This article discusses the potential of applying research based on the principles of stimulus equivalence and related phenomena to the investigation and remediation of language disabilities, particularly with individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism. It describes studies which have applied an equivalence framework to different aspects…

Naturalistic speech samples of 29 3-year olds diagnosed with specific expressive language delay were compared to 19 age-matched peers in order to determine their improvement in phonological skills since age two. Results revealed no significant differences in number of vocalizations, although there were differences in phonetic inventories,…

This study, with 180 deaf or hard of hearing infants and toddlers grouped into four age ranges, found highly significant interrelationships among the four categories of play and the four aspects of communicative development studied. The development of autosymbolic play, age of hearing loss identification, and symbolic object distribution accounted…

Originally given as a speech, this paper describes the double-deficit hypothesis of reading disabilities, which proposes that developmental dyslexia is due to deficits in the phonological system and in processes underlying naming speed. The paper also reports on an innovative reading fluency intervention program based on the double-deficit…

Receptive language, prelinguistic communication, maternal responses, vocabulary level, and expressive language were measured at six-month intervals for 58 young children with disabilities or developmental delays and their primary caretakers. Results supported the importance of caregivers responding differentially to preintentional and intentional…

Five subtypes of directiveness were examined in the interactions of day care teachers with toddler and preschooler groups. Results confirmed that instructional context is an important mediator of teachers' directiveness and suggest that subtypes of directiveness have different effects on child language output. (Contains references.) (Author/DB)

This paper examined associations between mothers' work schedules and children's cognitive outcomes in the first 3 years of life for approximately 900 children from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care. Both the timing and duration of maternal nonstandard work schedules were examined. Although…

This paper reviews research on the consequences of prenatal exposure to alcohol and cocaine on children's speech, language, hearing, and cognitive development. The review shows that cognitive impairment, learning disabilities, and behavioral disorders are the central nervous system manifestations of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), and cranio-facial…

Background: There has been no previous incidence survey of children referred to a speech and language therapy service in the UK. Previous studies of prevalence of specific communication difficulties provide contradictory data from which it is difficult to plan speech and language therapy service provision. Reliable data are needed concerning the…

The complex nature of written expression presents difficulty for many students, particularly those with learning disabilities (LD). The literature in the area of written expression and students with learning disabilities indicates that explicit, rule-based instruction can enhance the writing skills of struggling students. Research in Direct…

Selective mutism (SM) is a rare and complex disorder associated with anxiety symptoms and speech-language deficits; however, the nature of these language deficits has not been studied systematically. A novel cross-disciplinary assessment protocol was used to assess anxiety and nonverbal cognitive, receptive language, and expressive narrative…

Many children with communication impairments whose educational needs cannot be met in mainstream classrooms receive additional resource support in classroom units that specialise in the coordination and provision of academic teaching and speech language therapy in the UK. This study estimated the prevalence of Specific Language Impairment (SLI)…

We propose that stronger than usual correlations between abilities indicate which cognitive processes are impaired in autism. Study 1 compared partial correlations (controlling age) between intelligence and social cognition in children with autism (n = 18), mental retardation (MR; n = 34), or no psychological disorder (n = 37). Correlations were…

This study was a longitudinal examination (21 month follow-up) of language development in a pair of fraternal twins. One twin received a cochlear implant at age 20 months secondary to sensorineural hearing loss. The other twin had normal hearing. Data were obtained every 6 months following her initial cochlear implant stimulation. Both twins…

Increasingly, employers require job seekers to submit their applications electronically. However, while most job seekers may be familiar with email and other modern communication technologies, they often wonder about the rhetorical strategies to be used in their messages. This article describes a case study of a job applicant to identify the…