Recent research has provided evidence that speech-related visual feedback presented to people who stutter may enhance fluency as effectively as well-established forms of altered auditory feedback. This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of visual feedback during speaking conditions that approximated naturalistic conversation. In order to determine what aspects of visual feedback may contribute to fluency enhancement, the feedback was manipulated in terms of synchronicity and linguistic congruence to the original signal. Participants included ten adults diagnosed with developmental stuttering with no concurring conditions. The study consisted of the following four conditions: synchronous visual feedback, asynchronous visual feedback, non-speech related visual feedback, and a control condition. Speech samples were analyzed for the percent of syllables stuttered per condition. Upon analysis of data, no statistically significant effect of visual feedback was found on stuttering frequency, although individual results varied greatly. / by Jamie Heidenreich. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

The interaction between guardians and educators around children in need of special support In this study, we have investigated how the interaction between guardians and educators work around children in need of special support. Our research questions were 1). What experiences do guardians have of the interaction with educators regarding children in need of special support, 2). What experiences do educators have of the interaction with guardians regarding children in need of special support and 3). What can the interaction between educators and guardians of children with special needs look like? In order to answer these questions, we have used qualitative interviews with three guardians and four educators. In the analysis and reflection on the interviews, we have taken support from Urie Bronfenbrenner´s ecological development model (1979), Säljö – communication as a social act (2000) and Mezirow – transformative learning and communication (1997). The main result of this study in that guardians and educators have different experiences of interactions around children in need of special support. The guardians are looking for more knowledge and care of their children´s need for special support in preschool. The educators strive for a good interaction with the guardians, and they use a variety of different approaches in order to meet the guardians around the  child´s needs.

This paper explores literature on the effects of communication disorders on the social development of children. The paper discusses such topics as the effects of communication disorders on personality development, the ability to make friends and resolve conflict with peers, and academic success. It also discusses the influences of multiculturalism and bilingualism on the diagnosis of communication disorders and reflects on the importance of awareness of cultural differences in communication style to avoid a misdiagnosis. Research shows that without intervention and treatment communication disorders can have irreversible detrimental effects on a child’s ability to develop effect social-communication, to make friends, and to be successful in academic pursuits. Intervention strategies are discussed, such as group and individual therapy, as well as social skills and communication skills treatment. Effective intervention can help children overcome or avoid many of the negative effects of communication disorders and can allow them to reach their developmental potential and achieve success in many areas of life.

The purpose of this study is to investigate how language difficulties in elderly care can affect the identity and quality of life of older Iranians. Intention is to increase knowledge about the importance of the native language for people in elderly care. Language barriers were previously researched mostly in nursing homes in the context of dementia, primaly relying on observations or text analysis and shows the importance of mother tongue use in late life. Previous research was realized with methods that do not include the elderly perspective. Therefore, we chose a qualitative interview as appropriate to investigate the problem from the perspective of the elderly. The results show a strong connection between identity, quality of life and language. The quality of life is directly affected by language, and the language influence on identity is indirect and dependable on other internal and external factors. In other words, it is not possible to examine the individual's language's impact on quality of life without the inclusion of the individual's identity as the most important factor. The findings also point to the need for further research about identity and quality of life of older people in relation to absence of Swedish language.