Communication Disorders Quarterly current issue

A Comparison of the Speech and Language Skills of Children With Cochlear Implants and Children With Normal Hearing

Schorr, E. A., Roth, F. P., Fox, N. A. — 2008-07-25

This study explored the language skills of children with cochlear implants (CIs) compared to normal hearing (NH) peers. Standardized speech and language measures, including speech articulation, receptive and expressive vocabulary, syntax and morphology, and metalinguistics, were administered to 39 congenitally deaf children, ages 5 to 14, and a matched sample of NH children. Many CI children demonstrated age-appropriate scores on several language measures, yet their performance was significantly lower than NH peers. Results indicated that (a) age at implant predicted significant variance in receptive vocabulary and short-term auditory memory performance, and (b) duration of CI use predicted receptive syntax performance.

Closing a Resource Room for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Miller, K. J. — 2008-07-25

Self-contained classrooms and resource rooms have been an important component of the continuum of placements available to students who are deaf or hard of hearing. However, these specialized classrooms have been closing in recent years. A variety of factors are contributing to this, most notably the impact of cochlear implants. This article describes the factors leading to the closure of an elementary school resource room for students who are deaf or hard of hearing and the process of transitioning these students back to their home school districts. Implications of closing specialized classrooms for students who are deaf or hard of hearing are discussed.

An Observational Study of Reading Instruction for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Public Schools

Donne, V. J., Zigmond, N. — 2008-07-25

An observational study of reading instruction, using the MS-CISSAR protocol, was conducted in general education classrooms, resource classrooms, and self-contained special education/deaf education classrooms in Grades 1 through 4 in public schools within the tri-state area of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Participants were 24 students who are deaf or hard of hearing and 17 teachers of reading for these students. Results indicated that reading activities varied significantly by instructional setting and grade level enrolled. In addition, teacher behaviors were significantly different by instructional setting, grade level enrolled, reading curriculum level, and students' level of hearing loss.

Special Education in the New National Educational Data System

Ahearn, E. M. — 2008-07-25

For more than 5-years, the U.S. Department of Education has been developing and implementing a new data system, EDFacts, designed to contain all the educational data it collects from states. This article provides a summary of the development of the new federal system and describes some of the benefits and challenges it poses for states, districts, and schools. The addition of data from special education to the new system is also described.

Meet Karen Dilka, Executive Director of the Council on Education of the Deaf

Montgomery, J. K. — 2008-07-25

From the Field connects you with clinicians and practitioners in speech-language pathology. In each issue, you will meet a professional selected for an in-depth interview on a highly practical topic. The interviews are conducted by the editor of CDQ, Judy K. Montgomery, PhD, CCC-SLP, Chapman University, Orange, California. Suggestions for future interviews should be sent to Dr. Montgomery at montgome@chapman.edu.

Journal Self-Study CEUs: Communication Disorders Quarterly

2008-07-25

Continuing Education Questions: CDQ Volume 29, Number 4, August 2008

2008-07-25