Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

Clinician And Caregiver Perspectives On A Community-Based Dynamic Temporal And Tactile Cueing Treatment Trial For Childhood Apraxia Of Speech: Exploring Perceptions Of Research And Routine Clinical Practice, Donna C. Thomas, Geraldine Bricker-Katz, Elizabeth Murray, Shelley L. Velleman, Jenya Iuzzini-Seigel

Speech Pathology and Audiology Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose:

Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC) is an evidence-based treatment for children with childhood apraxia of speech. In clinical practice, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) frequently use an eclectic approach incorporating aspects of DTTC, for reasons that are not well understood. This research note describes a qualitative investigation of the experiences of SLPs and caregivers who participated in protocolized research DTTC for a 24-session treatment efficacy study. Specifically, we sought to understand the perspectives of these SLPs and caregivers regarding (a) DTTC treatment, as provided during the study, and (b) participating in a treatment research study.

Method:

Four SLPs and three …

14-Year Retrospective Review Of Audiology Graduate Admission Data: Comparative Analysis With Other First Professional Health Programs, Alyssa R. Needleman, Patricia A. Gaffney, Erica B. Friedland, Josiah Alamu

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Demographic and cognitive data on students entering audiology programs is incomplete, and there is a lack of comparison among audiology students and those entering other first professional health (FPH) programs. This paper is the first of a multi-part series to provide evidence into the characteristics of the typical audiology student and their graduate outcomes. This is valuable for improving recruiting, admissions, retention, and success rates of audiology programs. A comprehensive descriptive analysis of admission criteria was performed for students who entered the NSU Doctor of Audiology (AuD) program over the last 14 years. Additionally, NSU admissions data was compared …

Scoring Goals With Autistic Children: Decision Making And Successful Implementation, Victoria Henbest, Brenda L. Beverly

APLL Lab Presentations

No abstract provided.

Potential Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On The Practice And Profession Of Speech-Language Pathology: A Working Paper, Manish Rami

Communication Sciences & Disorders Faculty Publications

This paper explores the potential impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the profession of Speech-Language Pathology (SLP). AI is widely recognized as a transformative force, presenting opportunities across both service delivery and professional practice in SLP. This paper examines how AI may partially or fully automate and augment key tasks such as screening, assessment, and treatment. It also addresses associated challenges, including data bias and the “black box” problem while advocating for proactive engagement with AI technologies. Finally, the paper posits that AI will reshape the field, serving as a collaborative partner for SLPs, enhancing efficiency, and expanding access to …

Effects Of Elicitation Method On Functionally Relevant Item Selection In Spanish And English Monolinguals And Bilinguals, Dallin J. Bailey, Esther Barahona Wilkes

Faculty Publications

Purpose: One important decision speech language pathologists make when planning anomia treatment is the identification and selection of the specific vocabulary items to target during therapy. However, this process is not entirely straightforward. Although ‘functional relevance’ has high face validity for the identification of target items, interpretations differ, which may impact which words are selected for therapy. As such, target item selection methods vary, with resulting items impacted by the specific method used. There are also many person-level variables that may impact the functional relevance of specific items, such as the heritage language of the patient or their bilingualism status. …

Dysphonia In Division I Collegiate Sideline Cheerleaders, Anna Riley Reed

Student Theses and Dissertations

Many research studies have focused on voice disorders in occupational voice users (i.e., teachers, singers, coaches). However, there is limited research on voice disorders in cheerleaders. Therefore, this study investigated the presence of dysphonia in division I collegiate sideline cheerleaders before and after the 2023 football season. Participants included twenty-six collegiate sideline cheerleaders at a division I university. Participants completed a demographic survey and the Voice Handicap Index (VHI). In addition, their modal, high, and low pitch frequencies were measured, and voices were assessed using the Consensual Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice. This study found significant results regarding the alteration subjective …

Exploring The Validity Of Vocabulary Assessments In Racially, Dialectically, And Socioeconomically Diverse Preschool Populations, Lauren Betzer

LSU Master's Theses

Recent research has advocated for interactive assessments of vocabulary over more traditional, static assessments, as interactive assessments are more sensitive to linguistic and cultural diversity. Static vocabulary assessments, such as the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), probe existing knowledge, while interactive assessments, such as the Quick Interactive Language Screener (QUILS), examines a child’s language in a wholistic manner by assessing previously learned vocabulary knowledge, syntactic knowledge, and processing when learning a new concept. It remains unclear which assessment more accurately captures children's vocabulary knowledge throughout the Deep South—a region characterized by its unique cultural and linguistic environment, which includes the …

Conflicting Social Information And Its Impact On Sentence Comprehension In Young Adults With Dld: An Eye Tracking Study, Ansley Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Individuals must recognize linguistic and non-linguistic social cues to resolve contextual ambiguities in their conversations. When the linguistic and social cues match, sentence processing is facilitated. However, conflicts between linguistic and social stimuli (i.e., incongruency) can lead to prediction errors which slow sentence processing. Limited research has explored the social cognition conflict resolution skills in individuals with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) despite their documented emotion processing deficits. This study considers the role of social prediction processing in adults with DLD as they engage in a social cognition conflict resolution task.

Young adults with DLD (n=29) and typically developing (TD) peers …

Neural Associations Between Fingerspelling, Print, And Signs: An Erp Priming Study With Deaf Readers, Brittany Lee, Sofia E. Ortega, Priscilla M. Martinez, Katherine J. Midgley, Phillip J. Holcomb, Karen Emmorey

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Fingerspelling is a leading predictor of reading ability for deaf people who use a signed language, but few neuroimaging studies have examined how it supports reading. We used event-related potentials to investigate how fingerspelled words prime printed words. Twenty-four skilled deaf adult readers completed a Go/No-Go task while viewing printed English word targets following related and unrelated primes in one of three conditions: printed English words, American Sign Language (ASL) signs, and fingerspelled words. N400 priming effects were strong across all three conditions. Early N400 effects were similar for printed word primes and fingerspelled word primes, suggesting shared orthographic representations. …

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 …

Individual Noise-Tolerance Profiles And Neural Signal-To-Noise Ratio: Insights Into Predicting Speech-In-Noise Performance And Noise-Reduction Outcomes, Subong Kim, Susan Arzac, Natalie Dokic, Jenn Donnelly, Nicole Genser, Kristen Nortwich, Alexis Rooney

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Background/Objectives: Individuals with similar hearing sensitivity exhibit varying levels of tolerance to background noise, a trait tied to unique individual characteristics that affect their responsiveness to noise reduction (NR) processing in hearing aids. The present study aimed to capture such individual characteristics by employing electrophysiological measures and subjective noise-tolerance profiles, and both were analyzed in relation to speech-in-noise performance and NR outcomes. Methods: From a sample of 42 participants with normal hearing, the neural signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)—a cortical index comparing the amplitude ratio between auditory evoked responses to target speech onset versus noise onset—was calculated, and individual noise-tolerance profiles were …

A Pathway To Research-Reliable Dynamic Temporal And Tactile Cueing For Children With Childhood Apraxia Of Speech: A Multiphase Process For Training Community Clinicians, Julia Case, Maria I. Grigos, Shelley L. Velleman, Elizabeth Murray, Donna C. Thomas, Shelby Anumandla, Jenya Iuzzini-Seigel

Speech Pathology and Audiology Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: Mounting research supports the use of motor-based intervention (e.g., Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing [DTTC]) for children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), but large randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are needed to better understand optimal treatment conditions. Partnering with community clinicians may help support recruitment and data collection for large groups of participants with CAS. However, to achieve this, rigorous training is needed to ensure high-fidelity treatment and adherence to research protocols. This work presents a multiphase process for training community clinicians to implement high-fidelity DTTC. We then examined whether clinician factors predicted their performance on assessment tasks used …

Let's Chat About Spoken Discourse: A Tutorial To Support Use Of Spoken Discourse Analysis When Providing Aphasia Clinical Services., Manaswita Dutta, Laura L. Murray, Hyejin Park, Elizabeth Burklow, Arpita Bose, Hana Kim, Kathryn Greenslade, Amy E. Ramage, Collean Combs, Anusha Balasubramanian, Marianne Casilio

Speech and Hearing Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Spoken discourse is integral to everyday communication; improving discourse outcomes is a primary goal for individuals with aphasia and their families. Consequently, the application of discourse analysis in aphasia assessment and treatment has gained increasing attention in both research and clinical settings. Despite its recognized value among researchers and clinicians, several barriers-such as limited time, inadequate training, and lack of resources-continue to impede the widespread use of discourse analysis into clinical practice. To facilitate its broader adoption, speech-language pathologists require access to comprehensive resources that include information on discourse tasks, outcome measures, psychometric properties, and practical examples of how to …

Social Communication Implementable And Applicable Lens: A Framework For Addressing Assessment Of Social Communication, Louise C. Keegan, Jerry K. Hoepner, Leanne Togher, Mary Kennedy, Elise Bogart, Melissa Brunner, Sheila Macdonald

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose:

Method:

Physical Activity And Functional Mobility In Adults With Hearing Loss: A Series Of Embedded Studies Within A 6-Month Clinical Trial With Hearing Aids, Sarah L. Bochat

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Adults with hearing loss engage in low levels of physical activity and demonstrate poor performance on measures of functional mobility. The impact of hearing rehabilitation on these outcomes is not fully understood. Previous investigations were largely quantitative and focused on older adults ≥ 65 years of age who may respond differently to hearing intervention than relatively younger adults. They also tended to focus on exercise rather than global engagement in physical activities and did not report hours of hearing aid use, an important indicator of intervention success. One purpose of this dissertation was to determine the feasibility of collecting accelerometry-assessed …

Understanding The Care Needs Of People With Post-Stroke Aphasia: A Qualitative Study Of Stroke Care Transitions, Amy B. Thomas, Gerasimos Fergadiotis, Lonnie A. Nelson, Catherine R. Van Son, Celestina Barbosa-Leiker

Speech and Hearing Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Communication difficulties experienced by people with aphasia (PWA) cause disconnects between meaningful conversations and care received. The purpose of this study was to identify concepts PWA define as (1) the most critical facilitators to transitional care and communicative access success, and (2) transitional care and communicative barriers. A qualitative descriptive study design was utilized. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six PWA and two communication partners and analyzed using directed content analysis, guided by the theory of Human Scale Development. Findings revealed that barriers and facilitators centered on three Needs: (1) Participation: Participation in life events was directly related to public …

Partial Least Squares Multimodal Analysis Of Brain Network Correlates Of Language Deficits In Aphasia, Sigfus Kristinsson Ph.D., Dirk B. Den Ouden, Chris Rorden, Roger Newman-Norlund, Lisa Johnson, Janina Wilmskoetter, Ezequiel Gleichgerrcht, Argye E. Hillis, Gregory Hickok, Julius Fridriksson Ph.D., Leonardo Bonilha

Faculty Publications

Lesion-symptom mapping techniques are essential to determine brain regions critical for language functions. However, high collinearity in neuroimaging and behavioural data remains a challenge for distinguishing neural substrates supporting multiple language domains (shared variance) and those subserving specific language functions (unique variance). Here, we employed a novel approach to multimodal lesion-symptom mapping using multivariate partial least squares regression to delineate the latent structure of lesion-behavioural mapping in aphasia and decompose the shared and unique neural determinants of language impairments. A total of 86 participants with chronic (>12-month post-stroke) aphasia after left hemisphere strokes were examined. Language impairment was assessed …

Partial Least Squares Multimodal Analysis Of Brain Network Correlates Of Language Deficits In Aphasia, Sigfus Kristinsson, Dirk B. Den Ouden, Chris Rorden, Roger Newman-Norlund, Lisa Johnson, Janina Wilmskoetter, Ezequiel Gleichgerrcht, Argye E. Hillis, Gregory Hickok, Julius Fridriksson, Leonardo Bonilha

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Lesion-symptom mapping techniques are essential to determine brain regions critical for language functions. However, high collinearity in neuroimaging and behavioural data remains a challenge for distinguishing neural substrates supporting multiple language domains (shared variance) and those subserving specific language functions (unique variance). Here, we employed a novel approach to multimodal lesion-symptom mapping using multivariate partial least squares regression to delineate the latent structure of lesion-behavioural mapping in aphasia and decompose the shared and unique neural determinants of language impairments. A total of 86 participants with chronic (>12-month post-stroke) aphasia after left hemisphere strokes were examined. Language impairment was assessed …

How Do Montessori-Based Activities Affect Behaviors For Older People With Dementia: A Literature Review, Isabel Quigley

University Honors Theses

Objectives: This literature review is meant to analyze the development on the research on Montessori-based activities for adults with dementia.

Introduction: Baby Boomers are the largest generation to enter senior age (65+) in history due to the advancement in medicine to increase life expectancy. Dementia is a neurocognitive disease that affects parts of the brain related to memory and signs typically surface around 65 years old. Dementia is not considered healthy aging. Montessori-based activities have been recently developed as an intervention to encourage a feeling of accomplishment and success for adults with dementia.

Methods: Two electronic databases …

Explaining The Feedback Effect In Stuttering: A New Thesis, Manish Rami

Communication Sciences & Disorders Faculty Publications

Conditions such as choral reading, delayed or frequency altered auditory feedback, and masking with noise decrease the frequency of stuttering in people who stutter. This effect is known as the feedback effect. This paper proposes that the speech module mediates these effects. When speech stimuli -as feedback, actively engages the speech module in perceptual processes while the module is in the act of producing speech, the speech module enhances fluency in people who stutter. The characteristics of modules and their implications are considered and some suggestions for investigations are made.

Problem-Based Learning In Speech-Language Pathology Programs: A Scoping Review, Michelle P. Phoenix, Roohit Grewal, Kayla Brissette, Maya Albin, Minseo Kim

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Purpose: Problem-based learning (PBL) promotes student-centered, active learning and has been applied in many health disciplines, including speech-language pathology (SLP). There is some SLP literature outlining how PBL has been applied and its components, however, how PBL is applied across SLP programs worldwide is yet to be explored. We therefore sought to answer the question, how do SLP programs apply PBL and what are the associated student outcomes?

Methods: Five databases were searched, as well as searching the grey literature for relevant articles. Covidence was used to de-duplicate, collate, and review articles. SLP program, study, PBL application, and student outcome …

Quality, Suitability, Understandability, Actionability, And Readability Of Patient Education Materials: Baseline Findings From Slp Graduate Students, Bonnie K. Slavych, Greg Williams, Lauren Siemers, Lauren E. Jones, Alana Mantie-Kozlowski

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

This study evaluated graduate SLP students’ ability to communicate complex health information, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. A cross-sectional analysis of 28 first-semester graduate students enrolled in a voice disorders course examined the quality of patient education materials they created based on fictional scenarios. Quality and credibility were assessed using the DISCERN instrument, suitability with the Suitability Assessment of Materials, and understandability/actionability with the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Printable materials. Readability was analyzed using five formulas: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog Index, FORCAST, New Dale-Chall, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook. DISCERN scores ranged from 17 to 31 …

Foundations Of Interprofessional Practice: The Development Of A Keystone Course For An Interprofessional Collaborative Slp, Pt, And Ot Curricular Sequence, Kathleen M. Youse, Jill D. Black, Wendy L. Wachter-Schutz

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The purpose of this paper is to describe one university’s experience in designing a foundational course that introduces the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Core Competencies (IPEC, 2016) and applies those competencies to interprofessional education and interprofessional practice experiences specific to the accreditation needs of three related graduate health science programs in Speech-Language Pathology, Physical Therapy, and Occupational Therapy. Four years of student evaluation data demonstrate that the foundational course effectively meets course objectives from the student perspective and provides valued opportunities to get to know student colleagues, begin to focus on effective collaboration, and gain insights into professions other than …

Case-Based Learning For Dysphagia Continuing Education: Participant Perceptions On Facilitators And Barriers, Kalea Jones, Sarah Szynkiewicz, Grayson Hill, Courtney Broadfoot, Kendrea L. Garand, Memorie M. Gosa

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Case-based learning (CBL) is a valuable approach to healthcare education, fostering deeper learning, clinical reasoning, and decision-making skills, especially in complex medical conditions such as dysphagia. For speech-language pathologists who manage dysphagia, a CBL approach provides interactive hands-on learning opportunities. We examined the benefits and challenges of a CBL approach to dysphagia continuing education using participant feedback. Twenty participants who attended the Alabama Dysphagia Collective Conference in September 2023 in Tuscaloosa, AL completed a Likert-style survey evaluating attitudes and opinions toward a CBL conference design. Participants also provided open-ended feedback on the facilitators, barriers, clinical practice implementation, new skills learned, …

The Effect Of Blended Training On Aac Strategy Use By Pre-Service Educational Professionals, Cheri Dodge Chin, Stephanie M. Schaaf, Jennifer Gaylord, Melissa Pebly

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

This study explored the feasibility of a blended training program model on the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) strategies by pre-service education speech pathology students. The training incorporated Read-Ask-Answer (RAA) and naturalistic Show-Wait-Respond (SWR) techniques, aiming to increase participants’ competence in AAC strategy application. Four graduate students participated in a single-case A-B research design. Following five baseline sessions, participants completed a one-hour asynchronous online training based on a modified ImPAACT model (Kent-Walsh & Binger, 2013; Kent-Walsh & McNaughton, 2005). The training focused on RAA and SWR strategies and included video demonstrations, written practice opportunities, and reflection activities. Following …

The Effects Of In-Depth Exposure To The Lived Experience Of Aphasia On Student Learning, Brianne Roos, Gretchen Szabo, Tami Brancamp, Elizabeth Hoover, Chaleece Sandberg, Tom W. Sather

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Although individuals with aphasia are commonly treated by speech-language pathologists, many clinicians entering the field feel under-prepared to work with this population. Undergraduate and graduate students need appropriate training that emphasizes person-centered care mapped onto evidence-based practice, combining high-quality research evidence, clinical expertise, and client preferences. Incorporating lived experience into curricula helps shape students’ knowledge and understanding of aphasia from the perspective of patients and carepartners. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, this study examined the impact of in-depth exposure to the lived experience of aphasia on students across six US universities. Students read the book Identity Theft: Rediscovering Ourselves …

Interdisciplinary Digital Health And Learning Survey Across Speech-Language Pathology, Technology, And Interior Design: Implications For Training In Rehabilitation And Aging-In-Place Practices, Jennine M. Harvey-Northrop, Isaac Chang, Gabriela Fonseca Pereira, Megan Cuellar

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

While the growing demand for technology integration in healthcare education and practice, technology training in speech-language pathology education is limited. Further research is warranted to investigate digital health and literacy training across interprofessional experiences. This study investigated interdisciplinary digital health and learning across speech-language pathology, technology, and interior design, as well as collaborators for virtual reality environments in rehabilitation and aging-in-place practices. Participants included 53 adult students studying speech-language pathology (N=35), technology (N=10), or interior design (N=7). The Interdisciplinary Digital Health and Learning survey was adapted from the Lin et al. (2021) for implementation across speech-language pathology, technology, and interior …

An Interdisciplinary Early Intervention Learning Community For Undergraduate Students, Ciera M. Lorio, Hannah Rudkin, Christina Rauwolf, Luminita Hartle

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

There is currently a nationwide shortage of early intervention (EI) providers in the United States, and the number of families in need of EI services is much greater than the available service providers (CEC, 2019; Barton et al., 2012). One way to increase the number of qualified service providers is to offer better and earlier preservice training in EI at the university level. To meet this need, we designed and implemented the Early Intervention Learning Community (EILC), an extracurricular experience that focused on introducing students to EI and interprofessional practice. The primary components of the EILC included self-guided learning modules, …

Improving Clinical Care For Cochlear Implant Recipients: The Coupling Of Health-Related-Quality-Of-Life And Clinical Speech Measures, Alexandra Parbery-Clark, Dylan Severson, Chantel Hazlewood, Nadav Brumer, Elizabeth Elkins, Jake Hillyer, Sachin Gupta

2025 Swedish FISH (Fostering Interdisciplinary Solutions in Healthcare) Conference

No abstract provided.