This article outlines five achievements of the last 20 years that have had or have the potential for a significant effect on the communication of individuals with autism, including greater understanding of the development of language and nonverbal communication in individuals with autism. Suggestions for future research are offered. (Contains…

A study investigated speech disfluency and stuttering behaviors in 3- and 4-year old children who do (CWS, n=36) and do not (CWNS, n=36) stutter. Four out of 5 measures significantly differed between groups. Within the CWS group there was a significant relationship between stuttering onset and percentage of stuttering-like disfluencies. (Contains…

A survey of 43 Vietnamese Americans found respondents who had become more acculturated had greater hope for individuals with disabilities than first generation immigrants. Both groups embraced the practice of seeking services for a child with disability and were strongly predisposed to accept augmentative and alternative communication practices.…

Group treatment is explored in light of its psychosocial context, treatment effectiveness, and efficiency. A summary of the four group treatment approaches (two for children, two for adults) for communicative disorders are provided: classroom-based elementary school group, multicultural and multilinguistic preschool group, alaryngeal speech…

Deaf People, especially those who are not well educated, are at risk for serious injustices when they enter the criminal justice system. The present study describes these risks at all stages of the legal process, including arrest, trial, probation, prison, and parole. These dangers are greatest for those who are poorly educated, read at a…

Few models appropriately or adequately describe the literacy development experiences of children with atypical communication development, such as those with language impairment or severe disabilities. In this paper, the Interactive-to-Independent Model of literacy development is presented, influenced primarily by Vygotsky's seminal theories of…

This study investigated the relationship between discourse deficits to a broader range of other symptoms in 57 children with autism. We hypothesized that autism symptomatology, as measured by the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), would be related to the children?s difficulty in maintaining an ongoing topic of discourse. Children…

Levels of evidence differ according to the audience addressed. Implementation of universal newborn hearing screening requires responses to a complex myriad of diverse groups: the general public, families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing, the deaf and hard of hearing communities, hospital administrators, physicians (pediatricians,…

Through a variety of approaches, speech-language pathologists and audiologists have produced strong evidence that treatments are generally potent. However, we have largely ignored the accepted standards for clinical-outcome testing used throughout the broader research community (e.g., by other clinical disciplines, federal regulators, and…

This paper analyzes autism as a contingency-shaped disorder of verbal behavior. Contingencies of reinforcement in effect during the first to third year of a child's life may operate to establish and maintain those behaviors that later result in a diagnosis of autism. While neurobiological variables may, in some cases, predispose some children to…

Research-based information is used to support the idea of the use of adaptations and accommodations for early childhood students who have varying disabilities. Multiple adaptations and accommodations are outlined. A step-by-step plan is provided on how to make specific adaptations and accommodations to fit the specific needs of early childhood…

The ability to narrate a story is fundamental to the development of overall communicative competence and involves the coordination of a variety of knowledge structures and linguistic abilities. In this study, the narrative discourse abilities of four children who use AAC are described in the context of five tasks designed to elicit a spectrum of…

In our professional lives in schools, hospitals, private practices, and universities, speech-language pathologists often pride ourselves on being communication experts--but are we? We may know how to diagnose and treat a wide range of communication disabilities, but can we effectively get our message across to our colleagues and families? Raymond…

This review of the literature on facilitated communication (FC) with individuals having severe communication disorders focuses on three major issues: (1) the history and development of FC, with varying opinions on the purpose of FC; (2) criteria for selecting individuals as having potential to benefit from FC; and (3) findings and issues…

This publication describes the variety of research and research training grant mechanisms available from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). The first section briefly describes the following extramural research grant programs: investigator-initiated research project grants; the Small Grant program; First…