Search

The beginning of the fall academic term brings to mind images of freshly graduated high school students arriving on college campuses across the country. But the incoming freshman class has [...]

As the Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCSSE) has celebrated its 20th anniversary over the last year, we've reflected on what we've learned so far about community college students [...]

The Beginning The Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) was developed in 2001 as a tool that community and technical colleges could use to systematically collect important information about [...]

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who work with adults with cognitive-linguistic impairments, including aphasia, have long needed an assessment tool that predicts ability to function in the real world. In this article, it is argued that virtual reality (VR)-supported approaches can address this need. Using models of disability such as the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and the Disability Creation Process model, a case is made for using VR to reconstruct daily communicative events, thereby capturing situations of life events. A case is also made for using virtual environments to systematically assess the impact of environmental factors that can be enablers or obstacles to successful functional communication. Before embarking on tool development, opinions of clinical SLPs were sought using a discussion group format. The Communication Abilities of Daily Living (CADL) test was proposed as an example to follow for the reconstruction of daily communication events. Clinicians were asked to discuss scenes that might be amenable to VR, while considering practical clinical needs. There was a clear interest in the development of a VR tool with a preference to assess functions that were not easily observable in clinic (e.g., financial transactions, transportation, and safety in contexts of risk). Discussants stressed the importance of developing a tool for different target populations, as well as technical features such as being able to regulate speed and level of difficulty. The potential use of VR tools for both assessment and therapy is discussed. It is argued that VR will offer clinicians the opportunity to assess functions not possible with paper-and-pencil tests. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)

Little evidence-based research has been published within the field of communication disorders on the role of dogs as catalysts for human communication. This single participant study, a point of entry into this realm of research, explores the effects of a therapy dog on the communication skills of a patient with aphasia receiving intensive speech and language therapy within a rehabilitation setting. The researchers conclude that the presence of the dog does have the potential to stimulate both overt social-verbal and social-nonverbal communication. Learning outcomes: As a result of this activity the reader will be able to (1) describe the beneficial role of dogs to serve as catalysts for human communication (2) describe ways in which a person with aphasia may be assisted by a therapy dog and (3) become familiar with an animal-assisted therapy (AAT) program set-up for patients with communication disorders within a rehabilitation setting.

A study gathered perceptions from persons with communication disorders (CD) (n=78), 13 service providers, and 22 employers on barriers to work integration. Results show many barriers are common across types of CD, including noise, tasks requiring speed, having to speak to groups of persons, and attitudes of others. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Community colleges have the complicated task of educating a diverse population of students--many of whom have been historically underserved and underrepresented in higher education. And, while community colleges open their [...]

A study in three California counties found that food stamp recipients who viewed a videotape promoting vegetables had increased their knowledge of vegetables and greatly increased their consumption of potatoes and raw vegetables two to six weeks later. The feasibility of using videotaped nutrition instruction with low-income adults is discussed. (Author/SV)

Traditional methods of research have frequently failed to accommodate the communication difficulties experienced by a significant proportion of residents living in long-term care. In dementia research, specifically, there is cause for more collaborative, creative ways of working. The Linking Lives Through Care study is a performance-based narrative inquiry that will take place in a long-term care setting and will bring together all three members of the care triad – residents who are living with dementia, family members and personal support workers – to explore relational care from multiple positions and perspectives. In this article, we discuss the design choices and creative measures taken to ensure a more inclusive research environment, specifically for those participants who are cognitively frail and/or may find it difficult to express their views using just words. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guided pathways is a reform movement that aims to help community college students graduate, transfer to four-year institutions and attain jobs with value in the labor market by reframing the [...]