Prospective follow-up study of 70 males with Asperger syndrome (AS), and 70 males with autism more than 5 years after original diagnosis. Instruments used at follow-up included overall clinical assessment, the Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders, Wechsler Intelligence Scales, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, and Global…

To examine the effectiveness of a maternal intervention curriculum, 40 mothers and children with varying degrees of language delay were assigned to one of two intervention groups matched on child characteristics. Program impact was assessed through standardized tests (the Sequenced Inventory of Communicative Development to measure whether…

The Iowa Severity Rating Scales are designed to provide general guidelines which may be used as a part of the clinical speech and language program to obtain uniform identification of preschool children with communication disabilities. Section 1 contains definitions, an explanation of the severity classification (a 5 point scale ranging from 0 for…

The guide provides teaching suggestions as well as visual representations and written explanations of approximately 250 signs designed to meet the needs of institutionalized mentally retarded nonverbal individuals. Stressed is the need for such actions as correct hand position, repetition, body movement and facial expression, and rewards for…

Six hundred children with communication disorders (mean age 5 years 7 months) were evaluated for psychiatric and developmental disorders. The two subgroups with language involvement had higher rates of both psychiatric and developmental disorders than children with pure speech involvement and different patterns of psychiatric diagnoses. (Author/DB)

Drawing as therapy for the expressively restricted aphasic adult is discussed with sections on: drawing and acquired brain damage, communication through drawing in aphasia, and training expressively restricted aphasic patients to draw communicatively by use of the Lyon/Sims Program. (DB)

The concept of communicative competence as a language intervention goal with young handicapped children is discussed in terms of trends in four areas: approaches to intervention (i.e. (behaviorism, operant conditioning); the age of intervention; family involvement; and communication versus oral language. Future goals (such as better assessment and…

The paper describes a model of services for 38 infants and young children whose primary handicap was a communication disorder or for whom a communication disorder was a related problem. Data indicated that the model was effective in producing child growth in receptive and expressive language, as well as other developmental areas. (Author/CL)

Surveyed 174 older adults to define their educational needs in the areas of interpersonal communication, aging, and communication disorders. In general, little training was reported for all but interpersonal communication. Respondents used other information sources, but normal aging and normal interpersonal communication again received the…

Research in language and communication deficits is briefly cited, and three guidelines for choosing and implementing communication therapies for the learning disabled student are described. (JW)

The paper tabularly presents information strategies (goals and instructional activities) for managing learning disabled children with oral communication disorders. The strategies are based on a comprehensive organizational framework of pragmatic abilities comprised of three major components: communicative intention, presupposition, and social…

This digest uses a question-and-answer format to summarize basic information about the use of Cued Speech (a sound-based hand supplement to speechreading) with children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Cued speech is briefly explained, noting its primary use with hearing families of young children who are deaf and in regular education classrooms…

This guide offers guidance to college instructors about working with students who have communication-related disabilities including speech, language, hearing, emotional, or medical disorders. It offers some general accommodation strategies including a statement in the syllabus encouraging students to discuss any special needs with you, ask the…

This response to an article (EC 633 617) on the use of facilitated communication by a Finnish man diagnosed with mental retardation and cerebral palsy urges consideration of simpler alternative explanations (than his authorship of the texts) for the interesting text produced by the process in this case. It urges the use of double-blind, controlled…

Epidemiology is presented as a tool for the primary prevention of a broad range of factors associated with increased rates of communication disorders. The potential use of the PRECEDE-PROCEED model of program planning and evaluation to design comprehensive, community-based prevention programs for communication disorders is discussed. (Author/CR)