Penn State University

The College of Health and Human Development

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Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) Main Page

Research in the Department of CSD

List of currently-active projects:

• Assessment And Treatment Services for Children and Adults Who Stutter
• AAC-RERC: Engineering Advances for Communication Enhancement in the New Millennium
• AAC-RERC Research Project R1-A and R1-B
• AAC-RERC Research Project R2-A
• Literacy Instruction for Individuals with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome and Other Disabilities 
  Dr. Janice Light, Distinguished Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the College of Health and Human Development and Dr. David McNaughton, Associate Professor of Special Education in the College of Education recently launched a Web site to provide speech language pathologists, teachers, and parents with strategies for teaching literacy skills to learners with special needs, especially learners with complex communication needs.
• Partnerships in AAC: A Master's-Level Training Program for Special Education Teachers and Speech-Language Pathologists to Improve Services and Results for Children From Diverse Backgrounds Who Require Augmentative and Alternative Communication
• Project MOSAIC (Multiplying Opportunities for Services and Access for Immigrant Children)
  Dr. Gordon Blood and Dr. Ingrid Blood received funding from the US Department of Education for a new comprehensive preservice master’s level training program for Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) to provide high quality, evidenced based services to children from immigrant circumstances who are English language learners (ELL) with communication and language disabilities, especially in rural areas. Immigrant children who are ELL are the largest growing student population in the US and their needs are currently not being met. This project will also alleviate the current and predicted shortages of SLPs. The project will offer unique academic courses, on-line seminars, interdisciplinary assessments and teaming, capstone research experiences, and field placements in rural and impoverished areas.
• Evaluation of a Personalized Multimodal Interface Platform for Individuals with Significant Communication Disabilities
• Effects of Practice on Speech Output for Children
• Discriminating SLI and APD in School-Aged Children

This project, funded by the National Institute for Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, compares children with specific language impairment (SLI) and children with auditory processing disorder (APD) on a variety of behavioral tasks related to language, auditory processing, memory, and response time. The goal of the study is to determine what measures, if any, best distinguish between these two groups of children. (Dr. Carol Miller, Principal Investigator)

• Language and Literacy Research Initiative (LLRI)

This collaborative project seeks preschool and school-aged children with and without language and reading disorders for participation in research. LLRI recruits families with eligible children, and conducts preliminary testing. Participants are entered into a database to be contacted for current research projects on the development and disorders of spoken and written language. Collaborating faculty members are Elina Mainela-Arnold, Maya Misra, and Carol Miller. The research team includes Trace Poll (Ph.D. candidate), Adelina Hristova (research assistant), Sarah Alden, Lauren Foderaro, and Jenna Noto (undergraduate assistants).

Faculty Activity - Publications 2008–present

• Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Binger, C., & Light, J. (2008). The morphology and syntax of individuals who use AAC: Research review and implications for effective practice. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 24, 123-138.

Dattilo, J., Estrella, G., Estrella, L., Light, J., McNaughton, D., & Seabury, M. (2008). “I have chosen to live life abundantly”: Perceptions of leisure and community recreation by individuals with cerebral palsy who use augmentative and alternative communication. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 24, 16-28.

Drager, K. D. R., Finke, E., & Serpentine, E. (in press). Augmentative and alternative communication: An introduction. In J. S. Damico, M. J. Ball, & N. Muller (Eds.), The Handbook of Language and Speech Disorders. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers.

Drager, K.D.R. (in press). Aided modeling interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders who require AAC. Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

Drager, K. D. R., Light, J. C., & Finke, E. H. (2008). Using AAC technologies to build social interaction with young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. In P. Mirenda & T. Iacono (Eds.), AAC for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (pp. 247-278). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

Drager, K.D.R., & Reichle, J. (in press). CSS and Children: Research Results and Future Directions. In Mullennix, J.W., & Stern, S.E. (Eds.) Computer Synthesized Speech Technologies: Tools for Aiding Impairment. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

Finke, E.H., Drager, K.D.R., & Ash, S. (in press). Pediatricians' perspectives on identification and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Early Childhood Research.

Finke, E. H., Light, J., & Kitko, L. (2008). A systematic review of the effectiveness of nurse communication with patients with complex communication needs with a focus on the use of augmentative and alternative communication. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 17, 2102-2115.

Finke, E. H., McNaughton, D. B., & Drager, K. D. R. (2009). “All children can and should have the opportunity to learn”: General education teachers’ perspectives on including children with ASD who require AAC. Augmentative and Alternative Communication. 25, 110-122.

Haimson, B., Wilkinson, K. M., Rosenquist, C., Oiumet, C., & McIlvane, W.J. (in press). Electrophysiological correlates of stimulus equivalence processes.Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Higginbotham, D. J., Beukelman, D., Blackstone, S., Bryen, D., Caves, K., DeRuyter, F., Jakobs, T., Light, J., McNaughton, D., Shane, H., & Williams, M. (2009). AAC technology transfer: An AAC-RERC report. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 25, 68-76.

Jagaroo, V., & Wilkinson, K. M. (2008). Further considerations of visual cognitive neuroscience for aided AAC: The potential role of motion perception systems in maximizing design display. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 24, 29-42.

Light, J. & McNaughton, D. (2009). Accessible literacy learning: Evidence-based reading instruction for learners with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and other disabilities. San Diego, CA: Mayer Johnson.

Light, J., & McNaughton, D. (2008). Making a difference: A celebration of the 25th anniversary of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 24, 175-193.

Light, J., & McNaughton, D. (2009). Addressing the literacy demands of the curriculum for conventional and more advanced readers and writers who require AAC. In G. Soto & C. Zangari (Eds.), Practically speaking: Language, literacy, and academic development for students with AAC needs, (pp. 217-245) Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

Light, J., McNaughton, D., Weyer, M., & Karg, L. (2008). Evidence-based literacy instruction for individuals who require Augmentative and Alternative Communication: A case study of a student with multiple disabilities. Seminars in Speech and Language, 29, 120-132.

McNaughton, D., Rackensperger, T., Benedek-Wood, E., Krezman, C., Williams, M., & Light, J. (2008). “A child needs to be given a chance to succeed”: Parents of individuals who use AAC describe the benefits and challenges of learning AAC technologies. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 24, 43-55.

Schwartz, H., & Drager, K. (2008). Training and knowledge of autism among speech language pathologists: A survey. Journal of Speech-Language Hearing in Schools, 39, 66-77.

Serpentine, E.C., Tarnai, B., Drager, K.D.R., & Finke, E. (in press). Decision making of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder regarding AAC in Hungary. Communication Disorders Quarterly.

Thistle, J., & Wilkinson, K. M. (2009). The effects of color cues on typically developing preschoolers' speed of locating a target line drawing:  Implications for AAC display design. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology.

Wilkinson, K. M. (2008). Errorless instructional techniques show some advantages over error-correction techniques for teaching photograph-object relations to children with autism (commentary). Evidence-Based Communication Assessment and Intervention, 2, 103-108.

Wilkinson, K. M., Carlin, M., & Thistle, J. (2008). The role of color cues in facilitating accurate and rapid location of aided symbols by children with and without Down Syndrome. American Journal of Speech-Language-Pathology, 17, 179-193.

Wilkinson, K. M., & Hennig, S. (2009). Consideration of cognitive, attentional, and motivational demands in the construction of aided AAC systems. In G. Soto & C. Zangari (Eds.), Practically Speaking: Language, Literacy, and Academic Development for Students with Special Needs (pp. 313-334). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

Wilkinson, K. M., & Reichle, J. (2009). The role of aided AAC in replacing unconventional communicative acts with more conventional ones. In P. Mirenda, T. Iacono, & J. Light (Eds.), Autism spectrum disorders and AAC (chapter 13). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

Wilkinson, K. M., Rosenquist, C., & McIlvane, W. J. (2009). Exclusion learning and emergent symbolic category formation in individuals with severe language impairments and intellectual disabilities.. The Psychological Record, 59, 187-206.

• Language Sciences

Finneran, D.A., Leonard, L.B., and Miller, C.A. (2009). Speech disruptions in the sentence formulation of school-age children with specific language impairment. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 44(3), 271-286.

Kroll, J., Bobb, S., Misra, M., & Guo, T. (2008). Language selection in bilingual speech: Evidence for inhibitory processes. Acta Psychologica, 128, 416-430.

Leonard, L.B., Miller, C.A., & Finneran, D.A. (2009). Grammatical morpheme effects on sentence processing by school-aged adolescents with specific language impairment. Language and Cognitive Processes, 24, 450-478.

Mainela-Arnold, E., Evans, J., & Coady, J. (2008). Lexical representations in children with SLI: Evidence from a frequency manipulated gating task. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 51, 381-393.

Mainela-Arnold, E. (2008). Tutkijaopettajana Yhdysvalloissa. Puheterapeutti. 4, 11-12.

Miller, C. A., & Gilbert, E. (2008). Comparison of performance on two nonverbal intelligence tests by adolescents with and without language impairment. Journal of Communication Disorders, 41, 358-371.

Miller, C. A., Leonard, L. B., & Finneran, D. (2008). Grammaticality judgments in adolescents with and without language impairment. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 43(3), 346-360.

Miller, C.A., & Poll, G.H. (2009). Response time in adults with a history of language difficulties. Journal of Communication Disorders, 42, 365-379.

Poll, G.H., Betz, S.K., & Miller, C.A. (in press). Identification of clinical markers of specific language impairment in adults. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research.

 

• Speech, Voice and Hearing Sciences

Betz-Roth, I., Blood, G. W., & Blood, I. M. (2008). University students' perceptions of pre-school and kindergarten children who stutter. Journal of Communication Disorders, 41, 259-273.

Blood, G. W., Mamett, C., Gordon, R., & Blood, I. M. (in press).  Written Language Disorders:  Speech language pathologists' training, knowledge and confidence.  Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools.

Blood, I. M., Blood, G. W. & Cohen, L. (2008). Job burnout in educational audiologists: The value of work experience. Journal of Educational Audiology, 14, 5 -11.

Blood, I. M., & Blood, G. W. (2008). Protecting students’ hearing and preventing hearing loss: Comparison of web-based and traditional format course delivery systems at a major American university. In J. Tobias & B. Griefahm (Eds.), Noise as a public health problem (pp. 169-186). Dortmund, Germany: Leibniz-Gemeinschaft/Leibniz Association, IfAD0.

Blood, G. W., Blood, I. M., Kreiger, J., O'Connor, S., & Qualls, C. D. (2009). Double jeopardy for children who stutter: Race and coexisting disorders. Journal of Communication Disorders. 30(3), 131-141

Boyle, M. P., Blood, G. W., & Blood, I. M. (in press). Effects of perceived causality on perceptions of persons who stutter. Journal of Fluency Disorders.