled in a local Head Start program and was transcribed and analyzed using the software programs. Results from CLAN’s KIDEVAL and FLUCALC features offered analysis of the child’s language profile, as well as SALT’s standards measure report feature. This study highlights the importance of …

Mind Matters: Curriculum And Design For A 16-Week Traumatic Brain Injury Support Group Addressing The Most Prevalent And Overlooked Needs Of Individuals Post-Tbi, Annmarie Ippolito

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a global health issue that affects millions of individuals. Despite its prevalence, there is minimal research on the most effective support group content for patients with a TBI.

Purpose

This project aims to investigate the need for traumatic brain injury support groups, along with what curriculum and design would be beneficial in a TBI support group.

Method

This study proposes a TBI support group program that focuses on addressing prevalent yet overlooked struggles post-TBI through the content and design of a 16-week support group.

Results/Conclusion

Ultimately, this project aims to improve patients with a …

A Comparative Analysis Of Salt And Clan In The Context Of Analyzing Disfluencies In Preschool-Age Children Who Stutter, Addilin G. Brown

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Honors Theses

This case study compares two widely used language sample analysis (LSA) programs including the Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (SALT) software and the Child Language Analysis (CLAN) software. The comparison aims to evaluate their effectiveness in analyzing the conversation-based language sample of a preschool-aged child who was reported at-risk for stuttering. A conversational language sample was collected from a four-year-old male at a local head-start program. The sample was transcribed and analyzed using both SALT and CLAN. SALT provided a user-friendly interface with clear results and a comparison to normative data. Some of these results included a maze and word …

Over-Imitation In Adolescents With Autism Compared With Typically Developing Peers: An Expanded Literature Review, Elizabeth Floeck

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Background:

Over-imitation, the act of imitating both relevant and irrelevant actions, is a behavior commonly found in human learning and social development. It is often observed in typically developing (TD) children and is believed to play a role in both social and learning development. While the exact motivations behind over-imitation remain a mystery, over-imitation appears to be a socially motivated behavior. Children may over-imitate when they know certain actions are unnecessary, suggesting this behavior stems from social acceptance and norms. In individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), social and communicative behaviors are drastically different from TD individuals. In individuals …

Empowering Through Technology: An Internship Report On Augmentative And Alternative Communication Devices, Olivia G. Macdonald

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Honors Theses

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices play a crucial role in supporting individuals with communication challenges, particularly children with developmental disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This paper provides a comprehensive review of the literature on AAC and offers a detailed report of an internship experience at the University of Arkansas WE CARE Summer Camp. During the internship, firsthand experiences provided valuable insights into how AAC technologies can be applied to enhance communication, foster social connections, and support behavioral regulation.

The literature review explores the different types of AAC systems, including both aided and unaided options, and discusses the …

Over-Imitation Skills In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Compared To Typically Developing Peers: An Expanded Literature Review, Josephine M. Stadler

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Background:

Imitation, a foundational social and cognitive development mechanism, enables individuals to acquire cultural norms, communication skills, and problem-solving strategies. Over-imitation— the replication of both relevant and irrelevant actions demonstrated by others—plays a critical role in social learning. While typically developing children often engage in over-imitation to promote social bonding and affiliation, the role and underlying motivations for over-imitation in children with ASD remain less clearly understood.

Purpose:

Through a critical synthesis of professional and scholarly literature, this review aims to evaluate the history and development of research on imitation and over-imitation, assess empirical findings regarding typically developing children …

Language Sample Analysis In Preschool-Age Children At-Risk For Speech Sound Disorders, Hannah Spear

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Honors Theses

Introduction: Language sample analysis is a highly beneficial tool that speech-language pathologists can utilize to provide a more accurate diagnosis and treatment plan for their client. This method is particularly valuable because it assesses a child’s speech in a naturalistic form, allowing therapists to observe how the child communicates in real-world settings. Speech sound disorders account for the highest number of cases treated by speech-language pathologist in the pediatric population. This thesis aims to investigate two different types of language sample analysis software, CLAN and SALT, as well as their benefits and limitations in diagnosing speech sound disorders. Understanding the …

Evaluating Artificial Intelligence On The Efficacy Of Preference Assessments For Preservice Speech-Language Pathologists, Brenna Griffin, Elizabeth R. Lorah, Christine Holyfield, Nicolette Caldwell, John Nosek

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications and Presentations

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face many barriers to meaningful inclusion, including limited language and communication skills. Professionals, such as speech-language pathologists (SLPs), can provide personalized instruction to promote skill development and inclusion. Providing opportunities for individuals to express preferences and choice, such as the multiple stimulus without replacement preference assessment (MSWO; DeLeon & Iwata 1996), within these programs, further increases skill acquisition and social interaction. However, limitations in professionals’ knowledge and skills in performing assessments can be another barrier to meaningful inclusion for individuals with IDD and traditional training methods can be challenging and time consuming. …

Comparing The Social Skills Of Male And Female Children With Autism Using Facesay, Elijah Williams, Kimberly Frazier, Cynthia A. Watson

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study examined the pre- and post-test performance on the Social Skills Improvement Scale (SSiS) Student Forms between groups of male and female children (n=6) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) aged 6–13 years following 10 sessions of 15-minute engagements with the FaceSay computer program. Between the group of males with ASD and the group of females with ASD, there was no significant difference in the compared difference of scores for the Social Skills Scale between the male group (M=6.3333, SD=28.72862) and the female group (M=4.3333, SD=6.80686); t(4)=-0.117, p=0.912 following independent t-test analysis. Also, between these groups, there was no significant …

The Perceptions Of Psychologists And Speech-Language Pathologists On Intervention Methods For Selective Mutism, Abby Olmstead

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders Undergraduate Honors Theses

Introduction: This is a study done to evaluate the perceptions of speech-language pathologists, psychologists/licensed professional counselors and their thoughts on selective mutism intervention. These thoughts will be gathered and analyzed to be compared to speech-language pathologists perceptions to see if there are differences. The goal is to be able to see the overall most-shared opinion to better be able to understand the intervention involving selective mutism. Selective Mutism (SM) is a rare disorder as only 1% of the population is diagnosed with it. The purpose is to provide more education on the disorder and help various kinds of professionals better …

Foster Children Facing Communication Disorders, Ashlyn Carter

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders Undergraduate Honors Theses

The foster care system is alarmingly overpopulated, which leads to many foster children experiencing neglect of care in many issues they face, whether medical, speech, or mental conditions; which is unacceptable. These children already face so many trials and difficulties throughout life and deserve to receive care and treatment in these situations the same as any other child. The purpose of this research is to work to make sure children who are dealing with speech and communication disorders are having those issues recognized, being taken to treatment, and being given the opportunity to fix these things, thus helping to avoid …

How Engaged Are Infants And Toddlers While Picture Book Reading?, Zoe Lawless

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders Undergraduate Honors Theses

Introduction: Literacy is a very important skill that begins to be acquired at birth. Most children start to develop pre-literacy skills by being read to by their parents or other adults around them. Being read aloud to can occur at many different ages and can start as early as infancy. As children grow, they interact and engage with books in different ways. This thesis aims to investigate the read-aloud behaviors of two different groups of young children, to reveal differences in engagement interactions among infants and young toddlers when being read picture books by their teacher.

Methods: The …

Using Aac To Build Young Beginning Communicators’ Inclusion In Song Routines, Sydney Miller

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the effectiveness of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) on preschool-aged beginning communicators’ ability to participate linguistically during song social routines. The AAC used during the intervention phase were visual scene displays (VSDs). VSDs are color-realistic photos, often depicting real people, that are context-rich for the user. VSDs are less demanding and offer the user a way to communicate their thoughts, feelings, or emotions in a more contextualized way. The present study used a multiple-baseline across participants approach. The primary dependent measure was the linguistic participation of each participant using the VSD. The results indicated that each …

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

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

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