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Credit(s): PDHs: 5.0, ASHA CEUs*: 0.5
Summary: In this SIG 10 activity, authors explore holistic admissions in CSD programs. Carmichael, Mandulak, and Watkins provide a tutorial for incorporating interviews during the admissions process. Scheer-Cohen, Heisler, and Moineau outline an approach to holistic admissions that includes a video response to a question, an informal group interview, a live lecture with an assessment, a simulation, content quiz, a writing prompt, and an individual live interview. Reisfeld and Kaplan provide a systemic review of admission measures that may be used to predict graduate students’ clinical skills. Finally, Newkirk-Turner and Hudson explore the dangers of unconscious bias in letters of recommendation for graduate admissions.
Credit(s): PDHs: 2.0, ASHA CEUs*: 0.2
Summary: This Perspectives activity contains three articles, all with emphasis on social considerations in the elderly, with emphases on risk factors for dementia and treatment of Parkinson’s Disease. The first article seeks to describe the validity and reliability of the Fun and Social Engagement Evaluation (FUSE). The authors explain that this is an important topic because lack of physical activity and low social engagement are risk factors for dementia and could impact the rate of decline associated with dementia. Furthermore, physical inactivity has been identified by the World Health Organization as a leading risk factor for global mortality. Nursing home residents were evaluated using the FUSE during “Bingocize” sessions; the program combines a bingo-like game and physical activity and is scaled for differing cognitive and physical levels of ability. Results indicate that the FUSE is a valid and reliable method to measure engagement, and this is important because this measure can be recommended to nursing homes to measure engagement, as well as used in future research. The second article attempts to determine which of a variety of factors were associated with communicative participation and measured this based on the social network size of an individual. The author feels that this is important because social isolation is linked to cognitive decline and depression, both of which are risk factors for developing dementia. This study builds on previous research related to social participation and communication as predictors of successful health outcomes. Two research questions are addressed: What numbers of communication partners exist in the self-reported social network of older adults? And what factors are included in a model for predicting the social network size of older adults? They studied 337 seniors in Central Arkansas by collecting interviews and conducting standardized assessments. Results indicate that cognition and education are factors that are related to communicative participation. The results of this study, along with additional literature on this topic, suggest that there is benefit in recognizing a decrease in communicative participation and the role that cognitive decline may play in restricting communicative participation. The final article describes the program developed at Long Island University Brooklyn, which is multidisciplinary in nature, in contrast to previous treatment models which have traditionally focused on a monodisciplinary approach. In the past decade, there has been a shift from monodisciplinary models and research to a multidisciplinary approach, which is more effective in holistically treating the multifaceted effects of Parkinson’s Disease (PD), resulting in better outcomes and social participation for individuals with PD. The article describes use of the Fitness for PD exercise program twice per week for ten weeks, targeting strength, balance, agility, stretching, and aerobic exercises. Students at the university are engaged in taking vitals, facilitating resistance training, and enhancing safety; students and participants find benefit in working together. One hour Speech Clinic for PD sessions are conducted after each fitness class, including voice evaluations and therapy focusing on maximizing voice production and improving breathing patterns. The first half of sessions are conducted in game format, which encourages interpersonal interactions and collaboration and facilitates carryover into conversational contexts. Sessions incorporate Motor Learning Principles, LSVT LOUD, and respiratory exercises. The second half of sessions are conducted in whole-group format and speech practice in small groups.
Credit(s): PDHs: 2.5, ASHA CEUs*: 0.25
Summary: The articles in this course present models for increasing equity and inclusion across our discipline. Girolamo and Ghali introduce a student-led grassroots initiative that supports minority students at all levels. Mohapatra and Mohan propose a model for increasing student diversity and inclusion based on successful programs from other health-related disciplines. Finally, Mishra et al. examine three challenges that faculty of color face: cultural competency, imposter syndrome, and racial microaggressions.
Credit(s): PDHs: 1.5, ASHA CEUs*: 0.15
Summary: These articles explore thickened liquids for oropharyngeal dysphagia, importance of patient selection, & balancing physical welfare/quality of life (QOL); QOL in patients/caregivers in recovery for swallowing disorders; audiologist knowledge of cognitive impairment/screening in outcomes/communication; and hearing screening for individuals who are diagnosed with dementia.
Credit(s): PDHs: 5.0, ASHA CEUs*: 0.5
Summary: Pedagogical practices in communication sciences and disorders have grown thanks in part to innovative techniques from other fields. The articles in this activity each present models that can be successfully incorporated into our discipline. Slavych describes models of backward course design—course development that starts by focusing on learning outcomes before considering content or teaching methods. Squires and Squires introduce best–worst scaling, a method for examining group preferences, and reported on how it can inform admissions practices. Speights Atkins et al. describe models of mentoring undergraduate research experiences and their applications in two communication sciences and disorders research labs. Finally, Perryman et al. examine the effects of a mixed-reality simulation in which actors playing parents interacted through computer avatars with undergraduate students carrying out clinical procedures.
Credit(s): PDHs: 1.5, ASHA CEUs*: 0.15
Summary: This course examines three progressive cultural topics as they relate to speech-language pathology and audiology: ageism among CSD graduate students; institutional, symbolic, and individual systems of oppression; and the interaction between social determinants and health disparities.
Credit(s): PDHs: 4.5, ASHA CEUs*: 0.45
Summary: In this activity, four recent SIG 10 articles are presented. First, Domsch, Stiritz, and Huff utilized a mixed-methods design to examine the cultural awareness of students in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) during and after a study-abroad experience. Next, Franca, Boyer, and Pegoraro-Krook explored activities designed to promote cultural and clinical competence in a collaboration between CSD programs in the United States and Brazil. Then, Veyvoda and Van Cleave reviewed the literature on service-learning and community-engaged learning, described how these approaches could be used in distance-learning modalities, and explored how doing so could be accomplished during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, Towson et al. studied the effectiveness of coaching paired with the use of a mixed-reality simulator as CSD students practiced interprofessional communication skills in role-play scenarios.