Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

Implementing Evidence-Based Assessment Practices For The Monitoring Of Spoken Language Outcomes In Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing In A Large Community Program, Barbara Jane Cunningham, Janis Oram Cardy, Olivia Daub University Of Western Ontario

PRECISe Preschool Speech and Language Publications

The purpose of this quality improvement pilot was to evaluate the effectiveness of an online learning module for (a) changing speech-language pathologists’ perceptions about outcome monitoring and assessment protocols for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and (b) supporting speech-language pathologists’ understanding of evidence-based protocols to be implemented in their community-based program. Using principles of integrated knowledge translation and the Ottawa Model of Research Use, an online learning module was designed to support the implementation of evidence-based assessment protocols for these children in a large publicly funded program in Ontario, Canada. A pre–post study was then conducted with …

Outcomes Of Telepractice Speech Therapy For An Adult Who Covertly Stutters: A Case Study, Megann Mcgill, Patrizha A. Schroth

PSU McNair Scholars Online Journal

Purpose: To report on telepractice-based holistic speech-language therapy services to reduce avoidance of stuttering and increase positive self-image as a communicator for an adult who covertly stutters as compared to baseline.

Method: A single case study design was employed with baseline, intervention, and maintenance phases completed via telepractice. The participant received bi-weekly speech-language therapy services, including both individual and group sessions. The Overall Assessment of the Speaker’s Experience of Stuttering-Adult (OASES-A) and Stuttering Severity Instrument-4th Edition (SSI-4) assessed the participant’s overt and covert stuttering behaviors at pre-treatment and post-treatment timeframes. Weekly data points of participant’s self-report of avoidance of stuttering …

Effects Of A Telerehabilitation Group On Continuing Language Treatment After Participation In An Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program (Icap), Alexis Missel

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Aphasia is an acquired neurogenic language disorder encompassing oral and/or written language expression and comprehension affecting an estimated two- to two to four million people in the United States, (Simmons-Mackie, 2018; National Aphasia Association, 2016). The primary aim of the current study was to investigate an option for targeted intervention as a follow-up to an Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program (ICAP). There is little research assessing maintenance of communication profile gains following conclusion of the ICAPs, and there are few options that exist as tailored ICAP follow-up programs or continued intervention guided by the ICAP principle features. To address this, a …

College Students’ Perceptions Of Instructors Whose Primary Language Is Not English, Takiyah A. Clay

Honors Theses

It is common to see instructors at universities in America who are foreign born and, as a result, have a foreign accent. Since foreign accents can influence the perceptions of people, the researcher designed this study to discover any perceptions that college students may have toward instructors with foreign accents. In addition, the researcher wanted to discover if those perceptions influenced the students’ actions in class. In order to reveal these perceptions, the researcher surveyed 205 students both in-person and online. The researcher determined that although a majority of the participants had difficulty comprehending the lectures of instructors with foreign …

Phonetics Workbook For Students Of Communication Sciences And Disorders, April M. Yorke, Emily Sternad, Carley Shermak, Alyssa Mahler

MSL Academic Endeavors eBooks

This workbook is designed to give students in communication sciences and disorders foundational knowledge in Phonetics. Students will learn to listen and transcribe the speech of typically developing speakers of Standard American English in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). Students will also learn how to listen and transcribe the speech of individuals with common speech sound disorders (i.e., residual articulation disorders and phonological disorders). Students will also be introduced to the fundamentals of speech science and spectrograms as they pertain to speech sound production. Written by April M. Yorke, PhD, CCC-SLP with her students.

The Impact Of Active Learning In A Speech-Language Pathology Swallowing And Dysphagia Course, Rebecca H. Affoo, Justin L. Bruner, Angela M. Dietsch, Ciara E. Nellenbach, Theresa M. Jones, Mark E. Lehman

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The signature pedagogy in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) higher education programs has been criticized for its instructor-centric lecture format and emphasis on the lower tiers of Bloom’s taxonomy (simply memorizing knowledge) at the expense of helping students develop the clinical problem-solving skills required for a lifetime of practice and learning. The purpose of this study was to examine the responses of a cohort of graduate speech-language pathology students to an active learning-oriented swallowing and dysphagia course design. A potential relationship between student perceptions of the active learning pedagogy and academic performance was also explored. The results suggest that active learning positively …

The Effectiveness Of Visual Phonics To Promote Phonological Awareness In Preschool Children With And Without Speech Sound Delays, Katelyn Derby

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the phonological awareness skill of letter-sound relationships for preschool students using the multi-kinesthetic Visual Phonics intervention, See the Sound/Visual Phonics. The study had a non-concurrent multiple baseline data procedure, where each child was exposed to a general phonics curriculum in comparison to a Visual Phonics intervention. A specific interest was understanding potential benefits (i.e., rate of mastery) for preschool students with typical hearing, and the potential for Visual Phonics to support improved letter-sound accuracy for children at risk for speech sound disorders and delays. The results of the study indicated See the …

Dialect Variation Assessment In Speech-Language Pathology, Maliah Wilkinson

Honors Theses

During speech and language assessment, speech language pathologists often utilize tools from sociolinguistics to differentiate between accent and dialect variation from actual speech or language impairments. Perceptual dialectology, is one of these tools. This method of research seeks to investigate the linguistic perspectives of various populations in specific situations (Montgomery, 2012, p. 638). To investigate the perspectives of college students, linguists, and speech-language pathologists surveys analyzed they perceptions of dialects in various settings and their backgrounds. Results from the surveys indicate linguists who participated have educational experience with dialects but not dialect assessments. While speech-language pathologists, have certification that insists …

Bilingual Practices In Speech-Language Pathology In Nebraska Schools, Kylee Beyea

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The United States is home to a population that is nearly 20% bilingual. A statistic such as this almost guarantees that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) will work with someone from this bilingual population at some point during their career. Many factors contribute to how children learn language, and there are added complexities in the acquisition of multiple languages which can complicate the job of a clinician. Silent periods, codeswitching, transfer, and other bilingual language phenomena make diagnosing speech and language disorders difficult. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) provides guidelines and a code of ethics to be followed to ensure best practice. …

Hearing Loss: Investigating The Comfort, Confidence, Knowledge, And Preparedness Of Kentucky School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists., Amanda Matsumoto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to advances in technology, the number of users with hearing devices have increased. These users are often mainstreamed into classrooms with typical hearing peers. However, even with these devices, speech and language impairments may still persist. This study was conducted to analyze school-based speech-language pathologists’ (SLP) comfort, confidence, knowledge, and preparedness in treating students with hearing loss in Kentucky schools. 48 SLPs practicing in all levels of school including elementary, middle, and high, completed an anonymous online survey through the Qualtrics^® platform. Responses were received from SLPs representing 11 out of the 15 regions throughout Kentucky. Spearman’s rank …

Perceptions Of Guilt Of Individuals With A Visible Communication Disorder Versus An Invisible Communication Disorder, Zoe Hochberg

Honors Scholar Theses

This study explored how communication disorders may impact listeners’ perception of guilt. More specifically, it looked at how visible communication disorders (e.g., stuttering) and invisible communication disorders (e.g., high functioning autism) are judged by the general public. 51 adults (18-71 years) participated in the study which asked them to view video recordings of narrative samples produced by an individual who stuttered (PWS), an individual with high-functioning autism (PHFA), and an individual with no communication disorder (PNCD). Participants were not informed of the individuals’ communication abilities (PWS, PHFA, or PNCD), but were told that one of the individuals had committed a …

Exposure, Knowledge, And Experience Of Graduate Students In Communication Disorders On Treating Speech/Language Issues In Adults With Neurological Disorders Using Singing-Based Therapy, Tassie Lee Murphree

Student Theses and Dissertations

There are speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who use singing while in therapy to treat a variety of disorders for adults with neurological disorders. This study was conducted to investigate graduate student exposure to, knowledge of, and experience with utilizing singing in therapy with this population. Specifically, this survey was distributed to first- and second-year graduate students in communication disorders. The survey consisted of both general and specific questions to more effectively analyze the students’ familiarity levels with the topic, overall. The results indicated that the majority of students demonstrated limited knowledge of and exposure to singing in therapy. The students’ comfort …

Qualitative Case Review Of A Male With Down Syndrome, Mary Josephine Hoyer

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal condition in the United States. In the United States, about one of every 700 babies is diagnosed with Down syndrome. The purpose of this study was to assess pre-existing data on a 13-year-old male with a diagnosis of Down syndrome to contribute to research on this chromosomal abnormality. The individual received speech and language related services at Western Kentucky University beginning in 2007. Through analysis of previously collected data, the researcher created a qualitative case review that identified the progress of an individual with Down syndrome and emphasized what attributed to his progress. …

Emergent Shift To Telepractice During The Covid-19 Pandemic By School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists, Charlotte May Hilker

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Purpose: Schools across America closed abruptly and indefinitely starting March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) working in these schools turned to telepractice to meet the needs of their clients. Telepractice is a relatively new service delivery model in the field of speech-language pathology. Challenges related to telepractice include clinicians’ limited hours of training for telepractice, clients’ lack of access to telehelpers during therapy, and both clinician and client beginning to work from home, and issues with working from home. The aim of the current study was to assess how these issues affect telepractice …

Toward The Development Of A Quick, Reliable Assessment Tool For Reflective Journals, April Garrity, Casey Keck, Janet L. Bradshaw, Keiko Ishikawa

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Reflective practice, including reflective writing, can facilitate enriched learning, especially when implemented as part of a service-learning (SL) experience. Reflection is a central component of service-learning (SL) experiences. Students’ reflective abilities are often measured through reflective journaling; however, assessment of students’ reflective journals is not always efficient and straightforward. The goal of the present study was to establish a simple, reliable, and relatively quick tool for use by busy college instructors seeking to encourage students’ deep learning through reflective writing. A total of 258 reflective journals from 43 graduate students in speech-language pathology were evaluated by three raters using a …

“That’S So Much More Important Than The Grades”: Learning Client Centered Care Through Experiential Learning At Aphasia Camp, Esther S. Kim, J. Renzo Garcia

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Interventions aimed at increasing life participation for people with aphasia (PWA), such as camp-based programs, are being increasingly implemented throughout North America. Such camps present a unique experiential learning opportunity for students in speech-language pathology (SLP) programs. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of participation in aphasia camp on SLP students’ acquisition of the skills and attitudes required for client-centered care for PWA. Ten SLP students who volunteered at a weekend-long aphasia camp participated in focus groups examining their learning outcomes following their camp experience. Conventional content analysis was used to analyze the focus group transcripts. …

The Gendered Experiences Of Male Students In A Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program: A Multi-Case Study, Jairus-Joaquin R. Matthews, Derek E. Daniels

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Speech-language pathology is a profession with a gender disparity wherein the majority of speech-language pathologists are female. This disparity is also reflected in speech-language pathology graduate programs. The American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association has developed many initiatives over the years to address this issue, yet the gender disparity still remains. The purpose of this study was to develop some initial insights into reasons that men enter into the profession of speech-language pathology, and their experiences in graduate programs. In this qualitative case-study approach, interviews were conducted with four male graduate students. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed for major …

Narratives Of Expert Speech-Language Pathologists: Defining Clinical Expertise And Supporting Knowledge Transfer, Natalie F. Douglas, Katie Squires, Jacqueline Hinckley, Erline V. Nakano

HPD Articles

Clinical expertise is a component of evidence-based practice; however, relatively little attention has been paid to this phenomenon in the professional literature of speech-language pathology. This may have negative impacts on the training of pre-professional and novice speech-language pathologists. The purpose of this study was to examine professional narratives of expert Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) to consider applications for knowledge transfer between expert clinicians and novice clinicians. Collection of the professional narratives of 10 expert SLPs were obtained through in-depth interviews. Interviews were transcribed and coded for themes. Themes that impacted expertise in SLP included: training; work sites; individual and clinician …

Using Implementation Science To Engage Stakeholders And Improve Outcome Measurement In A Preschool Speech-Language Service System, Barbara Jane Cunningham, Janis Oram Cardy

PRECISe Preschool Speech and Language Publications

This tutorial presents one example of collaborative implementation research in a preschool speech-language service system - Ontario Canada’s Preschool Speech and Language Program. Working collaboratively with stakeholders including policy makers, managers, and speech-language pathologists (SLPs), four webinar modules were developed to support implementation of the Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (FOCUS), a new participation-focused outcome measurement tool in pediatric speech-language pathology. The webinar modules were pilot tested at two community sites to determine whether they were effective at increasing SLPs’ knowledge, perceptions, and intentions for practice. The Knowledge-to-Action framework was used to inform all phases of this …

Examining The Effectiveness Of Interprofessional Collaboration For Preprofessional Speech-Language Pathology And Occupational Therapy Graduate Students, Morgan Cornwell

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This study explores the effects of an emergent writing interprofessional collaboration experience for preprofessional speech-language pathology (SLP) and occupational therapy (OT) graduate students. The preprofessionals were split into two groups (SLP only and SLP-OT pairs) and delivered emergent writing interventions to preschoolers either individually (SLP only) or collaboratively (SLP-OT pairs). The purpose of this study was to investigate how working collaboratively versus working individually to deliver the interventions to preschoolers influences the preprofessionals’ knowledge of theInterprofessional Education Collaborative’s (IPEC) core competencies and emergent writing concepts. The results showed that paired preprofessionals reported higher levels of interprofessional competency than unpaired preprofessionals. …

The Importance Of Interprofessional Education To Develop Successful Interprofessional Collaborative Teams In Healthcare, Christina Sebastiao

Senior Honors Projects

Many individuals live with chronic illnesses, various disabilities, and other complex needs that require an array of medical services from multiple disciplines within the healthcare field. To address the medical, behavioral and social needs of these patients, there has been an emphasis on providing treatment through interprofessional collaborative teams and interprofessional practice (IPP). These teams consist of multiple health professionals from various disciplines.

To ensure IPP teams are efficient and effective in the workplace, the application of interprofessional education (IPE) is key. The goal of IPE is to increase competency in interdisciplinary collaborative skills in students and future practitioners. In …

Investigating Predictive Relationships Between Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students' Sense Of Classroom Community, Perceived Learning, And Perceived Anxiety., Emily B. Schantz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mental health is an all-encompassing term that focuses on a person’s ability to achieve work-life balance inclusive of positive mental health and mental ill-health. Current trends suggest an overall increase in mental ill-health for undergraduate and graduate students. McMillan and Chavis’ sense of community theory provided the theoretical framework for this study. This study aimed to examine whether speech-language pathology graduate students’ sense of classroom community and perceived learning predict anxiety levels while controlling for demographic variables. Three-hundred-sixteen master’s level speech-language pathology students completed an online survey containing the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire, Perceived Learning Scale, and Classroom Community Scale. …

“Evaluating Knowledge And Perspectives Of Behavior Analytic Language Strategies In The Clinical Practice Of Speech-Language Pathology”, Mackenzie Sturman

Honors Theses

Research shows that principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) may be beneficial to language acquisition. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have the responsibility of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for individuals with various speech and language impairments, and work directly with language instruction. However, there is limited knowledge of the degree to which SLPs use concepts of behavior analytic language interventions in clinical practice for individuals of varying language and communication disorders. This study investigated the extent to which practicing SLPs use language strategies from ABA in their clinical practice. A qualitative approach was utilized by conducting individual semi-structured interviews with four practicing …

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 …

Speech-Language Pathology Students’ Motivation For Learning, Amie M. King, Steffany M. Chleboun

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The primary purpose of this exploratory study was to attempt to gain a better understanding of speech-language pathology students’ motivations for learning. Motivation was assessed in undergraduate and graduate students in two categories of coursework. Results showed statistically significant differences between undergraduate and graduate students in the overall areas of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation, while there were no significant differences in other areas of motivation. These results were situated in potential implications for students, professors, and programs as well as the need for follow-up studies.

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 …

Creating Head Space: Using Spaced Retrieval Practice To Teach Cranial Nerves To Graduate Slp Students, Rachel K. Johnson, Anne M.P. Michalek, Corrin Richels

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of spaced retrieval practice on graduate speech-language pathology (SLP) student’s long-term retention of cranial nerves. This is a quasi-experimental design study using a repeated measures and between group design where the control group was not randomly assigned. The accuracy and quality of cranial nerve knowledge was measured in graduate SLP students who did not practice spaced retrieval (control), and those who practiced spaced retrieval for three (EG1) or four (EG2) semesters. The quality and accuracy of cranial nerve knowledge improved significantly for both experimental groups compared to the control group. …

Voice Therapy Techniques In Combination With The Group Therapy Setting For Individuals With Parkinson’S Disease, Zoë E. Sommers

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This report aims to provide background information related to voicing in Parkinson’s Disease (PD), review the various therapeutic approaches used to benefit individuals diagnosed with PD, and examine how voice impairments affect the lives of individuals with PD. Specifically, therapy techniques focusing on voice and techniques applied in the group therapy setting will be reviewed. PD has a multitude of consequences on an individual’s life, and speech is an area that is greatly affected. This project will highlight some of the interventions that can positively impact the lives of those with Parkinson’s Disease and reflect on how the group therapy …

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 …

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).