Audiology and Speech Communication services at KDES and MSSD actively integrate the three priorities of the Clerc Center which include literacy, transition and family involvement. Communication skill development is naturally interwoven in addressing all three of these priority areas.  The development of student literacy skills is a major focus in the planning and implementation of service delivery.  All activities seek to enhance student transition skills. This involves developing effective communication  essential to students becoming  independant contributors to society. Communication services integrate a wide range of strategies to include families in their childs communication development. Family involvement is a crucial component of student success.

Literacy

Literacy development is integrated throughout auditory and speech programming.  Some of the strategies utilized in communication service provision that open pathways to literacy development include:
 



• Establishment of Listening/Literacy Centers and Labs --
  At both the elementary school and high school, students are given the opportunity to listen to music, books or poems on audiotape and/or videotape. The printed text, and audiotapes and/or videotapes to support the text, provide opportunities for students to develop their listening skills and at the same time address literacy skill development. Videotapes and audiotapes for the centers primarily are developed in-house for accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing students and chosen to support themes and activities of the classroom. 
  
  
  
  
• Assistive Devices Center--
  A realistic home-like environment has been created to display and demonstrate assistive listening and alerting devices in an attractive and inviting setting.  A variety of reading and writing activities support student experiences in the center.  Literacy activities include writing letters, creative journal writing, completing sentences, selecting appropriate words, matching pictures with printed words, alphabetizing devices, crossword and word find puzzles, and matching definitions with  correct device words.
  
  
• TTY Training--
  At Kendall School and MSSD student  training and practice using the TTY enhances literacy skill development. TTY training supports literacy development by providing additional exposure to the alphabet and numbers to create communication  through text. Older students write and edit scripts for possible TTY conversations.   Students enjoy working on scripts related to homework, sports, social inteactions, emergency contacts and other real-life situations. 
  
  
• Visual Phonics--
  This system utilizing 46 hand cues and correspondng written symbols is integrated into communication service . It is viewed as a method to provide a concrete way for deaf and hard of hearing children to conceptualize how to produce a sound and then see how that sound relates to its printed correlate. This system, in preliminary use by various communication specialists at Kendall and MSSD is viewed as one component of a comprehensive literacy program for deaf and hard of hearing students. This system is showing promise in helping students approach the reading process. Development of skills related to the reading process such as decoding and encoding are supported by this system. Students are making the connections between what they see on the lips (speechreading), what they say (speech production) and what they read. For more information on this system, contact Bettie Waddy-Smith from the Communication Unit.
  
  
• Integrated PreSchool/Kindergarten Classroom
  Input from Audiology and Speech Communication services has been integral to the establishment of programming at Kendall School that integrates deaf, hard of hearing and hearing preschool children together in the same class. The goal of this integrated classroom is to provide and evaluate a learning environment that promotes language, literacy, cognitive, social-emotional, and physical development in a climate that addresses the needs and capitalizes on the strengths of all students.
  
  

Family Involvement

   Family involvement is actively encouraged throughout a student's program from Preschool through High School. Family involvement is viewed as instrumental to a student's successful carry-over of skills at each developmental level and for successful integration of communication skills into the community. 

• Home/School Communication
  Home communication books, personalized student videotapes of therapy sessions, and parent observation or inclusion in training activities are a few strategies utilized at Kendall School. Ongoing communication through phone calls, e-mail, and written correspondance is an integral part of sharing ideas and student progress with families of students of all ages.
  
  
• Parent-Infant Programming
  Communication Specialists in Audiology and Speech provide extensive family support during Parent-Infant programming.  Families have ongoing involvement  regarding their child's individual auditory and speech communication development. 
  
  

  

• Assistive Devices Center
  Parents can be involved in their childs education related to assistive devices through access to the Kendall School Assistive Devices Center. Families are involved with their child in gaining access to resources and hands-on demonstrations of available assistive device technology. For more information about this center see information described in the Communication Unit Website. 
  
  

Transition

   Another major  role of communication services is to address skill development related to transition throughout a student's educational experiences.

   At a young age students are provided opportunities to develop communication skills related to interacting with the outside community.  Activities include role playing real life situations in restaurants, stores and other community settings. Even our youngest students have an opportunity for exposure to and practice with many assistive devices that may be an integral part of their lives. (see information about the Kendall School Assistive Devices Center described under Literacy and in the Communication Unit website.)

Communication/Life Skill Labs

At Kendall School one strategy to address transition skill development is the integration of labs for older elementary age and middle school age students. These labs address essential communication strategies and survival skills that will assist students in becoming independent and self reliant. Sessions focus on mastering emergency contact information, understanding assistive device technology, and utilzing survival skill strategies that relate to everyday communication situations and safety.  At MSSD, lab activities help students develop and become ready to transition beyond high school.  Students are involved in practical activities to promote development of communication competencies and self assessment of future communication needs. Practice is provided related to interviewing skills, job applications, use of interpreters, and use of effective communication strategies. TTY training opportunities are provided where students make actual phone calls to set up appointments and request information. Students also have training to practice using relay services. Students learn to become informed consumers related to the purchase of assistive devices, hearing aid warranties and insurance, and availability of agency and consumer resources.  The lab concept is also used to assist students in the management of their hearing health care. Students become knowledgeable about their personal hearing loss and communication skill profile so they can advocate for their consumer rights and  needs beyond high school.

National Mission Activities

   Communication Specialists are involved with gathering and sharing information related to service provision for deaf and hard of hearing students that is of interest to audiences locally, nationally and internationally. Some of these activities include:

• Training graduate students 
  
  
  
  
• Providing presentations on integrating auditory and speech services  with emphasis on literacy, transition and family involvement.
  
  
  
• Working with agencies and organizations to establish workshops for students and professionals on a variety of topics related to communication.
  
  
  
• Meeting with visitors to share program and service information
  
  
• Developing publications related to communication services for deaf and hard of hearing students for dissemination. 
  
  
• Investigating the integration of cochlear implant technology into the education of deaf children with special emphasis focused on developing programming that looks at use and development of spoken language in an environment that also respects and  utilizes sign language.