bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Financial Cost—Benefit Analysis of a Health Promotion Program for Individuals With Mobility Impairments
Authors: Ipsen Catherine , Ravesloot Craig , Seekins Tom , Seninger Steve
Published: May 2008

People with disabilities make up approximately 20% of the U.S. population but account for 47% of total medical expenditures (Max, Rice, & Trupin, 1996). Health promotion programs represent one strategy for both improving health and containing medical costs for this population. This study examined the financial net benefits of the Living Well with a Disability health promotion program from the perspective of a third-party payer. Net benefits were defined as reductions in health-care utilization costs minus program implementation costs. The study sample consisted of 188 people with physical disabilities who completed the Living Well health promotion program. Health-care cost outcomes were collected using a 2-month retrospective recall of health-care services multiplied by Medicare unit cost estimates. The net benefits for the first 6 months postintervention were $2,631 per person for the entire cohort and $127 per person for a trimmed data set. The results suggested positive financial benefits and provide grounds for further research about third-party payer support of health promotion programs for individuals with physical disabilities.
Disabilities and Health
Authors: Krahn Gloria L. , Putnam Michelle , Drum Charles E. , Powers Laurie
Published: May 2008

The authors believe that a coordinated national agenda on health and wellness research regarding persons with disabilities that (a) focuses disparate national efforts and (b) advances a unified holistic model is needed. They propose a framework for such an agenda that includes five core principles and six issue areas, with recommendations. The five principles address good health as a normative expectation, a theory-driven knowledge base, heterogeneity of the disability experience, translation of research to practice, and coordinated research. Funding entities, scientific researchers, and disability communities must begin working with an integrated conceptualization of disability; facilitating diagnostic-specific and cross-disability research; recognizing diversity within the disability population; promoting opportunity, accessibility, and accountability; prioritizing application of research into practice; and coordinating research agendas among funding entities. It concludes with identifying key responsibilities for funding entities, researchers, and disability advocacy organizations and persons with disabilities.
The Viability of Voluntary Visitability
Authors: Kaminski Scott E. , Mazumdar Sanjoy , DiMento Joseph F. C. , Geis Gilbert
Published: May 2008

“Visitability,” or access for persons with disabilities, especially those using wheelchairs, to domestic buildings, such as houses and condominiums, is emerging as a matter requiring policy discussion, if not intervention and guidance. Few cities, counties, or states in the United States of America have policies in this area. Irvine, California, was an early jurisdiction to take up this concern and opted for a voluntary private initiative. This is a case study of visitability in Irvine. It reveals that the voluntary approach was not working as expected; few homebuyers were opting for the visitability features. In an unexpected positive development, builders began to voluntarily include several visitability components. This raises interesting questions regarding whether visitabilty ought to be a public policy, with regulatory force to compel compliance, or voluntary, and if the latter, who (builder or home buyer) should select which visitability elements to adopt, and how to address social equity and justice concerns.
Health, Secondary Conditions, and Employment Outcomes for Adults With Disabilities
Authors: Ipsen Catherine
Published: May 2008

This study used data (N = 3,076) from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to explore the relationship between employment and health behaviors for individuals with physical disabilities. Results from a binary logistic regression model, with employment as the dependent variable, show that exercise increased the probability of employment by 8.4% after controlling for participant demo-graphics, severity of disability, and secondary health conditions. These results speak to the importance of health promotion for people with disabilities who desire employment.
The School Violence Dilemma
Authors: Bon Susan C. , Faircloth Susan C. , LeTendre Gerald K.
Published: May 2008

Focus group interviews were used to investigate teachers' perceptions of school violence and their sense of safety in schools. Analysis of these data revealed that teachers perceived a discrepancy between their rights to maintain a safe classroom environment and the rights of students in special education to receive a free and appropriate public education. Four major themes emerged: (a) safety in the classroom, (b) disciplinary double standard, (c) limited disciplinary options, and (d) perceived tension in the educational environment. These emergent themes create a complex dilemma for schools as they are faced with balancing their duty to provide a safe working and learning environment with their duty to provide a free and appropriate public education to students with disabilities.
Effects of Welfare Reform on Statistics for Young Women With Disabilities
Authors: Horvath-Rose Ann E. , Stapleton David C. , O'Day Bonnie
Published: May 2008

This article uses the Current Population Survey (CPS) data to show that changes in family policy implemented in the 1990s led to a substantial increase in the number of young women reporting work limitations. These changes also affected measures of socioeconomic outcomes for young women reporting limitations. Hence, the demographic changes mask the effects of changes in family policy and changes in other environmental factors on those outcomes. The findings emphasize the importance disability has in family policy issues and suggest that past underreporting of disability by young mothers might well have disguised its importance. The findings also suggest that the impact of family policy on mothers with disabilities has been quite different than the impact on other mothers. An important effect of family policy changes may have been to financially segregate mothers with low income who have disabilities from other mothers with low income, continuing to relegate them, and possibly their children, to lives of poverty and dependency.
Emergency Response Training Practices for People With Disabilities
Authors: Rowland Jennifer L. , White Glen W. , Fox Michael H. , Rooney Catherine
Published: May 2008

Each year thousands of people are potentially affected by the types of emergency preparedness and response training plans practiced in their communities. Between 1998 and 2002, 3,000 counties in the United States declared disasters that have included floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, winter storms, thunderstorms, fires, ice storms, and earthquakes. Emergency preparedness for all people, including people with disabilities, may involve natural disasters that are the most likely to occur. For example, worldwide, nearly 3 million people have died in the past 20 years from natural disasters. More recently, Hurricane Katrina lashed the Gulf Coast in 2005. Disasters with casualties emphasize the urgent need for emergency workers to receive specialized training to assist people with disabilities during emergencies. As a framework for analyzing some current emergency training practices, we explore the scope of emergency personnel training practices to assist people with mobility impairments in 3 rural and 3 urban locations in Northeast Kansas. Among the analyses, we consider barriers and facilitators to specialized training as identified by emergency services administrators and firefighters within these areas. We also discuss broader recommendations upon which to base future training programs.
Using Geographic Information System Technology to Improve Emergency Management and Disaster Response for People With Disabilities
Authors: Enders Alexandra , Brandt Zachary
Published: May 2008

Disability, as a product of person—environment interaction, is particularly sensitive to catastrophic events and disasters. Disasters are specific to a physical location, as are the resources needed to handle the aftermath of the event. Geographic information systems (GIS) technology provides the ability to spatially coordinate resources from separate systems, which is vital for emergency management. GIS provides the capacity to go beyond surveillance and identification of at-risk people with disabilities to actively address the spatial nature of the person—environment interaction. GIS may provide the basis for further investigation and development of the science of environmental factors in the person—environment interaction. Mapping resources, and not just people, in the environment can change the perception and portrayal of people with disabilities in disaster incidents from people with “special needs” to people and organizations that are community contributors. Disability policy advocates, working at the state level, need to get disability-relevant geospatial data into the critical infrastructure used for emergency planning and response. A map showing the proximity of available resources demonstrates the importance of GIS to people with disabilities by identifying available resources in disaster response and recovery.
Health-Care Access of Women Medicaid Recipients
Authors: Parish Susan L. , Ellison-Martin M. Jennifer
Published: May 2008

Little is known about the health care received by women with disabilities, who comprise a substantial subset of the population. This article describes the health care of a national sample of low-income female Medicaid recipients. Despite having similar potential for care (health insurance, usual source of care, and having a physician as a usual source of care) as compared to nondisabled women, women with disabilities had substantially worse rates of receiving medical care and medication when they were needed and of cervical cancer screenings. Women with disabilities were also much less likely to be satisfied with their care than were nondisabled women. These results support calls to mandate quality-based reimbursement incentives within Medicaid, specifically for women with disabilities.
Locations of Employment Services and People With Disabilities
Authors: Metzel Deborah S. , Giordano Alberto
Published: May 2008

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services and One-Stop Career Centers (One-Stops) are the 2 principal public services intended to increase the employment rates of people with disabilities through employment and training services. As a first step in assessing accessibility of the locations of employment services, this study compared the location of VRs and One-Stops with areas of high numbers of nonemployment among people with disabilities and high numbers of unemployment in the general population. Using geographic information science and the spatial technique of the Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA), we analyzed the locations of the 2 programs and the concentrations of nonemployed people with disabilities at national and intrastate scales. We found that areas with high numbers of nonemployed people with disabilities are geographically underserved by both VRs and One-Stops, which raises questions about site selection and geographic accessibility.
The Prefrontal Cortex: Functional Neural Development During Early Childhood
Authors: Tsujimoto Satoshi
Published: May 2008

The prefrontal cortex plays an essential role in various cognitive functions, such as planning and reasoning, yet little is known about how such neural mechanisms develop during childhood, particularly in young children. To better understand this issue, the present article reviews the literature on the development of the prefrontal cortex during early childhood, focusing mainly on the changes in structural architecture, neural activity, and cognitive abilities. Neuroanatomically, the prefrontal cortex undergoes considerable maturation during childhood, including a reduction of synaptic and neuronal density, a growth of dendrites, and an increase in white matter volume, thereby forming distributed neural networks appropriate for complex cognitive processing. Concurrently, behavioral performance of various cognitive tasks improves with age, and intercorrelations among performance on each task become weak through development. Furthermore, the correlation between subcategories of intelligence test decreases as general intellectual efficiency increases. In addition, recent neuroimaging findings suggest that the prefrontal cortex is already functional in 4-yearolds and becomes organized into focal, fine-tuned systems through later development. The literature reviewed suggests that fractionation of the functional neural systems plays a key role in the development of prefrontal cortex and such fractionating process has already commenced in preschool children. NEUROSCIENTIST 14(4):345–358, 2008. DOI: 10.1177/1073858408316002
Relationships Among Experiential Marketing, Experiential Value, and Customer Satisfaction
Authors: Yuan Yi-Hua “Erin" , Wu Chihkang “Kenny"
Published: May 2008

Although experience is recognized as a major benefit the hospitality and tourism industry offers, the use of experiential marketing in this industry is not well documented. Therefore, this study aims to examine experiential marketing in regard to hospitality and tourism operations. Ten hypotheses were developed to examine relationships among experiential marketing, experiential value, and customer satisfaction. Self-reported questionnaires were distributed at four Starbucks in different districts in Taipei, Taiwan, in January 2003. Results of the linear structural relation analyses (LISREL 8.5) indicate that both the measurement and structural equation models have good overall model fit. Moreover, the overall outcome suggests that experiential marketing should induce customer satisfaction through emotional and functional values provided by feel perception, think perception, and service quality. Hospitality managers can use the outcome of this study to gain in-depth understanding of customer experiences, develop effective marketing strategies, and further stage the operational environment that can maximize customers' perceived experiential value.
Performance Geographies from Slave Ship to Ghetto
Authors: Stanley Niaah Sonjah
Published: May 2008

Performance geography is an integral and unexplored dimension of cultural studies and cultural geography. it expands the definitions of cultural geography and performance studies to include the way people, living in particular locations, give those locations identity through performance practices. In explaining this concept, the paper expands data gathered over twelve years' participation and later, research on Jamaica's Dancehall performance, and analyzes its applicability to other Black Atlantic performance genres. Essentially, analyzing Dancehall's macro- and micro-spatialities, spatial categories, philosophies and systems were revealed, thereby delineating what this author identifies as performance geography. It is the explanation of performance geography within old and new Black performance practices such as the Blues, and especially in urban ghettoes, as in Kingston's Dancehall and South Africa's Kwaito that occupies this paper.
Embodied suffering: experiences of fear in adolescent girls with cancer
Authors: Carlsson Agneta Anderzén , Kihlgren Annica , Sørlie Venke
Published: May 2008

Previously, fear in adolescents with cancer has been sparsely described from an emic perspective. The aim of this study was to illuminate fear in adolescents with personal experience of cancer. The participants were six adolescent girls between the age of 14 and 16 years who were no longer under active treatment for cancer but still went for regular check-ups. Open interviews were conducted. Data were analysed according to the phenomenological hermeneutic method. In the result one main theme was identified: `an embodied fear — a threat to the personal self'. This theme was built up by three separate but intertwined themes: `experiencing fear related to the physical body', `experiencing existential fear' and `experiencing fear related to the social self'. In the comprehensive understanding the fear was interpreted from youth cultural aspects as well as a holistic perspective. The importance of professionals taking the whole person and their situation into account when meeting the fear is underlined.
Grammatical Characteristics of a Spanish-English Bilingual Child with Specific Language Impairment
Authors: Restrepo Maria Adelaida , Kruth Kirsten
Published: May 2008

These case studies describe and compare the language characteristics of two bilingual children: one with specific language impairment (SLI) and one with normal language development (NL). Using spontaneous language sampling, we found that the linguistic skills of the bilingual child with SLI were qualitatively different from those of the NL child across languages. The child with SLI produced significantly more morphosyntactic errors and less variety of grammatical forms and sentence types in both languages as compared to the NL child. In addition, some of those errors were different from those typically produced by monolingual children with SLI or speakers of English as a second language. Furthermore, the bilingual child with SLI demonstrated significant first- language loss. These findings support the hypothesis that there are cross-linguistic variations of grammatical SLI markers, and they highlight the importance of early intervention in preventing first-language loss. Moreover, the findings suggest that clinicians should expect morphosyntactic differences between monolingual and bilingual children with SLI.
Measurement of Modifiability in Children From Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds
Authors: Pena Elizabeth D.
Published: May 2008

Modifiability is a central concept in the area of dynamic assessment. Yet, there has been little attempt to capture the essence of modifiability, either qualitatively or quantitatively. The two studies reported here used a scaling approach to measure components of modifiability. The results indicate that modifiability (here defined as a combination of planning, attention to task/discrimination, motivation, transfer, responsivity, and examiner effort) differentiates between children having low language ability and typically developing children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Furthermore, the individual components of modifiability, with the exception of motivation, significantly differentiated the two groups. These findings suggest that modifiability is a useful construct in providing a less biased assessment and that the descriptive results obtained from this observation can also be used to link assessment with intervention.
Assessment of Language Skills in Rural Preschool Children
Authors: Smith Tina T. , Myers-Jennings Corine , Coleman Thalia
Published: May 2008

This study examined the extent to which linguistic variation in the English language might have been affecting the performance of 160 rural preschool children in Orangeburg, South Carolina, on four commonly used standardized tests. The children, ages 3-0 to 5-11 years, were administered the Patterned Elicitation Syntax Test, the Test of Auditory Comprehension of Language-Revised, the Test of Language Development-2 Primary, and the Test of Pragmatic Skills. Results revealed that when dialectal variations were not considered, the performance of children in this study differed from that of the normative population on tests that assessed grammatical morphemes.
Survey of Educational Preparation in Pediatric Audiology
Authors: Oyler Robert F. , Gross Shannon R.
Published: May 2008

Audiologists have a wide range of responsibilities, including the identification and treatment of hearing loss. These responsibilities are important when dealing with any population; however, working with children presents unique challenges. Children must receive prompt, thorough evaluations and intervention to minimize the adverse effects of hearing loss in areas such as speech and language, academic, and social-emotional development. The authors of a national survey examined the educational preparation of audiologists to work with the pediatric population. Responses revealed much room for improvement. More than 40% of both the audiologists and the program directors stated that the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) requirements for the Clinical Certificate of Competence in Audiology were insufficient to prepare audiologists to perform pediatric assessments. In addition, the majority of both groups felt that the ASHA requirements were inadequate to prepare audiologists to provide pediatric habilitation. The literature suggests a demand for audiologists who have considerable academic and practicum experience with this population upon graduation. In this article, results of a national survey replicating the original study are reported. Although improvements were noted, there continue to be areas of concern related to the timely identification of and intervention with our youngest patients.
Parent-Professional Collaboration to Promote Spoken language in a Child with Severe to Profound Hearing Loss
Authors: Radaszewski Byrne Mary
Published: May 2008

This article focuses on issues of collaboration in delivering language intervention services to learners in educational settings birth through 21 years of age. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of parent-professional collaboration in a partnership in which a mother assumed the role of "parent as teacher." Results indicated a positive effect of this type of partnership on the spoken language proficiency of an elementary school-age child with a severe to profound hearing loss. Implications for professional preparation and professional development programs are discussed.
Speech-Language Pathologists and Children with Sensory Impairments
Authors: House Suzanne S. , Davidson Roseanna C.
Published: May 2008

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are frequently called to serve children with sensory impairments. Although a great deal of literature will support SLPs in providing services to children with hearing impairments, there is significantly less data concerning communication development in the child with visual impairments or deafblindness. As such, SLPs may be poorly prepared to perform evaluative, program planning, and intervention activities with this population. Survey methodology was used to reveal striking differences in the preparation and competence of SLPs regarding various types of sensory impairment. Recommendations for changes in personnel preparation are also discussed, as are implications for future research.
Multicultural Matters
Authors: Roseberry-McKibbin Celeste
Published: May 2008

The field of speech-language pathology has increasingly focused on appropriate, culturally sensitive service delivery to persons from multicultural backgrounds. Although this is a welcome and necessary focus for the field, its practitioners have neglected to conduct research and hold dialogues about a major culture affecting every ethnic and linguistic group: the culture of poverty. Clients from low-income backgrounds share certain common challenges and characteristics that speech-language pathologists need to be aware of. This article discusses these challenges and characteristics, and the author encourages members of the field to conduct research that has practical, clinical implications to assist speech-language pathologists who serve clients from low-income backgrounds.
Issues in Recruitment and Retention of Graduate Students
Authors: Saenz Terry Irvine
Published: May 2008

This article summarizes a variety of issues in graduate school recruitment and retention, including campus and program climate, admissions criteria, national trends in cultural diversity, and the lack of research on diversity in university programs in speech-language pathology. The rapid increase in diversity nationally, combined with sharp increases in states with traditionally low populations of specific cultural groups, indicates that recent graduates from speech-language pathology programs in all regions of the country will face far more diverse populations during their professional careers.
Advancing the Discussion on Communication and Violence
Authors: Sanger Dixie , Moore-Brown Barbara , Alt Erica
Published: May 2008

Violence in schools is a concern of many educators and recently has received increased attention on a local and national level. Despite this attention, the roles of communication and violence have not sufficiently been addressed in discussions on violence. This article includes a review of three studies involving teenage delinquent girls residing in a correctional facility. Major findings from the studies support why educators need to consider the role of communication in relation to violence. Implications, recommendations, and conclusions are offered for speech-language pathologists and other educators involved in planning programs for adolescents involved in violence.
A Computerized Screening Instrument of Language Learnability
Authors: Jacobs Ellen L. , Coufal Kathy L.
Published: May 2008

The demand for efficient, psychometrically sound, culturally and linguistically neutral tools for predicting which children are at risk for language learning disorders has increased over the last decade. Traditional screening instruments have had questionable validity for diverse populations, and culturally and linguistically sensitive, nontraditional assessment procedures typically have not been considered efficient for screening purposes. This article presents further analyses of a pilot study that examined the effectiveness of a computerized language screening instrument for multicultural children. Results suggest that because of its computerization and language learnability features, this innovative instrument may be an effective alternative to currently available screening procedures.
Use of Brown's 14 Grammatical Morphemes by Bilingual Hispanic Preschoolers
Authors: Bland-Stewart Linda M. , Fitzgerald Suzette M.
Published: May 2008

This pilot study investigated Standard American English (SAE) morphological development for 15 bilingual Hispanic preschoolers who were attending a bilingual day care center. Participants included nine girls and six boys between the ages of 2.6 years and 5.0 years (mean age = 3.8 years). Thirty-minute spontaneous language samples were obtained, yielding 100 utterances for mean length of utterance (MLU) and morphological analysis according to Miller's (1981) criteria. Analysis of the data revealed emergent use of Brown's (1973) 14 grammatical morphemes, although mastery generally was not seen at the same ages as those expected for SAE speakers. Clinicians should exercise caution when applying SAE normative data to bilingual Spanish-speaking children.
Conversations with Mexican Americans Regarding Children with Disabilities and Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Authors: Huer Mary Blake , Parette Howard P. , Saenz Terry Irvine
Published: May 2008

Focus groups consisting of seven family members of children with disabilities provided information for identifying and understanding issues influencing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) practices within a Mexican American community. The authors used a content analysis of the conversations to identify seven general perspectives: (a) Children understand the nonverbal communication of persons around them; (b) aided techniques are useful outside of the home; (c) families have great respect for professionals; (d) there is a need to focus on the human condition; (e) there is a preference for shared responsibility between the extended family members and professionals; (f) emphasis should be placed on the performance of simple tasks; and (g) devices in Spanish are needed. Emphasis is placed on qualitative research strategies that can provide cross-cultural awareness for practitioners providing AAC services.
Pragmatic Language Intervention for Children with Language and Emotional/Behavioral Disorders
Authors: Hyter Yvette D. , Rogers-Adkinson Diana L. , Self Trisha L. , Simmons Brande Friederich , Jantz Jennifer
Published: May 2008

Children diagnosed with emotional/behavioral disorders experience expressive and pragmatic language disorders that can negatively affect educational success. This article describes a classroom-based pragmatic language intervention program that was conducted with children diagnosed as having an emotional/ behavioral disorder. Results of the program suggested that the classroom-based pragmatic language intervention may have positively influenced the ability of the participants to employ pragmatic skills, such as providing sufficient and detailed information, stating opinions, and using verbal language to negotiate with others.
Phonetic Transcription of African American Vernacular English
Authors: Pollock Karen E. , Meredith Linette Hinton
Published: May 2008

Completing an accurate phonetic transcription of a speaker of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) requires knowledge of the range of phonological features possible and the inherently variable nature of their actual use. This article summarizes AAVE phonological features from the perspective of phonetic transcription. Some features are relatively easy to transcribe with familiar the International Phonetic Alphabet base symbols (e.g., [bæf] for bath), whereas others may require the use of diacritics (e.g., [mæ] for man or [bæ:c] for bad). The importance of transcription detail when differentiating dialect variation from phonological delay or disorder is critical.
The Evolution of School-Based Speech-Language Services
Authors: Whitmire Kathleen
Published: May 2008

Since their inception nearly 100 years ago, speech-language services in the schools have undergone profound fundamental changes in scope and focus. This article reviews the legislative/ regulatory, societal, professional, and demographic influences that shaped and defined school-based speech-language pathology over the past half century and then describes school-based speech-language practice as it is today. Particular attention is paid to the fundamental elements of contextually based assessments, educationally relevant intervention plans, and increased collaboration/consultation. Finally, strategies are presented that can help to facilitate the changes needed to move from past practice patterns to those that reflect current legislation, research, and practice guidelines.
Suggestions for Helping Students Who Are Deaf Succeed in General Education Settings
Authors: Luckner John L. , Muir Sheryl
Published: May 2008

Research on successful students who are deaf and receive the majority of their education in general education settings suggested the importance of 10 factors for promoting this success. In an effort to bridge the gap between research and practice, specific suggestions about how to integrate the identified factors into the educational programs of students who are deaf are provided in this article.
Implications of the Personal Perceptions of Incarcerated Adolescents Concerning Their Own Communicative Competence
Authors: Sanger Dixie , Coufal Kathy L. , Scheffler Marilyn , Searcey Rhonda
Published: May 2008

This article examines the views of incarcerated and nonincarcerated female adolescents about their performance in and knowledge of communication. Forty-six participants, who ranged in age from 15 to 17 years and were of similar socioeconomic status, were surveyed on two 20-item questionnaires about pragmatic practices that govern conversational interactions. Overall, the results indicated similar findings for the two groups on pragmatic practices. The views of the incarcerated teenagers suggested they did not perceive themselves as having problems with their own performance concerning conversational behaviors. No statistically significant differences between the groups were found on knowledge of the rules governing conversational practices according to societal dictates. Implications for dynamic assessment and intervention are discussed, and service delivery models, metapragmatics, and the role of communication are addressed. In addition, topics in which incarcerated adolescents choose to engage are discussed for the purpose of planning intervention programs.
Collaboration Between Speech— Language Pathologists and School Counselors
Authors: Barnes Paul E. , Friehe Mary J. , Radd Tommie R.
Published: May 2008

Speech—language pathologists (SLPs) and school counselors are working on adopting alternatives to traditional service delivery models. Collaborative consultation is one approach that may alleviate the pressures resulting from expanding workloads and scope of practice for both professions. To facilitate collaborative efforts, an awareness of the changes in school counselor training and roles is essential. This article describes a developmental school counseling program and providing suggestions for integrating SLP goals and objectives for students with communication disorders into such a program.
Counseling Families of Children with Communication Disorders
Authors: Friehe Mary J. , Bloedow Alison , Hesse Stacey
Published: May 2008

When a child is diagnosed with a communication disorder, family members often are confused and in shock. They are not prepared for the challenges associated with a long-term communication disorder, and family-focused resources are not readily accessible. The sense of loss related to the diagnosis may provoke a grief reaction, which, if not resolved, could lead to depression and other problems for the family and the child. The authors explore two types of grief: stage and episodic. They also discuss the importance of the role of the speech—language pathologist in recognizing and understanding the family's grief and facilitating positive strategies for dealing with it.
Sound-Field Amplification
Authors: Flexer Carol , Long Stephanie
Published: May 2008

In this clinical exchange, the authors discuss acoustic accessibility and sound-field amplification in general education classrooms. They bridge theory to practice by presenting preliminary information from two different school systems demonstrating how an improved signal-to-noise ratio can have a positive impact on special education referrals.
Project SEEL
Authors: Culatta Barbara , Aslett Richard , Fife Megan , Setzer Lee Ann
Published: May 2008

Part I of a three-part series, this article describes Systematic and Engaging Early Literacy Instruction (SEEL), a program designed to engage and motivate children as they learn early literacy skills. The project, implemented in Spanish as part of a dual-language program, used a variety of interactive literacy activities and tailor-made texts to expose children to target phonic patterns. The teacher and trained assistants provided practice with reading and writing the target literacy patterns using customized texts associated with read-alouds, story enactments, play routines, and “make and do” activities. This article provides the project's rationale; describes the texts, activities, and contexts; and explains how the program was implemented in a dual-language (Spanish—English) kindergarten.
Interaction Styles in Minority Caregivers
Authors: Vigil Debra C. , Hwa-Froelich Deborah A.
Published: May 2008

This article describes caretaker interactive and communicative behaviors in various minority cultures in the context of independent/interdependent dimensions of the social world. Attention regulation, pragmatic input, and object engagement and play exemplify how caretakers from minority cultures interact with children differently than caretakers from American and European cultures. Understanding these behaviors can assist therapists in planning language-facilitation interventions for children with language delay or impairment.
The Effectiveness of Hippotherapy for Children With Language-Learning Disabilities
Authors: Macauley Beth L. , Gutierrez Karla M.
Published: May 2008

This study examined the effectiveness of hippotherapy versus traditional therapy for children with language-learning disabilities. Three boys, ages 9, 10, and 12 years, and their parents independently completed a satisfaction questionnaire at the end of traditional therapy (T1) and again at the end of hippotherapy (T2). A comparison of the responses from T1 and T2 indicated that both the parents and the children reported improvement in speech and language abilities after both therapies. Overall, responses were noticeably higher following hippotherapy, with additional benefits of improved motivation and attention also reported.
A Perspective on the Research Literature Related to Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (Lovaas) for Young Children With Autism
Authors: Shea Victoria
Published: May 2008

Various aspects of the research literature on early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) have been poorly understood within the psychological, educational, and advocacy communities. Examination of the studies that are frequently cited by proponents of EIBI suggests that the expectation that 47 percent of youngsters who receive EIBI will reach normal developmental status is questionable.
Great Expectations
Authors: Miller Kevin J.
Published: May 2008

The author recounts his experience as a Fulbright Scholar in the Department of Special Education at National Changhua University of Education (NCUE) in Changhua, Taiwan, during the fall of 2003. Several aspects of his experience are highlighted, including teaching foreign college students, learning Mandarin, conducting workshops, and consulting with local special educators, especially about itinerant teaching. Overarching all of these aspects are the expectations of the author prior to, during, and after completion of the Fulbright grant.
The Ability of Children With Language Impairment to Recognize Emotion Conveyed by Facial Expression and Music
Authors: Spackman Matthew P. , Fujiki Martin , Brinton Bonnie , Nelson Donna , Allen Jillean
Published: May 2008

The emotion understanding of children with language impairment (LI) was examined in two studies employing emotion-recognition tasks selected to minimize reliance on language skills. Participants consisted of 43 children with LI and 43 typically developing, age-matched peers, sampled from the age ranges of 5 to 8 and 9 to 12 years. In the first study, participants were shown photographs of faces (Matsumoto & Ekman, 1988) and asked to indicate what emotion was being expressed. In the second study, participants listened to excerpts of classical music and indicated what emotion was being expressed. Children with LI identified the facial expressions of happiness, anger, sadness, and fear with the same accuracy as typical children. They were significantly less accurate than their peers at identifying surprise and disgust. Age differences were observed on anger and surprise, with the younger group performing more poorly than the older group. Children with LI also showed significant differences from typical children in identifying the emotion expressed in music excerpts. Significant differences between the performances of the younger and older groups were also found.
The Role of Mexican Immigrant Mothers' Beliefs on Parental Involvement in Speech—Language Therapy
Authors: Kummerer Sharon E. , Lopez-Reyna Norma A.
Published: May 2008

The sociocultural framework highlights the contributions of children's cultural and linguistic contexts to early language and literacy development. To collaborate with parents in early intervention programs, including speech—language therapy, there must be a sincere commitment to the development of cultural competence. Hispanics are one of the largest and fastest growing minority groups within the United States. The goal of this study was to identify Mexican immigrant mothers' perceptions and beliefs about language development, their children's disabilities, and therapy activities. Additionally, it explored how these perceptions and beliefs inform culturally responsive speech— language therapy with families of Mexican descent.
Using a Visual Tool to Increase Adjectives in the Written Language of Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Authors: Easterbrooks Susan R. , Stoner Melody
Published: May 2008

Students who are deaf or hard of hearing typically lack descriptors in their written expression. Visual tools are often used in the classroom with this population, without empirical support. This study used a single-subject changing criterion design in an attempt to fill the gap between practice and research. The purpose was to test the use of a visual tool with deaf or hard of hearing students in writing a response to age-appropriate action pictures. Three adolescent students who were deaf or hard of hearing were taught how to write a response to a series of questions using a visual tool and were guided through an experience of modeled, shared, guided, and independent attempts. The use of a visual tool in the practice of writing, along with faded teacher support, helped each student involved in the study increase the descriptiveness of his or her writing, as measured by the number of adjectives in his or her writing samples. However, while the number of adjectives increased, the number of action words and story grammar elements decreased. Further research is needed to address how to help students increase descriptiveness while maintaining action and story grammar.
Phonological Features Exhibited by Children Speaking African American English at Three Grade Levels
Authors: Harris Kandis L. , Moran Michael J.
Published: May 2008

This study compared phonological features of African American English speakers at 3 grade levels: preschool, elementary school, and middle school. The phonological features exhibited at all 3 grade levels were quite similar. The frequency of usage, determined by the percentage of speakers exhibiting the feature and by the mean number of occurrences of the feature, varied. The frequency of occurrence of some features decreased as grade level increased, the frequency of others remained the same, and the frequency of others was quite variable at the different grade levels. We noted 1 unusual feature (bazin for bathing ) among several younger speakers.
Language Maintenance and Loss in Preschool-Age Children of Mexican Immigrants
Authors: Guiberson Mark M. , Barrett Karen C. , Jancosek Elizabeth G. , Yoshinaga Itano Christine
Published: May 2008

In this study, the authors plotted the Spanish language usage of 10 preschool-age children over the course of 3 years and assigned them to one of two groups: language maintenance and language loss. The authors then compared the groups' scores on structured tasks, language behaviors, and language usage/exposure variables. They found that children in the language loss group presented with more grammatical errors, whereas the language maintenance group performed better on Spanish vocabulary and language tasks. No specific variable was predictive of maintenance or loss, but the children from the language loss group began to use more English with family members or peers.
An Analysis of Child Caregivers' Language During Book Sharing With Toddler-Age Children
Authors: Rhyner Paula M.
Published: May 2008

Increasing enrollment in childcare centers has led to questions about the extent to which those environments foster child development in areas such as language. This study examined the language of childcare center caregivers during book sharing with children to describe caregivers' use of linguistic structures (declarative, imperative, and compound/ complex sentences; wh—, yes/no, and choice questions) that have been suggested to positively or negatively affect early language acquisition. Results revealed similarities and differences in caregivers' use of the structures. Additionally, each caregiver demonstrated a communicative “style” during book sharing across the children. Implications for the speech—language pathologist's role within childcare centers are discussed.
Stressors and Family Supports: Families with Children Using Augmentative & Alternative Communication Technology
Authors: Jones Sheila Dove , Angelo Dianne H. , Kokoska Stephen M.
Published: May 2008

A statewide survey was conducted in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Center of Harrisburg to identify the stressors and family supports of 59 families with young children between the ages of 3 and 12 years who use AAC technology and technology services. Descriptive statistics and correlations were used to analyze the data. Parenting Stress Index results revealed both fathers and mothers perceived the child-related variables of acceptance and demandingness as stressful. Results revealed differences for parent-related variables for mothers and fathers. Data derived from the Family Support Scale revealed significant differences for mothers and fathers with regard to the helpfulness of social supports. Implications for family-centered intervention and future research are discussed.
Code Mixing in a Young Bilingual Child
Authors: Brice Alejandro , Anderson Raquel
Published: May 2008

As the culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) population of the United States continues to increase dramatically, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) face the challenge how best to serve children whose primary language is not English. One way of overcoming the bilingual communication barrier is for bilingual children to alternate their two languages (i.e., code switching and code mixing). Frequently, SLPs have limited understanding of the functions and patterns of language alternation in bilingual children. Language alternation is a normal, common, and important aspect of bilingualism. This investigation aims to answer several basic questions regarding normal code mixing behaviors in a young bilingual child, namely, (a) What syntactic elements are mixed most frequently in conversational discourse in a young bilingual child? and (b) What information can be applied to a diagnostic or therapeutic situation? Spontaneous speech samples of a bilingual Spanish-English speaking child were collected during a period of 17 months. The child was between the ages of 6 and 8 years. Descriptive analysis of the data revealed percentages and rank ordering of syntactic elements switched in the longitudinal language samples obtained. Specific recommendations for using code mixing in therapy for bilingual and monolingual speech-language pathologists are given.
What Bilingual Toddlers Hear and Say
Authors: Patterson Janet L.
Published: May 2008

Parent reports of language input patterns and word combinations among 102 toddlers with exposure to Spanish and English are presented. The majority of the parents reported that they used both languages when talking with their children. A third of the parents reported using only one language with their children. Children whose parents said they used only one language with the child did not differ from children whose parents said they used both languages in reported use of word combinations and use of mixed utterances. Descriptions of five children from the study are presented, and implications and recommendations to parents are discussed.