Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

Vocabulary Acquisition Through Fast Mapping In Children With Autism, Lynne Barcus

Masters Theses

Fast mapping is a cognitive process that facilitates acquisition of new vocabulary through brief exposures to words and their referents. Research has shown that typically developing children and those with Down syndrome, specific language impairment, or mental impairment acquire new vocabulary through fast mapping, although with different levels of success. This study explored the effectiveness of fast mapping to facilitate vocabulary acquisition in children with autism. A multiple baseline across subjects design was employed with four children with autism. After a pre-test to determine which food and animal objects were unfamiliar to each subject, a series of fast mapping trials …

Effect Of Siblings And Peers On Social Interaction Of Children With Autism, Laura E. Welsh

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact that siblings and peers have on the social skills of children with autism. Subjects included six children with autism between the ages of five and eight years of age. Subjects were observed playing with a typically-developing sibling for two one-hour sessions. Half of the subjects were observed playing with a typically-developing peer for two one-hour sessions. During each structured play session, toys from a preselected set were presented one at a time. The children were instructed to play together with no further adult interaction. Data were analyzed for joint attention, …

Nonliteral Language Used By Teachers In The Classroom, Jenna K. Szybowicz

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research project was to determine ifregular education and special education classroom teachers used a varying amount of idioms in the classroom. Two groups of subjects were involved in the study; 12 regular education classroom teachers (four first grade; four second grade; and four third grade) and 12 primary crosscategorical classroom teachers. The teachers were observed for one to two hours via naturalistic observation methods during math and language arts lessons. The sample was transcribed and analyzed using Systematic Analysis of Language Transcriptions (SALT). The transcriptions were coded for the following criteria: nonliteral idioms[n] (e.g.,just a minute); …

The Effectiveness Of Errorless Learning For Teaching Concepts And Comments To Children With Autism, Marissa L. Ulm

Masters Theses

Research has indicated that errorless learning has been an effective teaching strategy for teaching discrete skills to both typically developing children and children with a learning disability (Schimek, 1983; Storm & Robinson, 1973). Errorless learning differs from other common teaching strategies in that it only presents correct responses, eliminating the possibility of participants responding incorrectly. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of errorless learning for improving symbol acquisition in children with autism who used a high-tech augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device. Four children previously diagnosed with autism participated in this study; subjects were required to …

The Application Of Visual Phonics And Phonological Awareness Interventions To Address Emergent Literacy Development In Speech-Language Impaired Preschoolers, Elizabeth K. Gergits

Masters Theses

This study investigated the effectiveness of phonological awareness intervention versus phonological awareness intervention supplemented by visual phonics han,d cues upon emergent literacy skill development in preschool children with speech and/or language impairment. A pretest - posttest control group design was used to compare the effectiveness of phonological awareness intervention and visual phonics in promoting the development of the following emergent literacy skills: alphabet knowledge, beginning sound awareness, print awareness, rhyme awareness, nursery rhyme awareness, phonological awareness at the syllable level, and name writing abilities. Three groups were formed from twenty-four subjects from at-risk early childhood programs in central Illinois. The …

The Effect Of Person Versus Aac Directed Apraxia Therapy On Elicited Imitation For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jeanna Rachelle Probst

Masters Theses

There is limited research in the area of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and autism spectrum disorder with childhood apraxia of speech. The current research project was designed to evaluate the amount of elicited imitation produced when using a person-directed stimulus mode versus an AAC-directed stimulus mode. The dependent variable was elicited imitations. The independent variables were the AAC-directed condition and the person-directed condition.

The subjects were six school-aged children with the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS). The subjects were pulled out of their regular 45 minute individual speech therapy and randomly presented …

Effect Of Prolonged Pacifier Use On Speech Articulation, Danielle Laprairie

Masters Theses

The hypothesis of the current research study was that children who frequently use pacifiers past the age of 2 years would display more articulation errors and patterns than children with limited or no pacifier use. The specific research question was whether there was a difference in articulation errors between children who used a pacifier and children who did not use a pacifier for a prolonged duration and frequency. Experimental subjects included seven children who had used a pacifier for at least 2 years and who were either currently using a pacifier or who had discontinued using a pacifier within 6 …

The Application Of Visual Phonics And Phonological Awareness Interventions To Address Language Impairment In Preschool Children, Jodi Dyke

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of two phonological awareness interventions on the development of auditory comprehension, expressive language, semantics, and syntax. Specifically, the study examined the effect of phonological awareness intervention integrated with See the Sound/Visual Phonics hand cues versus only phonological awareness intervention. Twenty-seven children identified as speech and/or language delayed were assigned to one of three groups that received (a) phonological awareness instruction, (b) phonological awareness instruction coupled with visual phonics hand cues, or (c) no intervention. Seven children were designated as a control group and twenty were placed in one of two …

Perspective-Taking In Adolescents With Asperger Syndrome And Nonverbal Learning Disorder, Caitlin Scaliatine

Masters Theses

Theory of mind is the ability to attribute mental states to oneself and other individuals, allowing us to predict the thoughts and feelings of others based on their behaviors. Research has established that individuals with Asperger syndrome (AS) experience difficulty with advanced theory of mind tasks; however, theory of mind abilities have not been evaluated for individuals with nonverbal learning disability (NVLD). The following test battery was administered to four adolescents with AS, five adolescents with NVLD, and five adolescents with neurotypical development to examine their theory of mind abilities: the Pragmatic Judgment and lriferences subtests from the Comprehensive Assessment …

Relative Timing Of Speech Motor Events At Utterance Invitation In Persons Who Do And Do Not Stutter, Bryan Thomas Brown

Masters Theses

Speech production is a highly complex speech motor activity that presumably requires a high degree of coordination between articulatory, respiratory and phonatory subsystems. Stuttering may be caused by breakdowns in speech motor coordination. The current study attempted to evaluate timing relationship between these systems at speech initiation in the perceptually fluent speech of people who do and do not stutter. To study this, tongue blade speed histories, respiratory transitions from inspiratory to expiratory gestures, and acoustic events at the initiation of perceptually fluent speech in persons who stutter and normally fluent speakers were analyzed in relative time. To identify the …

The Effect Of Joint Book Reading And The Language Experience Approach On Vocabulary Acquisition, Whitney Sturm

Masters Theses

Research indicates that reading books is beneficial for development of vocabulary and syntax (Robbins & Ehri, 1994). Joint book reading is defined as the interaction between an adult, child, and a book while reading. The language experience approach (LEA) is a reading method that "promotes reading and writing through the use of personal experiences and oral language"(Taylor, 1992). The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of joint book reading and the language experience approach on vocabulary acquisition in preschool and kindergarten children with hearing impairments, as well as, preschool and kindergarten children with normal hearing.

Within …

Word Retrieval Treatment Using Collaborative Referencing, Cassie (Shuemaker) Flack

Masters Theses

The use of collaborative referencing tasks as a supplement to traditional speech therapy for two individuals ( one male and one female) with non:fluent aphasia due to cerebrovascular accident (CVA) was investigated. The participants' spouses served as communication partners for the collaborative referencing task. Stimuli consisted of three sets of ten pictures of individuals performing actions. Participants and spouses alternated serving as director and matcher for six trials each session. Each picture set was targeted until participants reached 80% accuracy across two trials at identifying pictures. Analysis of transcripts showed that participants and communication partners followed the three phases of …

Adolescents’ Perceptions Of Their Roles In Decision-Making In The Oral Cleft Clinic, Rebecca Ann Hague

Masters Theses

Background: The literature suggests adolescents have the cognitive abilities equivalent to an adult for health related decisions. Adolescents should participate in treatment planning at a level equivalent to their cognitive abilities and the extent they desire. Little is known regarding adolescents' perceived and desired level of involvement in decision making in an oral cleft clinic.

Purpose: To describe adolescents' perceptions of their roles and desired level of involvement in decision-making in an oral cleft clinic.

Methods: Four adolescents completed a questionnaire and participated in focus groups.

Results: Participants reported that they perceive they are involved in decision-making processes, are knowledgeable …

Perceptions Of Adolescents: Preferences Of Adolescents For Parental Presence And The Effect On Information Disclosure, Bethany Barrus

Masters Theses

Adolescents born with a cleft lip or palate are in a unique position because they have received a lifetime of interdisciplinary team care where decisions are frequently made by parents, yet they are transitioning into a stage of life in which they will make their own health related decisions. Because of the complexity of their health needs, the preferred method of care is interdisciplinary team care (Nackashi, Dedlow, Dixon-Wood, 1997; Kummer, 2001). Little research has been conducted regarding the perceptions of adolescents with oral cleft about their care and issues of confidentiality in the context of team care. This study …

Assessing Effectiveness Of The Differential Assessment Of Autism And Other Developmental Disorders (Daadd) As A Diagnostic Screening Instrument, Caroline Dahlstrom

Masters Theses

Children with developmental disorders were thought to be more similar than different in the past (Greenspan & Wieder, 1998). Many developmental disorders are a result of neurological differences and/or delays in a child's acquisition of general skills and can present similarly at a young age (Richard & Calvert, 2003). Therefore, there has recently been an emphasis on the need for developmental disorders to be differentiated because of the differences being noted. Many assessment tools, including specialized checklists, interview formats, and standardized tests used to assist in the diagnosis of developmental disorders are available. The Differential Assessment of Autism and other …

Methodological Variables For Eliciting Maximum Phonational Frequency Range In Adults, K. Lenee Moseley

Masters Theses

The current study employed an experimental research design to compare the effect of elicitation tasks (glissando versus discrete-steps) and the integration of visual feedback (auditory-only model versus visual feedback with an auditory model) on obtaining an individual's maximum phonational frequency range (MFPR). Participants included forty normal speaking males and females. A one-way ANOVA indicated the glissando elicitation task yielded a significantly higher MPFR than the discrete-steps elicitation task. [F (1,159) = 34.39; p < .01]. A one-way ANOVA approached but did not reach statistical significance [F (1,159) = 3.104, p = .08] for the difference between the auditory-only model and the auditory model with visual feedback. However, the frequency means depicted a larger MPFR when visual feedback was included within each of the elicitation tasks.

The Effects Of Augmentative And Alternative Communication On The Communication Attempts And Disruptive Behavior Of A Child With Autism, Natalie Arp

Masters Theses

This study evaluated the use of augmentative and alternative communication as a means to decrease disruptive behavior for a child in the autism spectrum. A case study with a training and treatment period was implemented. The dependent variables were the disruptive behaviors and the increased communication that occurred during a speech therapy treatment session. The independent variable was the implementation of augmentative and alternative communication, specifically, a modified Picture Exchange Communication System, (PECS) (Bondy & Frost, 1998) in combination with a VOCA (Twin Talk). The participant was a 3 1/2 year old female diagnosed with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder at …

The Effect Of Objective Data In Narrative Observation Notes On Changing Supervisee Behavior, Rudyard C. Watson

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research study was to determine if two different types of narrative observation notes impacted supervisee clinical behaviors. Narrative observation notes alone and narrative observation notes coupled with objective data were used as the independent variables. Sixteen supervisees and 5 supervisors participated in the study. The supervisees were divided into two numerically even groups of eight and provided with one of the independent variables.

The study consisted of eleven total therapy sessions, with the first three sessions providing baseline data and the following eight involved administration of the independent variables. Group one received narrative observation notes alone …

A Comparison Of School-Aged Children Who Stutter And Do Not Stutter In Difficult Phonological Tasks, Christopher Lading

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess the phonology skills of school-aged children who stutter using tasks that task the speech system. Participants included 11 children who stuttered and 10 normally fluent children. The results suggested that no differences exist in the phonology of children who stutter and children who are normally fluent when presented with complex phonological tasks.

Language-Based Spelling Instruction For Children Who Are Hard-Of-Hearing, Brittney L. Yakey

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of SPELL-Links to Reading and Writing, a language-based instructional spelling program, with two hard-of-hearing children. Spelling skills were evaluated using the Spelling Performance Evaluation for Language (SPELL), Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT), and Featured Inventories. The participants included two hard-of-hearing children with mild hearing loss. Spelling intervention targeted four spelling patterns (short u, ck, ch/tch, and ng). The results showed that one child benefited from the SPELL-Links to Reading and Writing by the improvement across all four patterns, while the other child showed improvement in only two of the patterns.

The Validity Of The S/Z Ratio As A Voice Screening Tool, Larry L. Panozzo Jr.

Masters Theses

This study investigated the validity of the s/z ratio as a voice screening tool. Twenty female subjects, ten with vocal fold pathology and ten normal control subjects, participated in the current research project. Results indicated that although the s/z ratio was higher for the disordered group than the normal group, the difference was not significant (p=.18). Sensitivity equaled 90% while specificity equaled 50% when 1.1 was used as the cutoff value. When 1.4 was used as the cutoff value, sensitivity was 30% while specificity was 80%. In addition, there was a weak relationship between the clinician's perception of the size …

Comparing Discourse Performance According To Elicitation Procedure, Aimee Wheat

Masters Theses

Four adolescents with closed head injury (CHI) and four matched controls provided speaking and writing samples using the following four elicitation procedures: pictured activity description, story retelling, procedural narrative, and personal narrative. The purpose of the current study was to compare discourse performance according to various elicitation tasks for adolescent with CHI and matched controls using measures of productivity, efficiency, and coherence. Additionally, the relationship between cognitive skills and discourse performance was assessed.

Results indicated that there was a significant difference between the participants with CHI and controls for oral productivity during the story retelling task. During this task, the …

Assessing The Accuracy Of The Differential Assessment Of Autism And Other Developmental Disorders (Daadd) As A Screening Tool, Christine Jurgens

Masters Theses

Professionals are encountering children with developmental disorders more often and with more diversity than ever before. Disorder labels are being introduced increasingly early in a child's life in order to qualify them for services. However, characteristics of developmental disorders overlap significantly in young children, with features beginning to differentiate as the child enters formal education at kindergarten age. Debate continues on whether the autistic spectrum is being over-diagnosed, based on increasing incidence and prevalence statistics.

Research has suggested that developmental disorders impact multiple developmental areas, including language, socialization, sensory, motor, and medical/physical aspects and skills. Therefore, distinguishing one developmental disorder …

An Assessment Of Speech-Language Pathologists, ' Special Educators, ' And Elementary Teachers' Language Knowledge Related To Reading Instruction, Jessica Catto

Masters Theses

An assessment was designed from Louisa Cook Moats' (1996, 2000) research and questions to assess the knowledge of elementary education teachers (grades 1-3), special education teachers, and speech language pathologists in regard to several areas of reading instruction including phonemic awareness, phonics, and vocabulary/morphology.

Subjects consisted of a total of 57 educational professionals, 19 subjects in each group. Results revealed that speech-language pathologists scored significantly higher on the phonemic awareness portion of the assessment as well as total test score, when compared with elementary and special education teachers. Mean scores on the total test ranged from 78-89% accuracy. Mean scores …

The Effects Of Service Delivery On Teacher Behavior, Miranda R. Glover Duncan

Masters Theses

The current study investigated how teacher assistance with articulation goals was affected by participation in traditional nonintegrated service delivery, consultative service delivery, and collaborative service delivery. Two kindergarten teachers participated in the single subject design comparing service delivery models. One speech-language pathologist consulted and collaborated with the teachers. During the traditional pull-out condition, the SLP informally communicated with teachers about the children in their classrooms who had speech-language deficits. Students with speech-language goals were treated in the pull-out setting, with no treatment provided in the classroom during this phase. The consultative condition involved the SLP meeting with each teacher weekly …

Acoustic, Kinematic, And Auditory Perceptual Characteristics Of Clear Speech, Kristin L. Greilick

Masters Theses

This study characterized the speech motor transformations that underlie speech clarity changes in a group of 49 healthy young speakers. Clarity judgments based on auditory perception of the speech samples were determined by a panel of 30 undergraduate and graduate students. This study specifically aimed to characterize (1) the auditory-perceptual judgments of clarity, (2) the acoustic measures of clear and causal speech, (3) the temporal and spatial features of articulatory movements of clear and casual speech, and (4) test the hypothesis that auditory perceptual scaling of clarity (perceptual salience) would be associated with kinematic indicators of physical effort.

Results suggested …

Measuring Spelling Growth Over Time In Elementary Writing Samples, Pamela M. Ansell

Masters Theses

Developmental spelling stage theories have been proposed and disputed for 30 years. The current study used Gentry's (1982) model to assign category ratings to narrative writing samples produced by 32 students over two years to observe developmental growth over time. In addition, quantitative measures were obtained from the samples, including an index of control (Laminack & Wood, 1996) and a percentage correct. Analyses were also used to test the effectiveness of using a writing lab approach (Nelson, Bahr & Van Meter, 2004) on spelling development. During the last half of second grade, all 32 students received intervention guided by the …

Dialect Density And Discourse Maturity Of African American Elementary Students, Brandi Lynette Newkirk

Masters Theses

This was a report of an investigation of the effects of dialectal features in African American students' narratives on discourse ratings by trained judges. The question addressed in this research was whether dialectal features influence judges who are evaluating discourse. Graduate students in speech-language pathology (n = 18) learning to analyze discourse samples served as the judges. Two versions of narratives (n = 27) written by third- and fourth-grade African American students (the original version and the edited version) were used to determine if narratives that contain dialectal features would be rated lower. The judges were trained in narrative discourse …

Effects Of Structured Versus Non-Structured Language Sampling Methods On The Expressive Language Output Of Children, Joy Schmitz

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Sensory Stimulation On Off-Task Behavior In Children Within The Autistic Spectrum, Erin Elizabeth Downs

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.