<p> The study was a pre-experimental pre- and post-treatment single case study which focused on evaluating the effects of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) modeling during shared storybook readings. Aided AAC modeling interventions provide verbal and visual language models to support language comprehension and use for children with complex communication needs (CCN). The study measured four aspects of change before and after the AAC modeling phase including a) the number of communicative turns by the AAC user; b) the complexity and length of the initiations and responses made by the AAC user; c) the accuracy in responses to comprehension questions following the story; d) perceptions of the parent participant in regards to the intervention. The results indicated that when aided AAC modeling was implemented the child participant demonstrated an increase in: the number of communicative turns, accuracy in answering comprehension questions, comprehension of story grammar terminology, and production of story retells.</p>

There is a national shortage of school-based Speech Language Pathologists (SLP). Schools located in rural and geographically remote areas are often impacted by the shortage, and as a result students with an autism spectrum disorder may not receive services that are mandated by their Individual Education Plan. This study examined the use of telepractice as a method of delivery of speech and language services to individuals with autism spectrum disorders in rural areas. A quasi-experimental, single-subject, time-series design was employed. The treatment conditions were manipulated. A counter-balancing methodology was used to control for order effects in this study. Inter-observer agreement on student progress and outcomes were determined by two other master-level clinicians. Progress was measured using pre/post intervention assessments and intervention data. A statistical analysis and comparison of the two service delivery methods (telepractice and traditional on-site) was conducted using the Improved Rate Difference and a Tau-U method. Group comparison was conducted using the Pearson's Correlation. A non-directional critical value for all parametric and non-parametric analysis was set at α = .05. If the null hypothesis was rejected, then there was a statistical difference between the progress students made when receiving telepractice as compared to on-site services. If the null hypothesis was not rejected, there was not a statistical difference between the progress students made when receiving telepractice as compared to on-site services. Comparison at the group level resulted in a finding of non-significance between the two conditions. Findings at the individual level resulted in three out of the six participants demonstrating a finding of non-statistical difference between the on-site and telepractice conditions. For the remaining three participants a statistical difference was noted. When comparing the means of the outcome data between the two conditions, two participants responded more favorably to telepractice intervention, while the other responded better to on-site intervention. Overall, these findings suggest that a telepractice service delivery method is an effective and valid way to provide interventions to students with ASD.

There is a growing population of individuals using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) in need of evidence-based intervention from highly qualified personnel. However, not all speech pathology programs offer AAC coursework and/or practicum opportunities, and practicing speech-language pathologists (SLPs) report low levels of confidence and expertise in working with individuals using AAC. Therefore, there is a need to develop more innovative pre-professional training programs to better equip the next generation of SLPs with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide high-quality, evidence-based AAC interventions. Telepractice is emerging as an inventive way to provide both direct and indirect intervention services, and could theoretically be used to support pre-professional training by providing clinicians the opportunity to engage in direct services with individuals using AAC concurrently while receiving supervision from a skilled mentor. A thorough review of the literature revealed limited information and data regarding tele-AAC for direct and indirect service delivery. This investigation examined the feasibility and effectiveness of utilizing telepractice to train pre-professional clinicians regarding AAC interventions while in the context of service delivery both on-site and via telepractice. A single-subject, multiple baseline design was employed to examine the impact of real-time supervisory guidance offered via telepractice to pre-professional clinicians (Active Consultation) on the performance of the clinicians and the clients in each service delivery condition. Data was gathered on the number of target language acts modeled by the clinicians and generated by the clients when Active Consultation was provided. The results supported the use of telepractice for supervision, and as a service delivery method for AAC users.

<p> This dissertation, employing a social constructivist orientation, investigated the socialization behaviors employed by school age children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in the context of meaning-based writing activities. A qualitative investigation, this study used ethnographic methods to describe and interpret the social behaviors of the individual participants throughout the writing events. Data in the form of audio and video recordings, participant observations, artifacts, and parent interviews for three participants with ASD were collected over the course of one academic semester during group social, literacy-based intervention. The manifestations of socialization evidenced during micro analysis of a primary data set were described in detail and triangulated via multiple secondary data sources. Findings demonstrate that all three participants oriented uniquely to socialization within the writing events.</p><p> Though the participants all evidenced unique manifestations of socialization, their behaviors could be conceptualized into broad patterns. Results of this study describe five patterns of the manifestations of socialization across all three participants; these included employment of social compensatory strategies, conceptualization of shared writing process as a social interaction, social monitoring behaviors, conceptualization of writing as something to be shared, and using writing as an opportunity to socialize/affiliate. Three additional patterns noted include participants being more successful with clinicians than peers, clinician mediation of peer-peer interactions, and breakdowns in coherence.</p><p> Clinical research implications drawn from the results include the importance of a strengths-based, contextualized approach to assessment and intervention and the value of the peer group, and the unique opportunities meaning-based writing intervention s can provide for addressing socialization. Research implications address the notion of social impairment as a distinct category of impairment as problematic.</p>

<p> This investigation explores the manifestation of motivation as well as the systematic strategies that speech-language pathology graduate students employ to facilitate motivation in struggling learners. A qualitative paradigm was utilized to study three participant dyads, each one consisting of a child with a language disorder and a speech-language pathology graduate student. The primary source of data was video transcript analysis of a total of 17 representative shared reading sessions. The findings of this study demonstrate that motivation to participate in shared reading is manifested in the continued willingness of the child to participate in shared reading and that motivation was facilitated by the graduate clinician via a variety of therapeutic strategies. </p><p> Eleven common patterns emerged. 1) motivation as sustained participation, 2) a distinct set of functional therapeutic strategies were employed, 3) a wide range of therapeutic strategies were employed, 4) variable but systematic application of the different strategies, 5) interweaving of bursts of mediation and singular episodes of mediation, 6) utilization of collaborative therapeutic strategies/culture of co-investigation, 7) a high level of support prior to turn allocation, 8) successful communicative and reading attempts, 9) responsive collaboration by participants, 10) engagement even in the presence of struggle, and 11) rare occurrence of avoidant behaviors. Results indicate that motivation to engage in learning to read was the result of a wide range of instructional, evaluative, and interactional strategies that worked together to promote motivation to read. In response to these strategies, each participant produced responses that were overwhelmingly successful and even expected. These key variables helped to facilitate therapeutic interaction that was characterized by motivation and success.</p><p> Ultimately, it is apparent that motivation to read is best facilitated by complex, multi-faceted strategy use led by instructional strategies with a significant presence of evaluative and interactional strategies. It can be concluded that the participant behaviors that indicate motivation include primarily successful, expected responses that were facilitated by meaningful, strategic interactional devices.</p>

<p> Despite legislation in the U.S.A requiring the use of assistive technology in special education, there remains an underutilization of technology-based speech intervention for young students who require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The purpose of this Policy Delphi study was to address three guiding research questions that relate to the feasibility of using mainstream mobile technology, facilitative actions, and stakeholder roles for implementation and utilization of AAC in elementary school settings. Data were collected in two rounds of questionnaires given to experts in special education, assistive technology and speech and language pathology, with experience in AAC. Round 1 included 19 participants, 14 of whom also completed the Round 2 questionnaire. The results indicated that a very strong case can be made that mainstream mobile devices have several advantages over traditional AAC systems, not only in their affordability, but also transparency and social acceptance by providing an ideal medium for inclusion in mainstream settings. A challenge that confronts AAC innovations is the tendency to focus on the technology instead of pedagogical, social and therapeutic goals. Until a perfect AAC system becomes available for mainstream mobile devices that meet individuals&rsquo; communicative, educational and physical needs and personal preferences, it is apparent that multimodality will continue to be the model. The utilization of mainstream mobile technology for AAC necessitates certain facilitative actions and stakeholder responsibilities. Team collaboration is essential in supporting AAC use and, when applicable, facilitating the inclusion and mainstreaming of students who use AAC in the general education setting.</p><p>

Children with communication disorders are often at risk of literacy difficulties, especially students that present with autism and/or speech sound disorders. This quasi-experimental study was designed to examine the effects of a 10-week "hybrid" intervention for preschool students with and without communication disorders in an integrated classroom. The classroom intervention targets both vocabulary and phonological awareness, two critical components of literacy that are strongly correlated with one another. The objectives of this study were (1) to provide empirical evidence that classroom-based pre-literacy intervention can be effective for students with communication disabilities, allowing for more time with their peers in a potentially least-restrictive environment and (2) to demonstrate that typically-developing preschool children also benefit from classroom-based pre-literacy training.