We compared the progress made by school children in speech language therapy provided through videoconferencing and conventional face-to-face speech language therapy. The children were treated in two groups. In the first group, 17 children received telemedicine treatment for 4 months, and then subsequently conventional therapy for 4 months. In the second group, 17 children received conventional treatment for 4 months and then subsequently telemedicine treatment for 4 months. The outcome measures were student progress, participant satisfaction and any interruptions to service delivery. Student progress reports indicated that the children made similar progress during the study whichever treatment method was used. There was no significant difference in GFTA-2 scores (Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation) between students in the two treatment groups. Satisfaction surveys indicated that the students and parents overwhelmingly supported the telemedicine service delivery model. During the study, a total of 148 of the 704 possible therapy sessions was not completed (21%); the pattern of cancellations was similar to cancellations in US public schools generally. Videoconferencing appears to be a promising method of delivering speech language therapy services to school children.

The relationship between initiation of and response to joint attention and components of receptive and expressive language in 20 children with autism between the ages of 3 and 5 years were examined. Receptive language skills were assessed using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL). Expressive language skills were evaluated by examining Mean Length of Utterance and Type Token Ratio. These variables, along with data on responses to joint attention bids and initiation of joint attention were analyzed using Spearman calculations. The ability to respond to the joint attention bids of others was positively correlated with receptive language scores on the MSEL and mean length of utterance in children with autism. There was no relationship between the ability to initiate joint attention and the selected components of language examined.

This research investigates the effectiveness of using a child’s first language (L1), specifically Spanish, with Audio Prompting (AP) delivered via a tablet computer by monolingual English-speaking clinicians to enhance vocabulary growth in the L1 and second language (L2) of children who are English Learners (ELs). Outcomes of vocabulary instruction for Spanish-speaking preschoolers assigned to one of three groups: (a) Spanish–English instruction ( n = 14) with Spanish delivered through AP, (b) English-only instruction ( n = 14), and (c) control group ( n = 15) indicates that both Spanish–English instruction and English-only instruction may result in greater gains in English naming when compared with no instruction. Importantly, Spanish–English instruction may produce greater gains in English definition as well as Spanish naming and definition when compared with no instruction, with outcomes maintained post instruction. AP can be useful to increase L1 and L2 vocabulary and definition in ELs, once monolingual English-speaking speech-language pathologist is trained in the use of AP.

The present study was conducted to determine the average number of treatment units needed to achieve improvements in functional communication. The subjects, ages 3 to 6 years, consisted of 234 children who received speech-language pathology services over a two-year period at Children's Hospital Medical Center (CHMC) in Cincinnati, Ohio. Subjects had disorders of articulation and/or language and were rated on all areas of deficit using the ASHA functional communication measures (FCMs) of articulation/intelligibility, spoken language production, and spoken language comprehension. Because many subjects had more than one area of deficit, a total of 394 ratings were obtained. Results indicated that as the number of treatment units increased, the FCM level improved. These improvements were statistically significant for subjects with articulation/intelligibility and spoken language production disorders only. Younger children received the greatest benefit per units of therapy provided. Children with lower initial functional abilities generally required more units of therapy to demonstrate improvement than children with higher initial ability levels. Children with an associated factor, (i.e., anoxic brain damage, syndromes, hearing loss, etc.) generally required more units of therapy than those who had no other factors, although the results were not statistically significant. The majority of subjects (76.5%) improved by at least one FCM level following 20 hours or more of therapy. There was improvement of two FCM levels in 38.5%, and more than two levels in 18.5% of the overall group. The present study indicates that improvement in FCM abilities is made with treatment, and that the degree of improvement is correlated with the number of treatment units provided.

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