April 5, 2011 Issue

Audiology

Auditory Remediation for Patients With Landau-Kleffner Syndrome
by Annette Hurley
Although there is a body of evidence to support medical treatment for LKS, there is limited information about the clinical management for the language disorder or acquired (central) auditory processing disorder [(C)APD].

Audiology In Brief
Hearing and Dementia; Colds and Ear Infections; VA Audiology Telepractice Grants Are Available

Columns

The Value of Value-Added Assessment
by Deborah Adamczyk
Value added assessment is a comprehensive, statistical process used by school districts to determine how each school professional contributes to the academic progress of students and to assess the quality of each staff member. Do school-based speech-language pathologists need one?

Readers Respond
Journals, Graduate Study; Texas Advocacy; More on SLP Titles; SLP Name Confusion; Dream Come True?; Use of Dues; Positive Film Portrayal of Stuttering

"Golden" Mega-sites for School-Based Clinicians
by Judith Kuster
Several Internet sites provide an abundance of materials—some of these "mega-sites" are organized by an individual or organization with links to other resources. Some have many materials created by an individual or an organization; some have contributors who submit materials. All are worth exploring.

Bottom Line: Medicaid and Supervision in Schools
by Laurie Havens
Speech-language pathologists in the schools often have many questions related to the provision of speech-language pathology services to students who are eligible for Medicaid.

Features

What's New at the 2011 Convention?
The 2011 ASHA Convention planners will include the Convention theme—Beacons of Inspiration: Innovation to Action—not only in session programming, but also in the logistics of the Convention.

The Future at Hand: Mobile Devices and Apps in Clinical Practice
by Gary Dunham
The capability of smartphones and tablets, the versatility of their software applications, and their popularity for communicating and accessing information continues to grow and offer new directions for CSD professionals and their clients.

Special Education Eligibility: When Is a Speech-Language Impairment Also a Disability?
by Lissa Power-de Fur
When a child has a speech or language impairment, do they qualify for special education services? Many SLPs, teachers, and family members are eager to address a child's communication needs but are unfamiliar with the nuances of special education eligibility requirements. Learn what needs to be established and by when to provide the right services for every student.

Schools Conference to Capitalize on Communication
by Kellie Rowden-Racette
ASHA Schools 2011 is gearing up to make the voices of school-based speech-language pathologists heard in the city of movers and shakers: Washington, D.C.

Forecasting the Future: Impact of Societal Trends on the Professions and ASHA
by Alison Lemke & Stan Dublinske
To ensure that ASHA is positioned to meet members' future needs for professional support, the board of directors has assessed data on external trends affecting ASHA and the professions.

Enhancing Phonological Patterns of Young Children With Highly Unintelligible Speech
by Barbara Hodson
The treatment for children with highly unintelligible speech may benefit from the cycles approach to phonological remediation.

Contributing to the Interview of a Lifetime
by Erin Ball
StoryCorps is a national nonprofit organization that records and collects stories of everyday people. It gives Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs the opportunity to record, share, and preserve their histories.

News

Speech-Language Services: Not "Optional"
by Steven White
ASHA is helping state associations respond to an erroneous characterization by Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. secretary of health and human services, who informed all 50 state governors that "speech therapy" is "optional" under Medicaid.

Schools: Research and Resources
Research abstracts and ASHA online resources for school-based SLPs and audiologists.

Print, Other Delivery Options for ASHA Journals
by Mike Cannon
ASHA journals transitioned to exclusively online content in 2010. With the change, members also gain a number of new features.

News in Brief
Pesticides and Parkinson's; Linguist Guages Human Learning; Dyslexia, Reading, and the Brain

Education Takes Hit in Temporary Federal Budget
by Neil Snyder
Short-term bills that temporarily fund the federal government include $878.9 million in cuts to the U.S. Department of Education, eliminating 16 programs and reducing funding to six others.

Data Needed to Develop Therapy Cap Alternatives
by Kate Romanow
Speech-language pathologists who treat Medicare Part B patients still have the opportunity to participate in a project designed to develop alternatives to the current Medicare outpatient therapy payment system.

Call for BHSM Contest Entries
The Oscar-winning film "The King's Speech" is the inspiration for ASHA's 2011 Better Hearing and Speech Month (BHSM) video contest.

ASHF Offers Funding for New Investigators, Students
by Beverly Ryan
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation is now accepting proposals for several research grant competitions for student and new researchers.

ASHA Partners With Educational Audiology Association
ASHA and the Educational Audiology Association (EAA) will be collaborating more closely as the result of a joint agreement that will enhance the ability of the two organizations to work together on shared goals.

ADA Targets Communication Disabilities
by Catherine Clarke & Karen Beverly-Ducker
In comments to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), ASHA commended DOJ for its efforts to promote the increased integration of individuals with disabilities, particularly those with communication disabilities, into all aspects of society, and offered specific recommendations on each of four topics.

People

Inpatient Experience Inspires Professional Work
by Sharon Bingaman
SLP Sharon Bingaman uses her experience recovering from a focal seizure and craniotomy to connect with her patients.

In the Limelight: "Hang Time" and Other Innovations
by Kellie Rowden-Racette
Chicago SLP Chris Spiel Talks About "Hang Time" and Other Innovations