SIG 16 Perspectives Vol. 16, No. 4, November 2015

Download the CE Questions PDF from the toolbar, above. Use the questions to guide your Perspectives reading. When you're ready, purchase the activity from the ASHA Store and follow the instructions to take the exam in ASHA's Learning Center. Available until October 14, 2018.

Collaborative Groups: Application of a Framework for Interprofessional Collaboration in a High School Setting

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC), also referred to as interdisciplinary collaboration, is defined in the social work literature as “an effective interpersonal process that facilitates the achievement of goals that cannot be reached when individual professionals act on their own” (Bronstein, 2003, p. 299). IPC is well documented in health care literature and is largely considered best practice in both clinical & educational settings. So much so that the World Health Organization (WHO) developed a Framework for Action on Interprofessional Education (WHO, 2010) and the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC) developed a National Interprofessional Competency Framework (CIHC, 2010). According to a systematic review of collaborative models for health and education professionals working in the school settings, models of IPC are described in research but not explicitly evaluated, and there remains a need for robust research in this area (Hillier, Civetta, & Pridham, 2010). This article describes the implementation of an IPC with high school aged students in a special education classroom. The following interconnecting domains from the Canadian National Interprofessional Competency Framework (CIHC, 2010) will be discussed and described: Role Clarification Patient/Client/Family/Community-Centered Team Functioning Collaborative Leadership Interprofessional Communication Interprofessional Conflict Resolution Background considerations, benefits, and barriers will be reviewed also.

How to Collaborate: Five Steps for Success

Collaboration is more than two professionals working in the same classroom; it is changing instruction to provide curriculum-focused interventions in classroom settings. In order to combine expertise and skills of both speech-language pathologists and general education teachers, several pre-requisites must be in place. (1) Both professionals must share an underlying theoretical perspective; (2) both professionals must have goals commonly developed to address requisite skills for grade level standards; (3) roles must be defined; (4) use of strategic instruction that is based on effective practices, and finally (5), reflection and revision provide closure and plans for moving the instruction forward into the next lesson. Co-planning is a common component across these five steps that requires ongoing communication on the part of all professionals for successful collaboration.

SIG 16 Perspectives Vol. 16, No. 3, August 2015

Download the CE Questions PDF from the toolbar, above. Use the questions to guide your Perspectives reading. When you're ready, purchase the activity from the ASHA Store and follow the instructions to take the exam in ASHA's Learning Center. Available until May 22, 2018.

Assessing Social Communication Abilities of School-Aged Children

This article explains the importance of assessing social communication abilities of school-age children. It summarizes the effect of social communication on academic abilities, reviews terminology and definitions relevant to social communication disorders, lists areas of the brain involved in social communication, provides examples of social communication skill development, offers relevant pre-assessment considerations, as well as describes standardized instruments and informal procedures used to determine the presence of social communication deficits in school-age children.

Conducting an Augmentative and Alternative Communication Assessment as a School-Based Speech-Language Pathologist: A Collaborative Experience

In addition to providing services to children who demonstrate speech and language impairments, it is within a speech-language pathologist's (SLP's) scope of practice to “recognize and hold paramount the needs and interests of individuals who may benefit from AAC [Augmentative and Alternative Communication]” (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), 2005, Position Statement section, para. 3). However, in spite of nearly one-half of all school-based SLPs reporting they provide services to nonverbal students who utilize AAC systems (ASHA 2012; Kent-Walsh, Stark, & Binger, 2008; Proctor & Oswalt, 2008) many SLPs across the country still do not feel adequately trained to assess and provide therapy services to these children (Costigan & Light, 2010; Kent-Walsh et al., 2008; Light, Drager, Currall, & Roberts, 2012). It is becoming increasingly necessary for all SLPs to assume responsibilities in the AAC process. The case study presented in this article illustrates the collaborative process of conducting an AAC assessment for a preschool-aged child.

Remediation of Residual /r/ Errors: A Case Study Using the SATPAC Approach

Residual speech production errors may occur in up to 1–2% of the adult population. Although they don't usually interfere with message intelligibility, potential negative impacts have been documented. The current report discusses the challenges of remediating these errors and errors related to /r/ in particular. It then presents an alternative intervention approach (called SATPAC) that uses a combination of nonwords, a bunched /r/ (rather than the more commonly targeted retroflex /r/), multimodal feedback (including visual and tactile), and homework. A case study is presented to illustrate the potential success of this approach.

“Minute to Win It”: Using Elevator Speeches to Advocate in Educational Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

Elevator speeches, or brief talks in which individuals pitch an idea, sell a solution to a problem, or raise awareness of an issue, have gained increasing popularity within the business world. While school-based professionals may not view themselves as having to “sell,” audiologists and speech-language pathologists are in the business of “selling” our ability to create change for students with communication disorders. Elevator speeches serve as a viable advocacy tool and can be used influence decision-makers and bring about meaningful change in our professions. This article equips readers with knowledge of how to craft a winning elevator speech, provides examples of instances in which school-based professionals could use elevator speeches, and presents information on how to assess the success of elevator speeches.