Introduction

Communication Disorders involve a wide variety of problems in speech, language, and hearing. For example, speech and language disorders include stuttering, aphasia, dysfluency, voice disorders (hoarseness, breathiness, or sudden breaks in loudness or pitch), cleft lip and/or palate, articulation problems, delays in speech and language, autism, and phonological disorders.

Speech and language impairments and disorders can be attributed to environmental factors, of which the most commonly known are High Risk Register problems, which include drugs taken during pregnancy, common STD's such as syphilis, and birthing trauma to name a few. Communication disorders can also stem from other conditions such as learning disabilities, dyslexia, cerebral palsy, and mental retardation.

Individuals with communication disorders have considerable difficulty making themselves clearly understood and may also have difficulty composing their thoughts and ideas or in understanding what is said by others. These difficulties are generally due to neurological or mechanical disabilities involving the voice. A child with a communication disorder may also present such characteristics as the inability to follow instructions or slow incomprehensive speech.

Please note that those communication disabilities due to hearing or vision impairments are covered in the hearing or vision impairment sections of this document.

Students with communication disorders should be encouraged to discuss their functional difficulties and needs in private during the first week of classes and to talk about ways to compensate.

• When it appears that a student needs help, ask if you can help. Accept a "No Thank You" graciously.
• Encourage classmates to accept the student with communicative problems.
• Be a good speech model. This will indicate to all that good communication is desirable.
• An atmosphere conductive to easy and good interactive communication should be established and maintained in the classroom.
• Consult a Speech Language expert concerning each child with a communicative disorder in your class and work with him/her throughout the class.
• Keep up-to-date on the student's accomplishments in therapy.
• Give students with speech impairments opportunity to speak in class.
• Give them time to express themselves, do not interrupt or try to fill in gaps for them.
• Speak to them naturally.

Teacher Presentation

• Maintain contact with student.
• Allow students to tape lectures.
• Provide and interpreter (signed English or American Sign Language) to those who require another form of communication.
• Encourage and assist in facilitation of participation in activities and discussions.
• Be patient.
• Model an atmosphere of acceptance and understanding in the classroom.
• Be a good listener.

Laboratory (active and passive)

• Allow more time for the student to complete activities.
• Place the student within reasonable distance from the instructor to meet their needs.
• Anticipate areas of difficulty in access and involve the student in doing the same. Together, work out alternate procedures while trying not to disengage the student from the activity.
• For students who cannot use the computer because of other physical limitations in their hands or arms, explore avenues for obtaining adaptive access software, (including Unicorn keyboards), special switches, Power Pads, eye controlled input systems, touch screens, footmice, and other special equipment.
• Consider alternate activities/exercises that can be utilized with less difficulty for the student, but has the same or similar learning objectives.
• If appropriate, provide assistance, but also provide positive reinforcement when the student shows the ability to do something unaided.
• Use a peer-buddy system when appropriate.
• Lastly, consider alternate activities/exercises that can be utilized with less difficulty for the student, but has the same or similar learning objectives.

Group Interaction and Discussion

• Encourage classmates to accept the student with communicative problems.
• An atmosphere conductive to easy and good interactive communication should be established and maintained in the classroom.
• Encourage and assist in facilitation of participation in activities and discussions.
• Allow more time for the student to complete activities.

Testing

• Allow more time for the student with communication impairments to complete assignments and test in their optimal mode of communication.
• Design test that are appropriate for the child's disorder (written instead of oral or vice versa.)
• Writers could be provided for test taking if the individual requires the assistance.
• Check to be sure that test instructions are completely understood by the child and provide any additional assistance that may be needed.

Last updated:
September 20, 2002

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Ed Keller