Examines ways to facilitate communication by nonverbal students with severe disabilities. Discusses selecting functional communication targets and teachable contexts, facilitating widespread use (generalization), ensuring maintenance of the new communication behavior, and implications for practice. (DB)

Investigated the hierarchical organization of the semantic system in preschoolers with and without word-finding deficits. Children named a series of objects at multiple levels of the noun hierarchy in response to contrast questions. Children with word-finding deficits had similar abilities to the other children but did not have enough stored…

A binary communication format and active interrogation were used to administer the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (Revised) to 25 individuals unable to make oral or fine-motor responses resulting from various physical and intellectual disabilities. Results correlated with those obtained using the standard form. Discussion focuses on use with…

This pilot study estimated the incidence of nondysphasic language and communication problems following right cerebral hemisphere damage (RHD) in 11 subjects who completed language assessments within 2 weeks of onset and again 3 months later. Results found some language impairment for 50% of the sample and marked difficulties for 20%. (Author/DB)

College students (n=465) rated 5 descriptions: 1 portraying an individual without a disorder and 4 depicting various communicative disorders. The descriptions with no disorder and with a language disorder were rated significantly lower in ambition than those depicting stuttering, voice, or articulation disorders. Geographical location and age of…

This paper describes the two-year master's degree program for speech-language pathologists with a specialization in bilingualism (Spanish/English) developed at the University of the District of Columbia. First, the article describes the program's curriculum, clinical practicum, recruitment, and retention activities. It then discusses the student…

This article reports on an action research project focused on a first-grader with a severe articulation disorder. Intervention involved collaboration by his classroom teacher, mother, speech pathologist, and the child to develop, implement, and continually evaluate an action plan. (Contains 12 references.) (DB)

Compared mothers' perspectives of children's peer-related social development from matched groups of children with developmental delays, communicative disorders, and typically developing children. Found that mothers rated children's social development as highly important, offered primarily internal rationales for success or difficulties in…

This statement by a committee of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association defines the scope of practice in speech-language pathology. It covers purpose, a framework for practice, education and qualifications, scope of practice, professional roles and activities, and practice settings. (Contains references.) (DB)

The Inventory of Potential Communicative Acts (IPCA) was given to 20 children with developmental and physical disabilities. Results indicate the IPCA is an efficient means for collecting accurate, verifiable data of the potential communicative acts of children with severe communication impairment associated with a range of developmental and…

A study involving 58 children (ages 17-32 months) with prelinguistic communication delays found that in families with high responsivity, prelinguistic milieu teaching treatment facilitated increased self-initiated proto-imperatives and proto-declaratives. In families with low responsivity, responsive small groups comparison intervention…

When used within a comprehensive positive behavioral support program, the CPI Postvention model can serve as a facilitation tool, guiding staff through functional behavioral assessment for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Challenging behavior is defined as behavior of such intensity, frequency, or duration that the physical safety of the…

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) (World Health Organization, 2001) is proposed as a framework for integrative goal setting for children with speech impairment. The ICF incorporates both impairment and social factors to consider when selecting appropriate goals to bring about change in the lives of…

The use of microswitches has been considered a crucial strategy to help individuals with extensive multiple disabilities overcome passivity and achieve control of environmental stimulation (Crawford & Schuster, 1993; Gutowski, 1996; Ko, McConachie, & Jolleff, 1998). In recent years, considerable efforts have been made to extend the evaluation of…

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…