Transcript Title of presentation goes here

Training Leaders in Speech-Language
Pathology as Educators and Researchers
in Higher Education and Effective
Collaborators in the Public Schools
Mary Andrianopoulos, Ph.D.
Shelley Velleman, Ph.D.
Elena Zaretsky, Ph.D.
Department of Communication Disorders
Mary Lynn Boscardin, Ph.D.
Special Education Concentration
Department of Communication Disorders
Need:
• Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are
lifelong neurodevelopmental disorders
that significantly affect verbal and
nonverbal communication and social and
emotional interactions, as well as
educational performance.
• Published prevalence rates for ASD are as
high as 60 per 10,000 or 0.6%
(Frombonne, 2005).
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Need:
• As fiscal constraints increase, more school
systems assume the responsibility of providing
services to children with multiple disabilities and
complex communicative disabilities, such as
ASD.
• These responsibilities for instructing and
managing children with ASD have been falling
onto inadequately prepared school staff,
including school speech-language pathologists
(SLPs).
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Fact:
• In Massachusetts, the occurrence of
all disability types in the schools
grew less than 12% over the decade
from 1992 - 2003, but the number
of school-aged children with ASD
rose 634% over that same time
period.
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Need:
 Personnel preparation remains one
of the weakest elements of effective
programming for children with ASD
(Lord & McGee et al, 2001)
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Need:
• There is a vital need to build capacity of
school-based SLPs who are
knowledgeable, skilled, and experienced
as effective collaborators in the public
schools to improve achievement and
outcomes of students with communicative
disabilities and ASD.
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Facts:
 The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
reported that the employment of SLPs will
increase at a faster than the average rate
compared to all occupations through the year
2010.
 Estimates projected for the 2002 to 2012 years,
the SLP profession was ranked 12th out of 700
occupations listed by the U.S. Department of
Labor (2004b).
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Facts:
 More than 26,000 additional SLPs will be needed to meet
the demands of the workforce in the United States
between 2002 and 2012 years, thus accounting for a 27%
increase in job openings.
 The U.S. Department of Labor (2004b) projects a total of
49,000 job openings for SLPs between the 2002 and 2012
years due factors related to population growth and job
replacements.
 The SLP profession was ranked third in the country for
number of vacancies compared to other areas in education
(American Association of Employment in Education, 1999).
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U.S. Department of Education Funding:
A longitudinal effort
The beginning:
Training School Speech-Language
Pathologists to Maximize Oral
Communication in Children with
Autism
• OSEP Combined Priority for Personnel Preparation
• CFDA 84.325K, H325K054199 (2005-2009)
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Grant 1, Objective 1:
To prepare 28 speech-language
pathology MA graduate students in a
two-year program, spread over a
period of four years, with the
specialized knowledge, skills, and
experience to maximize oral
communication skills in children with
Pervasive Developmental Disorders
(PDD).
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Outcome:
 We have graduated a cohort of 25*
masters-level trainees
*(increase of student costs + benefits have not allowed us to enroll
28 as initially intended)
 100% of DOE trainees have
graduated
 80% of DOE trainees currently
employed*
(remaining 20% just graduated and looking for jobs)
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Demographic Data of Trainees
 Gender: 24:1 (female:male)
 Age: Mean=27, S.D.=6.2 yrs, Range: 22-47 yrs
 Ethnic Racial Breakdown
• 22 Caucasians, 1 South African, 1 Asian
• Note: one student is openly gay
 Number with Disabilities
• 1/25 (4%) students had a learning disability
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Grant 1, Objective 2:
 To create a collaborative team of
school and university staff in the
Pioneer Valley area that will continue
to work together to train students in
this specialty area long after the
grant period.
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Established Relationships:
 We have established strong working
relationships with several school districts in the
Pioneer Valley in New England.*
 Our graduate trainees are placed at
participating school districts and are trained to
work with children + adults with ASD
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*Sample program: Visitors from national and international levels.
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Outcome:
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Chicopee Public Schools
Communication Therapy Associates
Westfield Infant-Toddler Program
REACH-Early Intervention Program
Hatfield Public Schools
May Institute, THOM Institute
Springfield Public Schools
Holyoke Public Schools
Amherst Public Schools
Greenfield Public Schools
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Grant 1, Objective 3:
 To disseminate state-of-art knowledge
and empirical data regarding the training
of speech-language pathology specialists
in the assessment, management and
remediation of oral communication in
children with PDD.
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Outcome:
 We have presented our empirical findings on
speech + phonological aspects of ASD at
refereed scientific conferences, such as:
 ASHA x 4
 Child Phonology x 2
 Annual Voice Foundation x 2
 OSEP Director’s Conference x 2
 in conjunction with findings from our Cure
Autism Grant (CAN)
 1 book chapter completed
 journal articles in progress
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Grant 1, Objective 4:
 To decrease an employment shortage of qualified
speech-language pathology personnel in public
school programs that provide services to children
with PDD.
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Outcome:
 To date: 25 DOE Trainees have graduated
(all work with children with special needs)
 15 trainees work for Public Schools
 (across 7 states: MA, CT, NY, VT, ME, WA,
NM);
 The percentage of our graduates' caseloads
represented by students on the Autism
spectrum ranges from 5% to 100%, with a
mean of 65%.
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Alumni Employment Data
 20 out of 25 are currently employed (80%) –
those not employed just graduated
 Public Schools
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Chicopee Public Schools
Agawam Public Schools
Athol-Royalston Public Schools
Merrimack Special Education Collaborative (?)
 Early Intervention
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Lynnfield Preschool
Windsor Southeast Supervisory Union
Early Intervention Program in Hadley
THOM Springfield Infant Toddler Services
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ASD Training Program Process
 Teach courses and seminars to trainees
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ASD course + ASD Seminar (part of SLP curriculum)
Summary of ASD Seminars + speakers
COMM-DIS 560 Language and Learning Disabilities*
EDUC 653 Collaborative + Integrative Teaching Strategies*
 Infuse knowledge and skills addressing the needs
of students with disabilities from diverse
backgrounds
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Community Projects: Autism Speaks
 Faculty and Students organized a team
and participated in the Autism Speaks
Walk-a-thon in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009.
 They were instrumental in raising $2730
or more to date
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Community Projects: Autism Speaks
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Impact Data of Training Grant
 Alumni Surveys
• N=18 alumni out of 25 (72%)
responded to the survey
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Alumni Survey Questions:
Scale of 0 – 5 (0 = n/a, 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = unsure, 4
= agree, 5 = strongly agree)
 1. This program prepared me to select and
administer appropriate evaluation procedures,
such as behavioral observations,
nonstandardized and standardized tests, and
instrumental procedures for individuals with
ASD.
 2. This program prepared me to identify cultural
factors that are potentially relevant to the
assessment and treatment of individuals with
ASD.
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 3. This program prepared me to integrate the necessary
information (from my evaluations and those of other
professionals) to help identify the appropriate placement
(inclusive, mainstream, substantially separate classroom,
etc.) and structure of intervention (pull-out, inclusion,
etc.).
 4. This program prepared me for the treatment of
communicative, social and behavioral impairments of
individuals with ASD.
 5. I am able to design and implement an intervention plan
that is coordinated and integrated with other services the
student is receiving.
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 6. This program prepared me to engage in
Response to Intervention as it relates to students
with communicative disabilities.
 7. I engaged in evidence based practices for
remediation of communication disabilities.
 8. I engaged student progress monitoring to
note students’ outcomes and achievements.
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All Alumni Survey Impact Data for 8 Questions
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Employer Survey Questions:
Scale of 0 – 5 (0 = n/a, 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = unsure,
4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree)
 1. Students from this program were prepared to
select and administer appropriate evaluation
procedures, such as behavioral observations,
nonstandardized and standardized tests, and
instrumental procedures for individuals with
ASD.
 2. Students from this program were prepared to
identify cultural factors that are potentially
relevant to the assessment and treatment of
individuals with ASD.
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 3. Students from this program were capable of integrating
the necessary information (from their evaluations and
those of other professionals) to help identify the
appropriate placement (inclusive, mainstream,
substantially separate classroom) and structure of
intervention (pull-out or inclusion).
 4. Students from this program were prepared for the
treatment of communicative, social and behavioral
impairment of individuals with ASD.
 5. Students from this program were able to design and
implement an intervention plan that is coordinated and
integrated with other services the student is receiving.
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 6. Students from this program were prepared to
engage in Response to Intervention as it relates
to students with communicative disabilities.
 7. Students from this program were prepared to
engage in evidence based practices for
remediation of communication disabilities.
 8. Students from this program were prepared to
engage in student progress monitoring to note
students’ outcomes and achievements.
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Employee Survey Impact Data for 8 Questions
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What impact has this training had on others with whom you
have worked (including practicum supervisors)? Have
your knowledge and skills changed
policies/procedures/practices in any setting(s)?
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Taught PECS to other SLPs
Others ask for advice because of ASD
experience/knowledge (3)
Included quantitative data (percentages and graphs) in
child’s progress reports
Colleagues borrow data sheets and treatment charts
Offered a new perspective on autism
Alumnus has been placed on an autism task force to
improve policies, assessment and interventions and
interactions with other teachers and staff.
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SAMPLE Tx OUTCOME DATA
Pronoun Use
A Comparison of Delays
20
20.00%
0.00%
1
2
3
4
5
6
13.20%
4.50%
10%
20%
40%
49.90% 66.00%
77%
30%
50%
50%
umprompted 8.40%
prompted
Task
Case Study: Male with PDD-NOS: Age 6
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0
Expressive
Communication
- JMC
prompted
40.00%
10
Auditory
Comprehension
- JMC
umprompted
Expressive
Communication
- JFC
60.00%
15
Auditory
Comprehension
- JFC
80.00%
Number of Months Delayed
Percentage Correct
100.00%
Language Skill Areas
Baseline Testing
10-Month Re-evaluation
Case Studies: Female + Male Fraternal
Twins with PDD: Age 2;1
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What impact has what you learned about evidence-based
practices for children with ASD in our training program
had on your performance during practicum experiences
and -- where applicable -- on the job?
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Lack of oral motor exercises with ASD children – no
evidence for this practice
Sessions structured for data collection to help monitor
progress (3)
Use only practices that are evidence-based
Social thinking groups (2)
Used: ABA (3), PECS (3), and Greenspan’s Floortime
Sensory desensitation/overstimulation
Confidence/comfort level in working with ASD
children (2)
Advising parents (2)
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What practices (of any you have learned anywhere) have you found
to be the most efficacious for the ASD populations that you have
worked with? (If they are ones that you did *not* learn in the
training grant, please provide references or other sources of
information, if possible.)
Visual and tactile feedback – 3
ABA – 4
PECS – 3
Floortime
Boardmaker – 2
Social stories – 2
Individual picture schedules – 2
Classroom picture schedules – 2
Sensory breaks
Separate working area
Peer modeling
Positive Reinforcement
Social skills groups – 2
Pretend play groups
Speaking quickly
Pyramid Approach – learned from Dr. Anthony Castrogiovanni, developed by
Andy Bondy and Beth Sulzer-Azaroff
Identifying cause of behavior (escape, self-stimulatory, attention, etc.)
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Meanwhile:
 The demand for qualified and well-trained
doctoral-level SLPs exceeds the number
matriculating with doctorates in
Communication Sciences and Disorders
(American Speech-Language Hearing
Association, 2004e).
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 A survey by the Council of Academic Programs in
Communicative Sciences and Disorders
(CAPCSD, 2004) reported a marked shortage of
available doctoral level applicants for academic
positions in IHE as well as administrative
positions in the public schools.
 According to CAPCSD (2004) survey, only 15%
of the work force in SLP were academic faculty in
IHE and a mere 1% were employed as higher
education administrators in the public schools.
 Individuals who were least likely to pursue a
doctorate degree worked primarily in the public
schools.
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 Higher levels of education, training and
staff development in the areas of
supervision and mentoring of SLPs was
reported as the avenue in providing
leadership opportunities for the next
generation of speech language pathology
leaders in this discipline.
(Edgar & Rosa-Lugo, 2007)
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Leaders in SLP
• Doctoral-level Leaders in SLP need to be trained
to collaborate and engage in scientifically and
data-based interventions.
• Their knowledge needs acquired and derived
from practices that have been determined
through research and experience to be
successful and necessary to become effective
faculty leaders.
• Doctoral-level leaders will eventually go on to
train and supervise our future highly qualified
public school SLPs.
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U.S. Department of Education Funding:
A longitudinal effort
Phase II
The Training of Leaders in Speech Language
Pathology as Effective Collaborators in the
Public Schools
• OSEP Preparation of Leadership Personnel
• CFDA 84.325D, H325D080004 (2008 – 2012)
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Objectives:
 The purpose of this doctoral level training project
is to train leaders in SLP to effectively
collaborate with school personnel to improve
outcomes for students with communicative
disabilities.
 The SLP doctoral students will be trained in
collaborative intervention and leadership skills
necessary to become effective faculty leaders
who are able to educate our future SLPs who will
serve the public schools.
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Objectives:
 Over a period of 4 years the SLP doctoral
students will benefit from a course of study that
provides training in collaboration, supervision,
organization and management, and service
delivery.
 The doctoral students will be expected to:
• 1) supervise masters level students engaged in practica
in the public schools;
• 2) teach college level courses in the speech language
pathology and special education program; and
• 3) conduct research related to the provision of speech
language pathology services in the schools.
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Progress Report
We have accepted 7 doctoral level students to earn
a major in SLP and a minor in SPED
concentration.
Five of these 7 students will be funded in this
leadership grant
Two of the 5 doctoral students are alumni from our
master’s ASD training program.
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U.S. Department of Education grant
New Directions:
Training School Speech-Language
Pathologists to Assess and Manage
Communication Skills in Children with
Autism
• OSEP Combined Priority for Personnel Preparation
• CFDA 84.325K, H325K090041 (2009-2013)
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Objectives:
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This grant will train School Speech-Language Pathologists to
Assess and Manage Communication Skills in Children with Autism
project will train a total of 22 full time SLP graduate students
The focus of this proposed training project will be to better
integrate:
EBP and research to practice models for assessment and
intervention utilizing RTI;
Student progress monitoring methodologies to improve outcomes
and achievement of students from preschool to high school with
mild to severe ASD in the public schools.
This graduate program will also include clinical practicum
experiences with public school programs in diverse communities
with a variety of special programs and inclusive environments for
children with ASD including early education programs for children
ages 3 -5, individualized academic mainstream support for
children with high functioning autism, and more intensive
learning needs programs for children with severe autism and
other multiple and complex neurodevelopmental problems and
communicative disabilities.
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