Available evidence suggests that early language intervention is effective when designed to meet the needs of the individual child. Intervention should begin when risk or predisposing factors so indicate or when significant delays are present. Intervention should respect the child's developmental level in relevant areas and should address…

The article addresses the need to identify the unconventional, nonsymbolic behaviors of children with severe, multiple disabilities. Suggestions for improving the frequency and quality of communicative interactions by building on the child's current behavioral repertoire. (Author/DB)

This article identifies key issues in gender communication including gender as a primary social category; how to best understand gender; the role of gender stereotypes in communication; and socially created gender differences. Ethnographic research methods are seen to be particularly appropriate for investigating gender communication. (DB)

This study examined the coexistence of other communicative disorders with voice disorders in about 3,400 children in grades 1-12 at 100 sites throughout the United States. The majority of voice-disordered children had coexisting articulation deviations and also differed from controls on two language measures and mean pure-tone hearing thresholds.…

This paper describes developments and applications in the utilization of personal computers in Italy to improve the communication capabilities of persons having communication disorders resulting from deafness, deaf blindness, or motor disabilities. (DB)

Thirteen university students listened to synthesized vowels, presented 14 times randomly, and uttered each of the vowels as soon as they heard it. Serial analysis of successive auditory-vocal reaction times (AVRTs) revealed significant intrasession and intersession decreases in AVRTs in the majority of subjects. AVRT increases were also seen but…

This article describes simple modifications to a basic 9-volt portable transistor radio to serve as a durable, inexpensive signalling device operable by a single external switch. The unit still functions as a radio, but can also help partially speaking students and users of communication aids to signal for help. (Author/PB)

The resource directory on augmentative/alternative communication resources lists 12 assistive technology resources, 13 assistive technology data sources, 45 resources offering assistance on communication aids, and 91 sources of electronic and nonelectronic communication aids. (DB)

This paper presents a model for the theoretical understanding of communication with individuals with severe disabilities, called the "Context times Memory model." Issues discussed include a memory framework describing the structure of communicative knowledge; information processing mechanisms that make possible the patterns of everyday…

A study involving 10 adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and 10 controls found subjects had problems with procedural function, descriptive function, cohesion relations, and narrative function. They also showed problems in functional communication and in general pragmatic ability. Discrete problems in comprehension and in presuppositional…

This study examined effects of group communication treatment on the linguistic and communicative performance of 24 adults with chronic aphasia. Participants received five hours of group communication treatment weekly provided by a speech-language pathologist. Participants had significantly higher scores on communicative and linguistic measures…

To explore factors related to selective mutism (SM), a survey of persons (N=153, including 135 children) with SM was undertaken. Three theoretical assumptions are supported: (1) variant talking behaviors prior to identification of SM; (2) link between SM and social anxiety; (3) potential link between temperament and SM. (EMK)

Study investigates three preschool boys with language delays who exhibited tantrums. Alternative communicative responses were identified and reinforced as tantrum replacements for each child. Results show brief functional analyses of tantrums serve as viable assessment options in outclinic settings. Identifying the functional properties of…

Visual-language and augmentative-communication systems for individuals with pervasive developmental disorders and autism are presented as both legitimate languages and as effective strategies. Methods for choosing target environments, generating appropriate vocabulary, creating interactive language boards, and implementing them with appropriate…

A comparison of 22 students in a traditional curriculum and 70 in a curriculum using speech science instrumentation demonstrated that opportunities to experience research improved attitudes toward and comfort with the research process. Findings support early introduction of scientific method into the communication disorders curriculum. (SK)