This response to Kamhi (EC 625 122) who suggested some children distinguish between speech therapy activities and meaningful communication, argues that, since discrepancies between a clinician's and a client's view of clinical interactions may complicate intervention, the clinician should make his viewpoint explicit. Three theories of intervention…

The primary objective of this position paper is to assess the theoretical and empirical support that exists for the Mayo Clinic view of motor speech disorders in general, and for oromotor, nonverbal tasks as a window to speech production processes in particular. Literature both in support of and against the Mayo clinic view and the associated use…

This paper contends that behavior observation data relating to speech-language pathology are reliable if they are not affected by differences among observers or other variations in the recording context. The theoretical bases of methods used to estimate reliability for observational data are reviewed, and suggestions are provided for improving the…

Discussion of speech sampling in the assessment of children with phonological disorders focuses on the use of nonlinear phonological analysis, a method whereby multiple aspects or levels of a child's phonological system are examined. Principles and suggestions offer general guidance for adequate sample elicitation. (Contains references.)…

This tutorial in nonlinear phonology introduces the basic concepts and assumptions of this new theoretical approach and then demonstrates clinical applications of the theory for assessment and intervention. Data from a child with a severe phonological disorder are used to illustrate aspects of nonlinear theory. (Author/DB)