This tutorial offers speech-language pathologists (SLPs) an opportunity to consider the theoretical constructs of language acquisition theory and the multifactorial determinants that can impinge on the language acquisition process for children with complex communication needs. The system of constraints observed through the lens of optimality…

Communicative competence for people who use augmentative and alternative communication consists of four interrelated domains: linguistic, strategic, social, and operational. Ongoing assessment and progress monitoring within these domains are crucial to (a) providing information to teach targeted skills in a manner contextualized within the…

This article reflects on the author's experience supervising a public school program for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, specifically addressing national, regional, and local trends affecting it. These trends included teacher efficacy, changes in educational service delivery, advances in technology, the selection of the listening and…

This article presents an interview with Dr. Dolores E. Battle, a professor of speech-language pathology and senior advisor to the president for equity and campus diversity at Buffalo State College. She is a former president of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (in 2005) and a very active member of international organizations of both…

Self-contained classrooms and resource rooms have been an important component of the continuum of placements available to students who are deaf or hard of hearing. However, these specialized classrooms have been closing in recent years. A variety of factors are contributing to this, most notably the impact of cochlear implants. This article…