bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metaphor Performance in Children With Hearing Impairment
Authors: Wolgemuth Keith S. , Kamhi Alan G. , Lee Rene F.
Published: July 2014

Metaphor comprehension and use were evaluated in children with hearing impairment (HI) who performed within normal age limits on norm-referenced measures of language. Participants were 13 children with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss and 12 children with normal hearing and normal development (10:0 to 15:7 years:months). Three verbal metaphor tasks (comprehension, preference, and completion) and one visual metaphor task, the Metaphor Triads Task (MTT), were administered. No significant group differences were found on any of the tasks. Both groups exhibited the same metaphor competence and response patterns on the four tasks. These findings add to a growing body of literature showing that a significant number of children with mild-to-moderate HI have age-appropriate language abilities.
Conducting Clinical Trials in the Public Schools
Authors: O’Toole Tom , Logemann Jeri A. , Baum Herbert M.
Published: July 2014

This manuscript explores the general whys and hows clinicians in the public school can and should be involved in clinical trials research and describes the Communication Sciences and Disorders Research Group (CSDRG). The CSDRG is a group of clinicians, clinical investigators, basic scientists, epidemiologists, and statisticians in communication sciences and disorders (funded by the National Institutes of Health) who came together to design and implement clinical trials examining the effectiveness of interventions with speech, hearing, language, balance, and voice/swallowing disorders. Clinical trials are a very specific type of treatment research requiring the randomization of children to several different treatment arms. Because of the required characteristics of clinical trials, conducting them in the school setting poses unique challenges and logistic issues that are described, along with potential solutions.
Dimensions of Multiskilling
Authors: Johnson Carole E.
Published: July 2014

Educational audiologists often must delegate certain tasks to other educational personnel who function as support personnel and need training in order to perform assigned tasks. Support personnel are people who, after appropriate training, perform tasks that are prescribed, directed, and supervised by a professional such as a certified and licensed audiologist. The training of support personnel to perform tasks that are typically performed by those in other disciplines is calledmultiskilling. This article discusses multiskilling and the use of support personnel in educational audiology in reference to the following principles: guidelines, models of multiskilling, components of successful multiskilling, and "dos and don’ts" for multiskilling. These principles are illustrated through the use of multiskilling in the establishment of a hearing aid monitoring program. Successful multiskilling and the use of support personnel by educational audiologists can improve service delivery to school-age children with hearing loss.
A Format for Identifying Interactions Among Measures of Communication Skills
Authors: Hargrove Patricia M. , Frerichs Jacquelyn , Heino Kimberli
Published: July 2014

A format for longitudinally tracking interactions among measures representing different domains of communication was developed in response to calls for integrative approaches to language assessment. This longitudinal case study examined measures of segmental phonology, nonsegmental phonology, and syntax/morphology in a child with language impairment in order to illustrate the effectiveness of this format in identifying interactions. The format detected trade-offs and co-occurrences, which changed during the 6 1/2 yearsof study. The results support Crystal’s (1987) "bucket" theory of language and the value of integrative approaches to assessment.
Computer-Based Language Assessment Software
Authors: Haaf Robert , Duncan Brent , Skarakis-Doyle Elizabeth , Carew Maria , Kapitan Paula
Published: July 2014

Nonstandard presentation and response formats are often employed by speech-language pathologists when clients are unable to perform the pointing response required of many standardized tests. However, any adaptation to test administration potentially compromises the norming standards of that test. The present study investigated the effects of computerized presentation of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R, Dunn & Dunn, 1981) Form M, using two computer-based response formats. Seventy-two normally developing children between the ages of 4:0 (years:months) and 8:11 participated in this study. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three response conditions: (1) standard presentation -direct pointing, (2) computer presentation-trackball, and (3) computer presentation-automated scanning. Statistical analyses revealed that there were no differences in performance across the response conditions, which is consistent with the hypothesis that computerized testforms are equivalent to standard forms. Age was strongly related to increased accuracy regardless of condition. Thus, the adapted response formats of the computerized version constitute statistically equivalent forms of the PPVT-R and can be used with the published norms for this test.
The Hearing Aid Effect in African American and Caucasian Males as Perceived by Female Judges of the Same Race
Authors: Davis Mary , Jackson Rhonda , Smith Tina , Cooper William
Published: July 2014

Prior studies have proven the existence of the "hearing aid effect" when photographs of Caucasian males and females wearing a body aid, a post-auricular aid (behind-the-ear), or no hearing aid were judged by lay persons and professionals. This study was performed to determine if African American and Caucasian males, judged by female members of their own race, were likely to be judged in a similar manner on the basis of appearance, personality, assertiveness, and achievement. Sixty female undergraduate education majors (30 African American; 30 Caucasian) used a semantic differential scale to rate slides of preteen African American and Caucasian males, with and without hearing aids. The results of this study showed that female African American and Caucasian judges rated males of their respective races differently. The hearing aid effect was predominant among the Caucasian judges across the dimensions of appearance, personality, assertiveness, and achievement. In contrast, the African American judges only exhibited a hearing aid effect on the appearance dimension.
Withdrawn and Sociable Behavior of Children With Language Impairment
Authors: Fujiki Martin , Brinton Bonnie , Morgan Melanie , Hart Craig H.
Published: July 2014

This study examined the dimensions of withdrawal and sociability in children with language impairment (LI) and their typically developing chronological age-matched peers. Classroom teachers rated the withdrawn and sociable behaviors of 41 children with LI and 41 typically developing peers using the Teacher Behavioral Rating Scale (TBRS, Hart & Robinson, 1996). Children were sampled from the age ranges of 5 to 8 years and 10 to 13 years. Subtypes of both withdrawn (solitary-passive withdrawal, solitary-active withdrawal, reticence) and sociable (impulse control/likability, prosocial) behavior were examined.

Teachers rated children with LI as displaying higher levels of reticent behavior than typically developing children. Teachers also rated boys with LI as displaying significantly higher levels of solitary-active withdrawal than girls with LI or typically developing children of either gender. The groups did not differ on solitary-passive withdrawal, although boys were rated higher than girls. In the dimension of sociable behavior, children with LI were rated significantly below typical peers on subtypes of impulse control/likability and prosocial behavior.

The relationship between language impairment and withdrawn and sociable behavior is complex. Although language impairment is an important factor in social difficulty, the current results suggest that language impairment is not the sole factor leading to social problems in children with LI. Assessment and intervention procedures for children with language and social problems should take the complex nature of this relationship into account.
Learning to Spell
Authors: Masterson Julie J. , Crede Leigh Anne
Published: July 2014

Background information regarding spelling development and factors that influence spelling performance are presented. The use of this information in assessment and intervention activities with a student who had deficits in spelling is illustrated. After 6 weeks of treatment, the student showed improvements in both formal and informal measures of spelling performance. Implications for optimal assessment and intervention methods, as well as directions for future research, are discussed.
Teaching the Conditional Use of Communicative Requests to Two School-Age Children With Severe Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Reichle Joe , Johnston Susan S.
Published: July 2014

Purpose

Two boys with severe developmental disabilities were taught to conditionally use requests to obtain desired snack items.

Method

When items were in the possession of another person (teacher, peer) or proximally distant, learners were taught to emit communicative requests. When items were proximally near, learners engaged in a self-selecting response.

Results

Results suggest that the conditional discriminations were established quickly. Both learners generalized their conditional discriminations to other contexts within the classroom.

Clinical Implications

This study demonstrates the importance of attending to conditional discriminations when teaching communication requests.
Computer-Assisted Language Intervention Using Fast ForWord®
Authors: Gillam Ronald B.
Published: July 2014

A computer-assisted language intervention program called Fast ForWord® (Scientific Learning Corporation, 1998) has received a great deal of attention at professional meetings and in the popular media. Newspaper and magazine articles about this program contain statements like, "On average, after only 6 to 7 weeks of training, language-learning impaired children ages 4 to 12 showed improvement of more than one and a half years in speech processing and language ability." (Scientific Learning Corporation, 1997). Are the claims that are being made about this intervention approach just a matter of product promotion, or is this really a scientifically proven remedy for language-learning impairments? This article critiques the theoretical basis of Fast ForWord®, the documented treatment outcomes, and the clinical methods associated with the procedure. Fifteen cautionary statements are provided that clinicians may want to consider before they recommend Fast ForWord® intervention for the children they serve.
A Preliminary Investigation of Dynamic Assessment With Native American Kindergartners
Authors: Ukrainetz Teresa A. , Harpell Stacey , Walsh Chandra , Coyle Catherine
Published: July 2014

Purpose:
This study examined dynamic assessment as a lessbiased evaluation procedure for assessing the languagelearning ability of Native American children.

Method:
Twenty-three Arapahoe/Shoshone kindergartners were identified as stronger (
n
= 15) or weaker (
n
= 8) language learners through teacher report and examiner classroom observation. Through a test-teach-test protocol, participants were briefly taught the principles of categorization. Participant responses to learning were measured in terms of an index of modifiability and post-test categorization scores. The modifiability index, determined during the teaching phase, was a combined score reflecting the child's learning strategies, such as ability to attend, plan, and self-regulate, and the child's responses to the learning situation. Post-test scores consisted of performance on expressive and receptive subtests from a standardized categorization test after partialling out pretest score differences. Effect sizes and confidence intervals were also determined.

Results:
Group and individual results indicated that modifiability and post-test scores were significantly greater for stronger than for weaker language learners. The response to modifiability components was a better discriminator than was the learner strategies components.

Clinical Implications:
These results provide support for the further development of dynamic assessment as a valid measure of language learning ability in minority children.
Patterns of Adult-Child Linguistic Interaction in Integrated Day Care Groups
Authors: Girolametto Luigi , Hoaken Lisa , Weitzman Elaine , Lieshout Riet van
Published: July 2014

Purpose:
This study investigated the language input of eight childcare providers to children with developmental disabilities, including language delay, who were integrated into community day care centers.

Method:
Structural and discourse features of the adults' language input was compared across two groups (integrated, typical) and two naturalistic day care contexts (book reading, play dough activity). The eight children with developmental disabilities and language delay were between 33–50 months of age; 32 normally developing peers ranged in age from 32–53 months of age. Adult-child interactions were transcribed and coded to yield estimates of structural indices (number of utterances, rate, mean length of utterances, ratio of different words to total words used (TTR) and discourse features (directive, interactive, language-modelling) of their language input.

Results:
The language input addressed to the children with developmental disabilities was directive and not finely tuned to their expressive language levels. In turn, these children interacted infrequently with the adult or with the other children. Contextual comparisons indicated that the play dough activity promoted adult-child interaction that was less directive and more interaction-promoting than book reading, and that children interacted more frequently in the play-dough activity.

Clinical Implications:
Implications for speech-language pathologists include the need for collaborative consultation in integrated settings, modification of adult-child play contexts to promote interaction, and training childcare providers to use language input that promotes communication development.
Part I
Authors: Hall Penelope K.
Published: July 2014

Practicing speech-language pathologists frequently ask about the existence of information regarding developmental apraxia of speech (DAS) that they can share with the parents of their clients and patients. Hoping to fill a need, a series of letters, addressed to the parent(s) of a child with DAS, has been written. These letters discuss such issues as the nature and causes of DAS, other problems often associated with the disorder, and the treatment of DAS. This initial letter discusses the characteristics involved in the disorder. Included with this letter is an appendix of publications that may be helpful for both parents and speech-language pathologists.
Multiple Perspectives for Determining the Roles of Speech-Language Pathologists in Inclusionary Classrooms
Authors: Prelock Patricia A.
Published: July 2014

Most likely, readers will be left with more questions than answers in reflecting on the six perspectives presented in the clinical forum. Despite the different points of view and approaches of the contributors, their message is clear. One aspect of this message is that a theoretical and empirical foundation has been laid for the use, and potential misuse, of collaborative, inclusionary models of service delivery and their related practices.

The second aspect of the contributors’ message is equally important. Regardless of variations in conceptual frameworks, we all share a common goal—to meet more effectively the needs of students with LLI who are being educated in inclusion programs.
Related Services Research for Students With Low-Incidence Disabilities
Authors: Giangreco Michael F.
Published: July 2014

When speech-language pathologists provide educationally related services for students with low-incidence disabilities who are placed in inclusive classrooms, they are asked to work with a variety of other adults. The ways in which these adults make decisions about individualizing a student’s educational program, determine related services, and coordinate their activities have an impact on educational outcomes for students as well as on interprofessional interactions. This article summarizes a team process for making related services decisions called VISTA (Vermont Interdependent Services Team Approach) and a series of nine research studies pertaining to the use and impact of VISTA. It also addresses related topics, such as team size, consumer perspectives, and paraprofessional supports. Five major implications from these studies are offered concerning (a) developing a disposition of being an ongoing learner, (b) developing a shared framework among team members, (c) having a research-based process to build consensus, (d) clarifying roles, and (e) increasing involvement of families and general education teachers.
The New Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test—III:
Authors: Stockman Ida J.
Published: July 2014

This article examines whether changes in the ethnic minority composition of the standardization sample for the latest edition of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT-III, Dunn & Dunn, 1997) can be used as the sole explanation for children's better test scores when compared to an earlier edition, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R, Dunn & Dunn, 1981). Results from a comparative analysis of these two test editions suggest that other factors may explain improved performances. Among these factors are the number of words and age levels sampled, the types of words and pictures used, and characteristics of the standardization sample other than its ethnic minority composition. This analysis also raises questions regarding the usefulness of converting scores from one edition to the other and the type of criteria that could be used to evaluate whether the PPVT-III is an unbiased test of vocabulary for children from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

KEY WORDS: vocabulary, multicultural assessment,
standardized tests, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, test bias
Ten Ways to Provide a High-Quality Acoustical Environment in Schools
Authors: Siebein Gary W. , Gold Martin A. , Siebein Glenn W. , Ermann Michael G.
Published: July 2014

The purpose of this article is to describe the use of impulse response measures and observations in Florida classrooms. As a result of measures and observations in "healthy" and poor acoustical environments, 10 practical recommendations are proposed for improving the acoustical environment in schools. The primary research for these recommendations consisted of recording acoustical measurements of reverberation time and background noise, as well as newer acoustical measurements based on impulse response techniques, in 56 actual classrooms. Observations of classroom situations occurred in a subset of these schools. Computer and physical models of eight classrooms were constructed and tested with varying room finish materials and background noise levels to study the comeverberation bined effects of these architectural items on speech perception in the model rooms. The primary recommendations all relate to school design and planning. These include air-conditioning system selection and noise control techniques to minimize interference with listening, interior classroom acoustical design principles for maximizing speech perception, and the documentation of teaching methods and classroom arrangements that result in improving speech intelligibility and other factors affecting speech perception.
Developmental Apraxia of Speech
Authors: Robin Donald A.
Published: July 2014

DAS is a motor control problem in which the purposeful production of speech is faulty. The underlying problem affects movement control of the speech-production musculature for speech and non-speech activities. Diagnostic criteria for DAS should be based on the speech and motor control problems manifested by these children, and not other language or cognitive symptoms, even though these frequently co-occur with the apraxia. Treatment programs should be based on the development of motor skills and, as such, adhere closely to the principles of motor learning.
An Intervention Approach for Naming Problems in Children
Authors: Casby Michael W.
Published: July 2014

The existence of naming difficulties among children with language learning problems has been well-documented in the literature, yet there is, at present, little research that addresses intervention. This study reports the results of a clinical experiment designed to ameliorate the naming difficulties of a school-aged boy with a language disorder. A single-subject multiple baseline across behaviors design was employed to investigate the effectiveness of an intervention protocol designed to increase the child’s elaborative word knowledge of sets of words through a deep-level of processing, and thus improve his naming performance. Results indicated that the child decreased his naming response time and naming error rate relative to baseline levels.
Identification of Early Stuttering
Authors: Onslow Mark
Published: July 2014

Strategies to identify early stuttering are discussed. These strategies involve two components, one for positive identification and one for negative identification. It is argued that false negative identification of early stuttering warrants more concern than false positive identification. Accordingly, identification strategies are suggested that are intended to eliminate false negative identification. The positive identification of early stuttering is based on Bloodstein’s (1987) consensus definition of the disorder, and on a single observation at one point in time. Negative identification is based on all available definitions and is not a consequence of a failure to make a positive identification. Provision is made for an "at-risk" register, as suggested by Adams (1977), where a child is observed regularly for a period of time before final identification, positive or negative, is made. The strategies are described in detail and some issues associated with them are discussed.
Preschool Speech and Language Screening
Authors: Sturner Raymond A. , Layton Thomas L. , Evans Amy W. , Heller James H. , Funk Sandra G. , Machon Marsha W.
Published: July 2014

Fifty-one preschool speech-language screening tests were reviewed with regard to criteria crucial to screening test selection: professional time required, comprehensiveness, norms, and reliability/validity. A rationale was given for specific guidelines for each criterion. Twenty-five of the tests met the criterion of requiring 10 minutes or less. Nine of these met the criteria for brevity and comprehensiveness. Only six of the standardized tests reported any data that could be used to calculate clinical indices required to evaluate screening test validity. Of these six, only two provided the kind of data that would permit calculation of all predictive indices.
Pretreatment and Posttreatment Speech Naturalness Ratings of Adults With Mild and Severe Stuttering
Authors: Kalinowski Joseph , Noble Sandra , Armson Joy , Stuart Andrew
Published: July 2014

Speech naturalness of adults who stutter was assessed before and after enrollment in the Precision Fluency Shaping Program. Sixty-four naive raters used a nine-point speech naturalness scale developed by Martin, Haroldson, and Triden (1984) to rate the speech of five adults with mild stuttering and five adults with severe stuttering. The raters assessed 10 1-minute audio samples of clients reading prepared text. Samples were acquired during both pre- and posttreatment assessment. Posttreatment samples were either nearly or completely stutter-free. Posttreatment speech was rated as significantly more unnatural than pretreatment speech for both groups of speakers. This study supports the notion that the reduction of stuttering does not necessarily result in an increase in speech naturalness, and suggests that the goal of treatment should be to produce speech that is both perceptually fluent and natural-sounding.
The Intelligibility of Children’s Speech
Authors: Kent Ray D. , Miolo Giuliana , Bloedel Suzi
Published: July 2014

Summary descriptions are included for 19 procedures that have been, or could be, used to assess the intelligibility of pediatric subjects. Most procedures can be placed in one of the following categories, depending on the emphasis of the analysis: phonetic contrast analysis, phonological process analysis, word identification tests, phonetic indices derived from continuous speech scoring, scaling of continuous speech, and traditional word-level analysis of continuous speech. The general discussion includes an examination of the major issues to be considered in intelligibility testing and a set of criteria to be applied in test selection.
Implications of Socioeconomic Trends for Speech-Language Pathology
Authors: Kent Ray D.
Published: July 2014

Demographic, economic, and technological trends are likely to reshape educational, clinical, and research programs in speech-language pathology over the next three decades. The changes could be dramatic. These trends should be taken into account in planning the future role of speech-language pathology in health care and education. Critical elements in such planning include fostering behavioral and biomolecular research pertinent to human communication, promoting research on intervention efficacy, and developing a technology and knowledge base that are central to clinical practice.
An Examination of the Role of the Facilitator in “Facilitated Communication”
1
Authors: Shane Howard C. , Kearns Kevin
Published: July 2014

Facilitated communication (FC) is an expressive communication strategy that involves the selection of targets on a letter display or keyboard by an individual who receives some physical support, typically from another person (known as the facilitator). Because physical assistance is needed for communication to occur, the question has arisen as to whether the facilitator or the individual who is facilitated is responsible for authoring messages. This investigation was initiated to determine whether messages expressed via FC by a 38-year-old man who was nonspeaking and mentally retarded were produced by this individual or by his facilitator. In order to investigate the source of communication, three procedures were designed, two of a visual and one of an auditory nature. Results revealed that the source of the communication in this context was, without exception, the facilitator. These findings suggest the importance of determining the source of communication expressed through facilitated communication.
Assessment and Intervention for Children With Limited English Proficiency and Language Disorders
Authors: Roseberry-McKibbin Celeste
Published: July 2014

The number of children with limited English proficiency (LEP) in U.S. public schools is growing dramatically. Speech-language pathologists increasingly receive referrals from classroom teachers for children with limited English proficiency who are struggling in school. The speech-language pathologists are frequently asked to determine if the children have language disorders that may be causing or contributing to their academic difficulties. Most speech-language pathologists are monolingual English speakers who have had little or no coursework or training related to the needs of LEP children. This article discusses practical, clinically applicable ideas for assessment and treatment of LEP children who are language impaired, and gives suggestions for distinguishing language differences from language disorders in children with limited English proficiency.
Prosodic and Syntactic Bootstrapping and Their Clinical Applications
Authors: Bedore Lisa M. , Leonard Laurence B.
Published: July 2014

All theories of language development assume that young children must have some means of identifying the relevant units of the language they hear without explicit instruction from adults. Even if children are born fully equipped to handle abstract units such as phrases and verbs, they need some means of identifying which pieces of the speech stream are examples of these units, because such units are not structured in the same way across languages. In this paper, we discuss two solutions to this problem that children might employ, commonly referred to as "prosodic bootstrapping" and "syntactic bootstrapping." Following a discussion of these processes, their implications for language intervention are considered.
Out-of-Class Versus In-Class Service Delivery in Language Intervention
Authors: Roberts Joanne E. , Prizant Barry , McWilliam R. A.
Published: July 2014

The interactions of young children and their speech-language pathologist during out-of-class and in-class language intervention were compared for 15 children with disabilities attending a mainstreamed childcare center. Children were pair matched and randomly assigned to either in-class or out-of-class special services. After 3 months, treatment sessions were videotaped. The results indicated that some, but not all, aspects of both speech-language pathologists' and children's interactions differed during in-class versus out-of-class treatment sessions. During out-of-class sessions, speech-language pathologists took more turns than during in-class sessions. Children complied more with requests during out-of-class sessions and responded less to requests during in-class sessions. The results suggest that because in-class and out-of-class models have differential effects only on some aspects of clinician and child behavior, selection of service delivery models must be determined by a myriad of factors. Furthermore, these findings suggest that, in the absence of more conclusive data, it is premature to equate a particular mode of service delivery with a higher degree of treatment efficacy.
The Role of Repetition Units in the Differential Diagnosis of Early Childhood Incipient Stuttering
Authors: Ambrose Nicoline Grinager , Yairi Ehud
Published: July 2014

The role of the number of repetition units as a differentiating factor in the identification of very early stuttering in young children is explored. Speech samples of 1,000 syllables each from 29 experimental and 29 control subjects were analyzed for presence and extent of part-word and single syllable word repetitions. Statistically significant differences between the two groups were found for the mean number of units per instance of repetition, the percentages of single- and multiple-unit repetitions, and the frequency of occurrence of instances containing multiple repetition units. The extent of overlap between groups varied among the three measures. Specific suggestions concerning applications of the findings to clinical purposes are made.
The Efficacy of a Semantic Cueing Procedure on Naming Performance of Adults With Aphasia
Authors: Lowell Soren , Beeson Pelagie M. , Holland Audrey L.
Published: July 2014

The effects of self-selected semantic cues on naming performance of three individuals with aphasia were studied. Using a single-subject multiple-baseline design, a procedure incorporating semantic feature analysis was used to facilitate generalization. Two subjects showed improved naming performance on trained items, with robust generalization to untrained items and maintenance over a one-week period. Performance remained stable on a control measure of productive morphology throughout training, indicating that improved naming performance was not due to generalized language improvement. The third subject did not show substantial improvement. For the two subjects who improved, results suggest that they learned a semantic cueing strategy and applied it to both trained and untrained items for improved naming performance.
What Is Functional?
Authors: Elman Roberta J. , Bernstein-Ellis Ellen
Published: July 2014

It has become almost impossible to write a treatment plan or submit a claim to a third party payer without using the word
functional
. A speech-language pathologist must identify functional goals, using functional tasks, and show functional gains, or reimbursement for treatment is likely to be denied. This position paper argues that the definition of
functional
has changed over time and now is becoming synonymous with
basic skills
. This terminological evolution has far-reaching implications for choosing our treatment candidates and determining treatment goals, as well as dramatically influencing the future of clinical aphasiology.
Sense of Effort During a Lexical Decision Task
Authors: Clark Heather M. , Robin Donald A.
Published: July 2014

Individuals’ perception of task difficulty (sense of effort) is thought to reflect resource requirements. As task complexity increases, more resources are allocated to a task, and greater effort is experienced. We investigated resource allocation in subjects with brain damage by examining sense of effort during a lexical decision task. Although subjects with no brain damage demonstrate strong relationships among task complexity, reaction time, and effort (Clark & Robin, 1994), consistent relationships were not always observed for subjects with a history of cerebrovascular accident or traumatic brain injury. These data suggest that subjects with brain damage may not be sensitive to task complexity and may require external cues to effectively allocate resources.
Cognitive Gains and Losses of Patients With Alzheimer's Disease During Frequent Practice
Authors: Hillis Argye Elizabeth , Benzing Lisa , Epstein Cathy , Lyketsos Constantine
Published: July 2014

This longitudinal study of two patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), on 12 experimental tasks, was designed to identify a measure of cognitive decline in AD patients that would be sensitive to change over short periods (weeks), resistant to practice (repeated testing over a few weeks), and predictive of change over longer periods on standardized tests. During the periods of frequent testing, both patients improved on most tasks, but performance on the tasks of spelling words and spelling pseudowords declined in both patients during periods when they deteriorated on standardized testing. It is concluded that simple spelling tasks may provide a good baseline of the rate of cognitive decline to identify effects of intervention, at least in some AD patients.
Acoustic Analysis of Accurate Word Stress Patterning in Patients With Apraxia of Speech and Broca's Aphasia
Authors: Marquardt Thomas P. , Duffy Georgia , Cannito Michael P.
Published: July 2014

Stress-marking strategies employed by subjects with apraxia of speech were compared to those of matched normal controls, for real disyllabic words produced in isolation and in sentences, across acoustic variables of fundamental frequency, syllable duration, and vocal intensity. Heterogeneity of stress marking in terms of acoustic trading relationships was observed in both the apraxic and normal subjects. Strategies varied depending on whether words were produced in isolation or in sentences, and whether the first or second syllable was stressed. Allowing for marked durational increases in apraxia, there were negligible differences in stress marking between groups. However, some idiosyncratic strategies and a tendency toward reduced durational contrast between stressed and unstressed syllables were observed.
Techniques for Enhancing Communication Productivity in AAC
Authors: Venkatagiri H. S.
Published: July 2014

This paper summarizes selected findings on approaches to increasing the rate of communicatively appropriate responses in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Six approaches—efficient keyboard layouts, reduced keys keyboards, Minspeak with Words Strategy, enlarged keys keyboards, abbreviation expansion, and lexical prediction—are reviewed and rated, using seven criteria—learning needs, cognitive-linguistic processing requirements, perceptual-motor processing requirements, vocabulary size covered, rate increase potential, effort reduction potential, and availability. For literate AAC users, the alternative keyboard layouts described in this paper offer a simple and cost-effective technique that rate highly on all seven criteria. The other approaches to productivity enhancement in AAC have both significant advantages and drawbacks that must be weighed for each individual AAC consumer.
An Assessment of Pitch-Matching Abilities Among Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students
Authors: Weiner Jennifer Barnes , Lee Linda , Cataland Jeannette , Stemple Joseph C.
Published: July 2014

The pitch-matching abilities of speech-language pathology graduate students were investigated. Subjects (
N
=86) attempted to match prerecorded human-voice and pitch-pipe models of the tones C
4
, D
4
, E
4
, G
4
, and B
4
. Mean fundamental frequencies of subject responses were calculated and then converted to semitones. Eighty three percent of the tones were matched within plus or minus one semitone. However, 47% of the subjects were two or more semitones away from the expected tone on two to nine of the ten tones presented. Tones produced in imitation of the human voice were closer to the target than those produced in imitation of the pitch pipe.
Social Validity of the Treatment Outcomes of an Early Intervention Program for Stuttering
Authors: Lincoln Michelle A. , Onslow Mark , Reed Vicki
Published: July 2014

This research was designed to provide a socially valid evaluation of the posttreatment speech of children who received an operant treatment for early stuttering (The Lidcombe Program). Part A compared the posttreatment percent syllables stuttered (%SS) for preschool and school-age children with nonstuttering control children matched for age and sex. This study found that both groups attracted similar measures of %SS. Part B compared the number of "stuttering" versus "not stuttering" judgments made by experienced clinicians and unsophisticated listeners on the same speech samples. Control children were identified as "stuttering" significantly more than the treated children. The clinician listeners identified significantly more control samples and posttreatment samples as stuttering than the unsophisticated listeners. The implications of these results are discussed. It is concluded that The Lidcombe Program resulted in socially valid modifications in the participant's speech.
Vocal Sound Pressure Level and Self-Perception of Speech and Voice in Men and Women With Idiopathic Parkinson Disease
Authors: Fox Cynthia M. , Ramig Lorraine Olson
Published: July 2014

This study compared vocal sound pressure level (SPL) and self-perception of speech and voice in men and women with idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD) and in healthy men and women. Thirty subjects with PD (15 men, 15 women) and 14 healthy comparison (HC) subjects (7 men, 7 women) participated in the study. They performed a variety of speech and voice tasks and carried out perceptual self-ratings of nine speech and voice characteristics. To assess performance stability, subjects repeated the data collection procedures on 3 different days. Results revealed that subjects with PD were statistically significantly lower in vocal SPL (2.0–4.0 dB SPL; 30 cm) during speech and voice tasks than HC subjects. Repeated measures across sessions revealed that subjects with PD were not significantly more unstable than HC subjects in their day-to-day performance for all variables examined. In addition, subjects with PD rated themselves as statistically significantly more severely impaired than HC subjects on all nine self-rated perceptual variables examined. These data provide additional descriptive information on speech and voice characteristics in people with PD and may be useful in assessment and treatment planning for this population.
Reminiscence
Authors: Harris Joyce L.
Published: July 2014

This article describes a rationale for the use of reminiscence therapy as a language intervention that is particularly well-suited for older adults from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Reminiscence therapy is based on Butler's (1963) life review theory. Cognitive-linguistic aspects of reminiscence activity are discussed in the context of clinician-directed language activities that make use of the self-generated, autobiographical "language of reminiscence" as suitable content for language intervention. The article also provides programming suggestions and sample clinical activities.
The Relative Effects of Questions and Comments on Children's Stuttering
Authors: Wilkenfeld Joyce R. , Curlee Richard F.
Published: July 2014

Parents of children who stutter often are advised to eliminate or reduce the number of questions they ask a child because of the belief that questions elicit or maintain stuttering. This study compares the effects of questions and requests for verbal responses to comments, studying three preschool-age boys who stutter. Results showed that stuttering did not vary systematically with the experimenter's questions or requests and comments but occurred more frequently in the children's longer utterances. No support was found for the belief that adults' questions or requests elicit more stuttering than do comments.
Productivity of Emerging Word Combinations in Toddlers With Specific Expressive Language Impairment
Authors: Long Steven H. , Olswang Lesley B. , Brian Julianne , Dale Philip S.
Published: July 2014

This study investigated whether young children with specific expressive language impairment (SELI) learn to combine words according to general positional rules or specific, grammatic relation rules. The language of 20 children with SELI (4 females, 16 males, mean age of 33 months, mean MLU of 1.34) was sampled weekly for 9 weeks. Sixteen of these children also received treatment for two-word combinations (agent+action or possessor+possession). Two different metrics were used to determine the productivity of combinatorial utterances. One metric assessed productivity based on positional consistency alone; another assessed productivity based on positional and semantic consistency. Data were analyzed session-by-session as well as cumulatively. The results suggest that these children learned to combine words according to grammatic relation rules. Results of the session-by-session analysis were less informative than those of the cumulative analysis. For children with SELI ready to make the transition to multiword utterances, these findings support a cumulative method of data collection and a treatment approach that targets specific grammatic relation rules rather than general word combinations.
Teasing Apart the Contribution of Memory and Language Impairments in Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Kempler Daniel , Almor Amit , MacDonald Maryellen C.
Published: July 2014

Sentence comprehension is a complex activity that depends on many different component skills, including the ability to understand individual words, integrate the meanings of adjacent words, and interpret grammatical structures. Tests of sentence comprehension, such as sentence-picture matching, require patients to use all of these linguistic abilities and to remember the meaning of a sentence while performing the task. Therefore, it is often difficult to determine, in cases of comprehension impairment, precisely why a sentence is misunderstood. This is particularly true for patients with Alzheimer's disease, who have both severe semantic and working memory disorders. This paper presents data from an online (cross-modal naming) sentence comprehension test designed to minimize the memory requirements of test performance-while still assessing the ability of patients to integrate the meanings of two nouns and a verb in a sentence. This task has the advantages of measuring comprehension as the sentence is processed and not requiring the subjects to reflect on, or make judgments about, the sentence meaning afterward. The results suggest that patients with Alzheimer's disease can successfully process sentences with relatively complex meanings as they hear them. Therefore, these patients' sentence comprehension deficits are likely due to an inability to maintain active information in memory and not due to a purely semantic impairment.
A Relationship Between Stimulability and the Efficacy of Visual Biofeedback in the Training of a Respiratory Control Task
Authors: Volin Robert A.
Published: July 2014

Although there are numerous reports of the use of biofeedback in clinical applications, little is known about the relative advantages or disadvantages of biofeedback over traditional treatments or about how to determine whether biofeedback might be effective for a given client. This study compares the results of two modalities of training on a respiratory rate control task. One group of normal young adult subjects (
n
=18) received postresponse verbal guidance (knowledge of results), whereas another similar group (
n
=18) received visual biofeedback training (a real-time form of knowledge of performance). The results suggest that biofeedback would be most effective for subjects with relatively poor response to initial training (stimulability), that verbal guidance and biofeedback are likely to be equally effective for those with midrange stimulability, and that those with relatively high stimulability may not benefit from biofeedback.
An Overview of Prosody and Its Role in Normal and Disordered Child Language
Authors: Gerken LouAnn , McGregor Karla
Published: July 2014

This tutorial presents an overview of prosody and its application to specific language impairment. First, prosody is defined as both a phonological and acoustic phenomenon. Prosody is further explored through a review of research concerning perception and production of prosody in the normally developing child and in the child with specific language impairment. The tutorial concludes with a discussion of clinical implications and directions for future research.
Stimulability, Speech Perception Skills, and the Treatment of Phonological Disorders
Authors: Rvachew Susan , Rafaat Susan , Martin Monique
Published: July 2014

The relationship between stimulability, speech perception ability, and phonological learning was examined in two descriptive studies. In Study 1, the children received 9 group treatment sessions targeting 3 phonological processes using the cycles approach. Treatment progress was not observed for sounds that were unstimulable before treatment. Given stimulability, treatment progress was greater for sounds that were well perceived before treatment in contrast with sounds that were poorly perceived before treatment. In Study 2, the cycles approach was modified so that each child received 3 brief, individual treatment sessions followed by 6 group treatment sessions. Each individual session targeted stimulability of target sounds, using phonetic placement, and perception of target sounds, using the Speech Assessment and Interactive Learning System (SAILS). In Study 2, good progress was observed for most target phonemes, including those that were unstimulable or poorly perceived before treatment.
Screening Low-Income African American Children Using the BLT-2S and the SPELT-P
Authors: Rhyner Paula M. , Kelly Donna J. , Brantley Amy L. , Krueger Dawn M.
Published: July 2014

Screening the language abilities of African American kindergarten children with low socioeconomic status (SES) poses a major challenge for many speech-language pathologists. This article provides data on the effectiveness of two commonly used standardized screening measures: the screening version of the Bankson Language Test-2 (BLT-2S; Bankson, 1990a) and the Structured Photographic Expressive Language Test-Preschool (SPELT-P; Werner & Kresheck, 1983a). The results of the study provide information concerning the language screening failure rates for the two formal measures, the amount of correction achieved from using an alternative dialect-sensitive scoring method, and an item analysis of the children’s performance on these two measures. The findings presented here provide support for the need identified in the literature for alternatives to available formal language screening measures for use with low SES African American kindergarten children.