Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technologies for children with complex communication needs (CCN) can improve communication skills, increase autonomy, promote social closeness, and enhance meaningful participation in a variety of social contexts. However, access to AAC technologies is insufficient. Successful use of AAC…

Across three separate investigations, this dissertation documents work examining the role of higher-order processes and cognitive effort during the top-down compensatory repair of degraded speech, specifically perceptual restoration. Perceptual restoration is a phenomenon where a listener can perceptually restore or repair speech…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe speech language pathologist perceptions of the usefulness of stuttering-related podcasts to improve their knowledge of how to treat stuttering. The current study included 10 speech-language pathologists, nine of whom were based in schools and one of whom worked in a geriatric home…

Language disorder is characterized by difficulty with the comprehension and production of different aspects of language. School-aged children with developmental language disorder (DLD) and school-aged children with Down syndrome (DS) demonstrate similar deficits in the area of morphosyntax, which often creates barriers during social interactions…

In 2023, immigrants and their United States born offspring accounted for approximately 90.8 million individuals (27%) of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population (Batalova, 2024). Compared to 2010, this is a rise of about 14.7 million (20%). As the global population becomes more diverse, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) face the…

The problem examined in this study was that special education teachers and speech-language providers have yet to fully understand how they can collaborate to deliver reading comprehension instruction to students with learning disabilities in integrated co-teaching classroom settings. Using a systems-thinking conceptual framework and basic…

Despite the increasing number of elementary and secondary school students with language and learning disabilities and federal laws mandating ongoing collaboration among diverse school professionals, the implementation and maintenance of Interprofessional Collaborative Practices (ICP) and classroom-based therapy services among teachers and…

This mixed methods retrospective analysis analyzed change using a linguistic-based approach during speech therapy among first or second-grade students with a speech sound disorder. Measures analyzed change within intelligibility, phonemic awareness, decoding, ability to apply skills, and response to IEP goals related to speech. Five schools…

The purpose of this qualitative research was to gather information needed to produce professional development information for early childhood educators for the identification of students who may need speech-language therapy. A concentrated focus was primarily on needs for speech therapy based on specific language impairments or delays in language…

Arab Americans are a growing population in the United States. According to the Arab American Institute (2012), their number has reached 3.6 million. In spite of this, there is a scarcity of research exploring this population and the issues related to the area of speech-language pathology. This study explored Arabic-speaking SLPs' perceptions of…

The cultural and linguistic diversity of our nation continues to grow and the skills needed by speech-language pathologists to address the needs of their existing caseload continue to be vast. According to the ASHA (2016) Schools Survey, only 8% of speech-language pathologists (n=1689) reported feeling very qualified to address cultural and…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and further understand the ways in which middle school and high school students perceive their school experiences within the school environment. School has an important impact on the social development of children (Milsom, 2006). Learning is not done individually as classrooms are inherently social…

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…

The READERS (Rapid English Assimilation Developing English Reading and Speaking) program is designed to facilitate teachers and students in rapid English assimilation, focusing on grammar and verbal recall as pertaining to the English language. The purpose of this qualitative method case study was to investigate the effects of rapid English…

Children with limited oral language due to developmental and language delays have difficulty with communication in their everyday lives. Their trouble with speech and/or language impacts their ability to socialize with peers and learn in the school setting. Most of the research on alternative and augmentative communication systems and oral…