Speech and Language Support

Secondary Goals and Transition StrategiesSpeech and Language SupportSpeech and Language Support services are provided for students who exhibit communication disorders in the area of articulation, language, fluency and/or voice. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, defines the term speech or language impairment as follows: (11) Speech or language impairment means a communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment, that adversely affects a childs educational performance. [34 CFR 300.8(c)(11]

What does it mean to have an adverse effect on educational performance?The impairment affects the student's ability to participate in the educational process, and must include consideration of the student's social, emotional, academic, and vocational performance.

To the extent that a speech and language impairment affects the student's ability to participate in active, interactive communication with others in the educational setting, (including peers as well as adults), the student is prevented from participating in the process of education.

A speech or language deviation does not necessarily constitute an adverse effect on the student's ability to function in the educational setting any more than a deviation such as poor eyesight necessarily interferes with educational functioning.

The speech and language deviation must be shown to interfere with the student's ability to perform in the educational setting before Speech and Language Impaired eligibility is determined.

Levels of Speech-Language SupportIndividual Therapy: A student is seen individually by the SLP to work on specific goals as established by the Individualized Education Program (IEP) or the Individualized Speech and Language Plan.Small Group Therapy: Small groups of students are seen in a therapy setting to focus on development of specific skills.Classroom Speech and Language Programs: The SLP goes into the classroom and works on communication skills within that setting. Consultation: The SLP provides consultation services to classroom teachers and significant others in the students academic environment on how to facilitate or improve communication skills.Collaboration/Team-Teaching: The SLP and classroom teacher work together in the classroom. Communication opportunities are provided for students who have speech and language problems. All students in the classroom benefit from the strategies utilized by the team.

Service Delivery OptionsThe IEP team determines the student's needs as well as the service delivery model. Specific consideration in determining need and type(s) of service delivery models are:the severity of the communication impairmentthe effect of the communication impairment on the student's classroom performance and social integrationthe presence of compounding difficulties such as learning disability or hearing impairmentthe age and stage of the student's communicative development the current level of support available to the childService Delivery, continuedThe SLP is not the only person to address communication goals with a student in school. For example, some students may receive appropriate services from a special education teacher. The SLP may evaluate the student and assist in the development of goals and then support a teacher as they work directly with the child who is communicatively impaired.Using a variety of service delivery models allows the SLP to plan intervention and services to meet individual needs of students, to collaborate with other educational professionals, and to maximize effectiveness of therapy services with students.There are a variety of service delivery categories through which students receive services. The arrangement of time, resources, location of service, and collaboration among educators comprise the service delivery model/s that will best meet individual student needs.

Self-monitoring skills are an essential tool for all students. To be successful self-monitors, students need to learn to keep track of what they are doing and how they are thinking so they can adjust their behaviors and thoughts in order to meet goals or complete tasks (Porter, 2002; Smith, 2002). Strategies for Self-MonitoringRating productions Speech diaryScore caddy countersKnitting countersRating Productions

Speech Diary

Caddy Counter

Knitting Counter

To make self-monitoring most effective, strategies should be used constantly and overtly at first and then faded to less frequent use and more subtle use across time (Stainback & Stainback, 1980). If progress is not observed over time, changes must be made in the interventions/accommodations. If continued lack of progress is shown, specific goals and intervention approaches must be re-examined.

If changes are made and additional progress is not observed, dismissal may be warranted.

If it can be determined that continued speech therapy would not greatly improve educationally-based speech and language skills of students with severely impaired communication or cognitive systems, and no specific articulation needs remain, dismissal should be considered. The student's current academic level, behavioral characteristics and impact on educational performance should be considered when determining dismissal.If speech and language services are provided as a related service under another disability category such as autism, other health impairment, mental retardation, etc, eligibility for special education services will still apply and other services will continue and eligibility will not be changed.

Such decisions must be documented in the IEP Present Education Level and reflected throughout the IEP where appropriate. Parents must be involved in this decision to discontinue speech and language support services as a related service.

Articulation/PhonologyA student will be recommended for dismissal when:

Correct production of the target phoneme or phonological process is reached at the level designated on the IEP and specially designed instruction is no longer required.

Articulation/phonological skills are commensurate with overall functioning and expectations and no longer interfere with the student's ability to perform in the educational setting.

Articulation/Phonology, continuedA student will be recommended for dismissal when:

There is a lack of progress in articulation/ phonological skills documented over time as evidenced by probes, therapy data, and/or teacher/parent/guardian input/consultation.

Articulation/Phonology, continuedA student will be recommended for dismissal when:

Other associated and/or handicapping conditions (specifically, dental abnormalities, velo-pharyngeal insufficiency, or inadequate physiologic support for speech) prevents the student from benefiting from further therapy.

LanguageA student will be recommended for dismissal when:

Goals and objectives have been achieved at the level designated on the IEP and specially designed instruction is no longer required.The student has other associated and/or handicapping conditions that prevent continued language improvement.

Language, continuedA student will be recommended for dismissal when:

The students language skills (as measured by standardized language tests) are commensurate with overall functioning and expectations and no longer interfere with the student's ability to perform in the educational setting.

FluencyA student will be recommended for dismissal when:

The fluency goals as designated on the IEP have been achieved, and specially designed instruction is no longer warranted.

The student perceives himself/herself to be a normal speaker.

Fluency, continuedA student will be recommended for dismissal when:

The fluency disorder no longer interferes with the student's ability to perform in the educational setting.

The fluency disorder no longer interferes with the student's ability to establish and maintain appropriate social/emotional development.

VoiceA student will be recommended for dismissal when:

Voice goals on the IEP have been accomplished and specially designed instruction is no longer warranted.Voice deficits no longer interfere with the student's ability to perform in the educational setting.Voice deficits no longer interfere with the student's ability to establish and maintain appropriate social/emotional development.

Voice, continuedA student will be recommended for dismissal when:

The student has other associated and/or handicapping conditions that prevent continued improvement.

There is a lack of progress documented over time by charting, therapy data, and/or teacher/parent input or consultation.

General Dismissal/Exit Criteria for ANY Type of InterventionA student will be recommended for dismissal when:

The student demonstrates a lack of motivation, consistent incompletion of assignments or inappropriate behaviors that are not conducive to therapy, such as not being cooperative, chronic absenteeism, verbally or physically disrupting the therapy session. Attendance records and pertinent observations must be included in the documentation that indicate a variety of learning styles, service delivery models, and motivators that were utilized to address the student's behavior and performance.

Withdrawal is requested by the parent/guardian. (This must be obtained in writing and agreed to by the educational team.)

Sources of information for this presentation include the following:www.asha.orgwww.aiu3.netwww.iu1.org