Speech Pathology and Audiology Commons^™

Aura: An Ai-Powered Multimodal Prototype For Adaptive Apraxia Of Speech Therapy And Communication Support, Omotayo Omoyemi, Rachel K. Johnson

Speech-Language Pathology Faculty Publications

Apraxia of Speech (AOS) is a motor speech disorder that significantly limits communication and requires intensive, long-term therapy. Access to consistent treatment is often constrained by shortages of speech-language pathologists, high costs, and limited opportunities for continuous monitoring outside clinical settings. Recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) provide new opportunities to support scalable and personalized speech therapy.

This paper presents AURA (Adaptive Understanding and Relearning Assistant for Apraxia), a multimodal AI framework designed to support speech therapy, progress monitoring, and communication for individuals with AOS. The system integrates speech analysis, machine learning–based error detection, reinforcement learning for adaptive therapy, and …

A Review Of Replications Over 88 Years Of The American Speech-Language Hearing Association Journal Publications, Andrea L.B. Ford, Jessica S. Riccardi, Austin Thompson, Helen L. Long, James C. Borders, Scott R. Schroeder, Alisa Baron, Mariam El Amin, Danika L. Pfeiffer

Speech-Language Pathology Faculty Publications

Purpose: This review aimed to determine the prevalence of replication studies in the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders and examine longitudinal changes in this prevalence across American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) journals from 1936 to 2024. It is a conceptual replication of Cook and colleagues' review of replications in special education journals.

Method: Our data source comprised 17,843 journal articles published in seven ASHA peer-reviewed journals between 1936 and 2024. We identified 3,903 articles, excluding duplicates, that had at least one instance of replicat*. Two research team members screened articles independently, and then one research team member coded each article, …

Millennial And Gen-Z Experiences In Healthcare And Education In The Us, Zabia Evans, Anastasia Raymer, Beverly Khabo

Graduate Student Government Association Research Conference

In the United States, healthcare and educational institutions have a deep-rooted history of discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and other demographic factors, resulting in unequal access to services and mistreatment of minority populations. This history extends to the field of speech-language pathology, with disparities in service being cited in the literature due to lack of clinician knowledge, non-diverse standardized testing measures, lack of resources and support, among other factors. Policies and legislation in recent decades have attempted to address these serious issues. This survey research investigates the childhood healthcare and educational experiences of individuals born during or after 1981, focusing …

76 - Cochlear Implant Candidacy In Adults: Evidence From Systematic Reviews, Madison Hastain, Stacie Raymer

Undergraduate Research Symposium

This poster provides recommendations for cochlear implant candidacy in adults based on data collected from several systematic reviews, along with information regarding the efficacy of cochlear implants in adults with varied types of hearing loss.

Practice Patterns In Pediatric And Adult Dysphagia: Implications For Clinical Training, Jane Grothaus, Kaitlyn Hill, Marlee Nebesniak, Anastasia Raymer

Speech-Language Pathology Faculty Publications

Objective: Most speech language pathologists (SLPs) receive training to work with patients with swallowing disorders in graduate school, focusing primarily on adult dysphagia. Although SLPs share common foundational knowledge and skills for adult and pediatric dysphagia populations, there are considerable differences in these two specialized areas of practice. We aimed to query SLPs’ practice patterns for dysphagia assessment and management for adults and pediatric populations to consider differences and guide training efforts.

Methods: We distributed two comprehensive anonymous surveys to explore practice patterns of SLPs who provide assessment and management of dysphagia for adult or pediatric populations. The 118 respondents, …

An Observational Study Of Discourse Tasks And Running Speech Sampling In The Assessment Of Paediatric Voice Quality, Victoria Reynolds, Kristin Scavo-Smith, Kate Oteng-Bediako, Sophie Scanlon

Speech-Language Pathology Faculty Publications

Introduction

Running speech sampling is an essential component of a paediatric voice evaluation, in that it should provide the examiner with a representative vocal sample of the child's everyday voice use outside of the clinic setting. Current speech sampling practices, consisting of reading tasks, informal conversation sampling and the voice question ('Tell me about your voice problem'), may not elicit consistent samples or samples of sufficient length to allow the examiner to make a reliable and valid judgement about vocal quality. The aim of this study is to compare the voice quality of children produced in response to existing running …

A Global Comparison Of Communication Intervention Strategies For Justice-Involved Youth, Sophia Janeiro Martinez

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

Purpose: This paper explores the intricate relationship between communication disorders and delinquent youth behavior. It will explore the detrimental impact of zero-tolerance policies and their contribution to the school-to-prison pipeline. It will introduce issues, such as complex Miranda warning diction, and the benefits of including speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to aid in youth comprehension. Additionally, it will propose the integration of SLPs within the juvenile justice system to assist in communication between justice-involved youth (JIY) and justice professionals during conversations, questioning, and trials or hearings. Furthermore, this paper examines the roles of SLPs within juvenile justice systems abroad, including Canada, …

Global Strategies For Addressing Communication Disorders In Justice-Involved Youth, Sophia Martinez, Anne Marie Perrotti, Brooke Baker, Allison Chappell

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Throughout all stages of processing, most juveniles who encounter the justice system demonstrate cognitive-communicative difficulties (CCDs). Empirical evidence reveals that 19-22% of female and 28-38% of male youth offenders, culminating in approximately 50-60% of youth offenders, demonstrate language disorders that require intervention, but most have never received services (Snow et al., 2014; Winstanley et al., 2021). Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are communication experts certified to assess and treat CCDs. While nations abroad recognize the value of SLP involvement in all stages of processing for justice-involved youth (JIY), America lags in utilizing SLPs to improve JIY outcomes and lower youth's risk of …

School Provided Speech-Language Therapy Plans Amid The Coronavirus Pandemic And Correlating Provider Attitudes, Zabia Evans

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to be a threat for those of all ages, schools were a main concern when discussing how we should attempt to return to our “normal” lives. A considerable amount of speech therapy is done in schools, and speech-language pathologists nationwide are also being impacted by the changes during this school year. This research examined many aspects of providing speech therapy during the 2020-2021 school year, beginning with introductory statistics concerning the number of children participating in each session, the instruction styles, and grade levels taught. Respondents answered a set of questions concerning their attitudes towards …

Conversation As An Outcome Of Aphasia Treatment: A Systematic Scoping Review, Jamie H. Azios, Brent Archer, Nina Simmons-Mackie, Anastasia Raymer, Marcella Carragher, Shriya Shashikanth, Eleanor Gulick

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

PURPOSE: Conversation-focused speech-language pathology services are a top priority for people living with aphasia, but little is known about how researchers measure conversation as an outcome of treatment. This scoping review was undertaken to systematically review the evidence regarding the measurement of conversation in aphasia studies and to identify current practices and existing gaps.

METHOD: A systematic literature search was conducted for studies published between January 1995 and September 2019 in multiple electronic databases. Covidence software was used to manage search results, study selection, and data charting processes. Data were extracted from each study and then collated and organized to …

Identification Of Opportunity Barriers And Supports For Individuals Using Augmentative And Alternative Communication (Aac) And Stakeholders, Meredith K. Gohsman

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Individuals using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are supported by many AAC stakeholders and communication partners. Clinical decision making and AAC assessment models consider the capabilities and access needs of the individual using AAC, as well as opportunity barriers and supports imposed by communication partners and environments. The purpose of this research was to investigate opportunity barriers and supports identified by two critical AAC stakeholders: speechlanguage pathologists and caregivers. The first study investigated characteristics of AAC service provision reported by post-professional speech-language pathologists. Speech-language pathologists reported lack of perceived knowledge related to AAC service delivery, inconsistent use of AAC modalities, …

Predictors And Characteristics Of Aac Service Delivery Among Post-Professional Speech-Language Pathologists, Meredith Gohsman, Rachel Johnson

College of Health Sciences Posters

In the United States, approximately four million individuals are unable to use verbal speech to meet communication needs (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2013). Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) modalities support the needs of these individuals, offering temporary or permanent solutions to meet an individual’s communication needs across environments (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2013). Tasked with the use of AAC to support individuals with communication impairments, speech-language pathologists are directly involved in AAC service provision (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2016). Past research has identified barriers to AAC service provision and use of AAC modalities, including lack of perceived competence, time, financial support, and availability …

Developing Speech-Language Pathology Students’ Grammatical Identification Skills Through Gamification, Emerson Lopez Odango, Anne M. P. Michalek, Corrin Richels, Jane Roitsch

College of Education & Professional Studies (Darden) Posters

Background: Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are communication experts required to analyze and interpret a variety of language components (Schuele, 2010). Language sampling is a form of communication analysis and is used with adult and pediatric populations. SLPs collect and analyze language samples in an effort to make evidence-based diagnostic and intervention decisions. When analyzing a language sample, sentences must be deconstructed along a variety of parameters. At Old Dominion University (ODU), the undergraduate Communication Sciences and Disorders program requires students to identify broad and specific grammatical categories during language sample analysis in preparation for clinical experiences.

This research involves the design …

Reported Barriers To Aac Service Delivery & Post-Professional Learning Preferences Among Speech-Language Pathologists, Meredith Laverdure, Rachel K. Johnson

College of Health Sciences Posters

This mixed methods experimental study used a survey to identify speech-language pathologists’ perceptions, including preparedness to provide augmentative-alternative communication (AAC) services to individuals with complex communication needs and learning preferences for post-professional training. Following certification standard changes in 2005 and 2014, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) now requires instruction and clinical experiences during graduate studies across nine major content areas, including the use of AAC modalities. Prior to this change, the number of preservice programs reported to offer at least one AAC course increased from 62% (Ratcliff & Beukelman, 1995) to 72% (Ratcliff, Koul, & Lloyd, 2008). Since the certification …

Comparison Of Motor-Enhanced And Visual-Enhanced Interventions For Grammar In Young Children With Developmental Language Disorder, Alisha P. Springle

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Up to 7.6% of children demonstrate a developmental language disorder (DLD), which can persist through adulthood, causing difficulty with academic achievement, social relationships, and financial stability. Grammar development, as a hallmark of DLD, is an important area of need for these children. Existing grammar interventions do not clearly distinguish the sensory input techniques that meet these children’s neurobiological instructional needs. This adapted alternating treatment design study implemented intervention using systematic paired visual and verbal and systematic paired motor, i.e. standardized gestures, and verbal sensory input techniques. A moderate-strong functional relation between intervention techniques using motor supports on grammatical outcomes in …

From Their Perspective: A Qualitative Analysis Of Stroke Survivor’S Motivation To Participate In Rehabilitation, Katie Tinsley, Rachel Johnson

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Introduction: It is common practice for healthcare professionals to make judgments about a patient's motivation based on their demeanor and compliance with therapy. Motivation is one of the predictors used to determine a stroke survivor's rehabilitation potential. There are several theories and constructs for motivation; however, there is limited research applying these concepts in stroke rehabilitation. Rehabilitation clinicians primarily rely on their clinical judgment and consult the evidence from related fields to identify the motivational needs of a stroke survivor. The objective of this study was to understand specific barriers to participation and identify motivational needs to sustain engagement in …

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. …

A Comparison Of Outcome Measures For Speech Motor Learning In Acquired Apraxia Of Speech Using Motor Learning Guided Treatment, Rachel K. Johnson, Aileen Lott, Jessica Prebor

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate potential benefits of using a qualitative and quantitative outcome measure of articulation accuracy and suprasegmental characteristics in isolation for speech motor learning in acquired apraxia of speech (AOS).

Methods: Baseline, retention, and maintenance measures from an oral reading task of 2 speakers with chronic AOS and aphasia were rated using an 11-point multidimensional rating scale accounting for articulation and immediacy and a hybrid scale measuring number of correctly produced words, presence of distortions in correctly produced words, and immediacy of the production. Participants received motor learning guided treatment two days …

Predicting Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Student Success: Executive Functions And Standardized Admission Tests, Jane E. Roitsch

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Within the next three years, the number of available speech-language pathology (SLP) jobs is projected to increase by 18% (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018). The most logical response to the escalating market demand would be to increase the number of students admitted into SLP graduate programs. However, this may not be as simple as it sounds.

Successful training of graduate SLP clinicians requires the professional, emotional, financial, and time commitments of the program’s clinical and academic faculty. The accreditation status of graduate SLP programs is based in part on graduation completion rates and students passing the national examination in SLP, …

Motor Learning Guided Treatment For Acquired Apraxia Of Speech: Factors That Influence Treatment Outcomes, Rachel K. Johnson, Joanne P. Lasker, Julie A.G. Stierwalt, Megan K. Macpherson, Leonard L. Lapointe

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine factors that might influence the treatment effectiveness of motor learning guided (MLG) treatment approach for apraxia of speech (AOS). Specifically, this study examined the effects home practice and the stimuli selection on speech production.

Method: This is a case study across two treatment cycles involving a 52 year-old male five months post left CVA (due to a carotid artery dissection). Each treatment cycle used three conditions of practice to investigate the influence of practice frequency on treatment outcomes. The personal relevance of stimuli within and across treatment conditions differed in the …

Motor Learning Guided Treatment For Acquired Apraxia Of Speech, Rachel K. Johnson

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to expand the evidence on the effectiveness of motor learning guided approach for the treatment of acquired apraxia of speech. This study investigated the influence of practice frequency and number of targets per practice set on transfer of speech motor learning.

Method: This is a multiple baseline single-case study across two treatment cycles involving two individuals with chronic acquired apraxia of speech. Treatment Cycle 1 investigated the influence of self-controlled practice on speech motor learning through two conditions of practice. Treatment Cycle 2 investigated the influence of number of targets on transfer of …

The Relation Of Socioeconomic Status, Parental Education, Vocabulary And Language Skills Of Children Who Stutter, Corrin G. Richels, Kia N. Johnson, Tedra A. Walden, Edward G. Conture

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to investigate the possible relation between standardized measures of vocabulary/language, mother and father education, and a composite measure of socioeconomic status (SES) for children who do not stutter (CWNS) and children who stutter (CWS).

Methods: Participants were 138 CWNS and 159 CWS between the ages of 2;6 and 6;3 and their families. The Hollingshead Four Factor Index of Social Position (i.e., Family SES) was used to calculate SES based on a composite score consisting of weighted values for paternal and maternal education and occupation. Statistical regression analyses were conducted to investigate the relation …

Impact Of Noise And Working Memory On Speech Processing In Adults With And Without Adhd, Anne M. P. Michalek

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Auditory processing of speech is influenced by internal (i.e., attention, working memory) and external factors (i.e., background noise, visual information). This study examined the interplay among these factors in individuals with and without ADHD. All participants completed a listening in noise task, two working memory capacity tasks, and two short-term memory tasks. The listening in noise task had both an auditory and an audiovisual condition. Participants included 38 young adults between the ages of 18-35 without ADHD and 25 young adults between the ages of 18-35 with ADHD. Results indicated that diagnosis, modality, and signal-to-noise ratio all have a main …

Effect Of Parallel Talk On The Language And Interactional Skills Of Preschoolers With Cochlear Implants And Hearing Aids, Sharon A. Raver, Jonna Bobzien, Corrin Richels, Peggy Hester, Anne Michalek, Nicole Anthony

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Children with profound congenital hearing loss often do not have the same prelinguistic opportunities for social and verbal interaction as their peers with typical hearing [14]. Consequently, language and social skills may be challenging for this group, even after they are provided with amplification or a cochlear implant. This pilot study examined the effectiveness of using a parallel talk intervention to increase the language and interactional skills of three preschoolers with deafnesss. Results revealed that all participants increased verbal turn-taking and that two of the three increased initiated and responded vocal/verbal comments, and initiated and responded nonverbal responses during a …

Effects Of Gesture+Verbal Treatment For Noun And Verb Retrieval In Aphasia, Anastasia M. Raymer, Floris Singletary, Amy Rodriguez, Maribel Ciampitti, Kenneth M. Heilman, Leslie J. Gonzalez Rothi

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Links between verbs and gesture knowledge suggest that verb retrieval may be particularly amenable to gesture+verbal training (GVT) in aphasia compared to noun retrieval. This study examines effects of GVT for noun and verb retrieval in nine individuals with aphasia subsequent to left hemisphere stroke. Participants presented an array of noun and verb retrieval deficits, including impairments of semantic and/or phonologic processing. In a single-participant experimental design, we investigated effects of GVT for noun and verb retrieval in two counterbalanced treatment phases. Effects were evaluated in spoken naming and gesture production to pictured objects and actions. Spoken naming improvements associated …

Effects Of Occupational Ultrasonic Noise Exposure On Hearing Of Dental Hygienists: A Pilot Study, Jennifer Dunning Wilson, Michele Leonardi Darby, Susan L. Tolle, Joseph C. Sever Jr.

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose. The purpose of this case-control study was to determine whether long-term ultrasonic noise exposure via the dental office environment is related to dental hygienists' hearing status.

Methods. Registered dental hygienists (N - 698) who live in the Hampon Roads areas of Virginia were mailed a Dental Hygiene Word History Questionnaire to determine who would meet the inclusion criteria and would be willing to participate in the study. Consenting subjects were categorized into one of two groups, according to ultrasonic sealer usage rate, and matched on age. Persons with known hearing loss due to infection, disease, or congenital defect were …

The Effects Of Occupational Ultrasonic Noise Exposure On Hearing In Dental Hygienists: A Pilot Study, Jennifer S. Dunning

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this case-control study was to determine whether long-term ultrasonic noise exposure via the dental office environment is related to dental hygienists' hearing status. Registered dental hygienists (N = 698) who live in the Hampton Roads area were mailed a Dental Hygiene Work History Questionnaireto determine those meeting the inclusion criteria and willing to participate in the study. Consenting subjects were categorized into one of two groups according to ultrasonic scaler usage rate and matched on age. Persons with known hearing loss due to infection, disease, or congenital defect were excluded from the study. The final sample …

Signal Modeling With Non-Uniform Time Sampling Of Features For Automatic Speech Recognition, Montri Karnjanadecha

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation presents an investigation of non-uniform time sampling methods for spectral/temporal feature extraction in speech. Frame-based features were computed based on an encoding of the global spectral shape using a Discrete Cosine Transform. In most current “standard” methods, trajectory (dynamic) features are determined from frame-based parameters using a fixed time sampling, i.e., fixed block length and fixed block spacing. In this research, new methods are proposed and investigated in which block length and/or block spacing are variable. The idea was initially tested with HMM-based isolated word recognition, and a significant performance improvement resulted when a variable block length and …

Narrow Band Modification For Speech Testing Of The Cochlear Reserve By Threshold Shift, Michael F. Seidemann

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

No abstract.