Learn more about the newest research projects in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology.
MTraining for Acute Care Providers
- This project is funded by a grant awarded to Dr. Janice Light at Pennsylvania State University. The grant is from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90REGE0014) to the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (RERC on AAC). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
- First, the RERC on AAC team will create an app that makes “just-in-time" trainings. Then we will see if trainings made with the app improve interactions between acute care staff and patients who cannot speak.
- Email Jessica Gormley, PhD, CCC-SLP for more information.
AACtive Learning Hub
- This project is funded by the Munroe-Meyer Guild.
- The researchers will ask parents and speech-language pathologists which augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) skills are most important to learn. Then the researchers will create “just-in-time” video trainings to teach parents these skills. Then we will see if the trainings help parents to use AAC strategies when interacting with their child.
- Email Jessica Gormley, PhD, CCC-SLP for more information.
Communication Intervention for Children with Down syndrome
- This project is funded by the Munroe-Meyer Guild.
- This study compares the communication skills of young children with Down syndrome. The children will receive different therapy services. Some children will receive traditional early intervention. Other children will receive early intervention plus therapy using speech and sign language. The last group will receive therapy using speech, sign and a communication device.
- Email Korey Stading, MS, CCC-SLP for more information.
Teaching Acute Care Providers to Use Visual Supports and Create Communication Opportunities in Healthcare Routines
- This project is funded by a 2021 New Investigators Grant awarded to Dr. Jessica Gormley by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation).
- The researchers will make a "just-in-time" training to teach acute care providers how to interact with children who cannot speak. A set of visual communication supports will also be available to the providers and children. We will test the effects of the training on how the providers implement the information presented in the training. We will also see if the training changes how many turns the children use to communicate with providers.
- Email Jessica Gormley, PhD, CCC-SLP for more information.