A qualitative study of group therapy for aphasia was undertaken in order to discover interaction patterns and discourse management strategies that help define "social" or "conversation" group therapy for aphasia. Specifically, an analysis of the discourse of clients and therapists was conducted to identify patterns across therapists and settings.…

Public schools must make available special education and related services to all IDEA-eligible (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) students with disabilities beginning at age three and through age 18. Services to students, ages 19, 20, and 21, are permissive. That means the decision to serve 19, 20 and 21-year-old students is determined…

In 10 years of school district voice clinics, 249 cases were reviewed. Vocal nodules, chronic laryngitis and thickened cords were frequently noted. One-third of the cases had concomitant allergies, ear, and/or upper respiratory problems. Direct voice therapy was recommended for 65 percent of attendees. (Author/CL)

Seven esophageal adult speakers recorded multiple choice intelligibility lists loaded with words beginning with +BACK consonants and clusters. Speakers then independently practiced their errors. Intelligibility improved significantly from prepractice to postpractice. (Author/DB)

Background: Similar positive results (e.g. immediate decreases in stuttering frequency and a 60-80% recovery rate from stuttering) have been reported for numerous therapeutic protocols for treating childhood stuttering, many of which have been diametrically opposite in their orientations and implementations. For example, Johnson advocated indirect…

One aim of student evaluation of instruction is the improvement of teaching quality, but there is little evidence that student assessment of instruction alone improves teaching. This study tried to improve the effects of evaluation by combining evaluation with individual counselling in an institutional development approach. Evaluation was…

Public schools must make available special education and related services to all IDEA-eligible (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) students with disabilities beginning at age three and through age 18. Services to students, ages 19, 20, and 21, are permissive. That means the decision to serve 19, 20 and 21-year-old students is determined…

This study investigated the effect of the administration of frequent and infrequent probe lists on generalization with four articulation disordered children (ages 3:10 to 5:8). Results indicated that frequency of probe list administration did not produce any predictable effect on the extent of generalization or the occurrence of a practice effect.…

Sixteen adult stutterers were randomly assigned to one of two groups: awareness training plus regulated-breathing or Azrin and Nunn's regulated-breathing method only. Awareness training significantly reduced stuttering compared to the control procedure. But the most significant improvement appeared after introduction of the regulated-breathing…

The study investigated the Lombard effect (evoking increased speech intensity by applying masking noise to ears of talker) on the speech of esophageal talkers, artificial larynx users, and normal speakers. The noise condition produced the highest intensity increase in the esophageal speakers. (Author/DB)

Purpose: This article presents, and explains the issues behind, the Stuttering Treatment Research Evaluation and Assessment Tool (STREAT), an instrument created to assist clinicians, researchers, students, and other readers in the process of critically appraising reports of stuttering treatment research. Method: The STREAT was developed by…

This volume examines the ramifications of individual differences in therapy outcomes for a wide variety of communication disorders. In an era where evidence-based practice is the clinical profession's watchword, each chapter attacks this highly relevant issue from a somewhat different perspective. In some areas of communication disorders,…

Electropalatography (EPG) was used to obtain details of tongue contacts with the hard palate in four articulation-disordered children. EPG provided relevant diagnostic information, showing patterns in both spatial configuration and variability and allowing the tentative diagnosis of two children as verbal dyspraxic. (Author/DB)

Three methods for evaluating change in the spontaneous language of aphasic subjects were compared. Clinical judgments of experienced speech language pathologists showed excellent agreement with the Shewan Spontaneous Language Analysis (SSLA) and less agreement with the Western Aphasia Battery. The SSLA was found to provide the most comprehensive…

The paper describes a study on language interactions between young, newly verbal, language handicapped children and mothers. Components of a project are delineated and data from the original study are reported. Implications for using the approach combined with traditional speech therapy are discussed. (Author/CL)