Speech-Language Pathology Policies and Procedures Manual

1. Speech-Language PathologyPolicies and ProceduresManual Produced by ALSDE Speech Pathology Task Force

2. ALSDE SPEECH PATHOLOGY TASK FORCE Dr. Kathryn Byrd, Consultant • Pam Ardis-Wimbish Dr. Linda Murdock • Jane Boykin Leigh Sayers • Susan Clay Kay Spivey • Jackie Walker Judy Cutcheon • Monyette Cunningham • Jan Enstrom, ALSDE Education Specialist

3. CHAPTER I DEFINITIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF SPEECH OR LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENTS

4. DEFINITIONS PURPOSE You know your essential definitions of the four kinds of communication disorders, but do you recall what they exclude? The purpose of this section of the presentation is to emphasize what the definitions exclude.

5. DEFINITIONS Definitions for the four communication disorders can be found in the current editions of • Alabama Administrative Code and • Mastering the Maze. By going to the Alabama State Department of Education website at www.alsde.edu., both of these publications and more information can be downloaded.

6. DEFINITIONS Articulation disorders do not include • phonological errors/phonological processes which are within developmental norms • errors which are stimulable • an abnormal swallowing pattern as the sole diagnosis • a dialectal pattern or second language acquisition pattern

7. DEFINITIONS Voice Disordersdo not consist of • temporary problems resulting from normal voice change due to the onset of adolescence • vocal differences related to allergies, asthma, colds, tonsils and/or adenoid removal • other non-treatable conditions or to temporary illness • selective mutism (AKA “elective mutism”)

8. DEFINITIONS • Developmental dysfluencies that children normally exhibit as they mature are not considered a fluency disorder. • Often children will exhibit a period of dysfluent speech between 2-5 years of age (Shipley and McAfee,1992). • This occurrence does not automatically qualify them for speech services. • The speech-language pathologist must differentiate between normal dysfluencies and a fluency disorder.

9. DEFINITIONS • To qualify as a language disorder, the following new criteria must be met. • Disregard the criteria from editions of the Alabama Administrative Code prior to 7-19-07. • Use the current Language Process Chart available at www.alsde.edu. • The student must achieve a total language standard score or quotient of at least two standard deviations below the mean (70 or below) on a standardized comprehensive language test containing both receptive and expressive components.

10. DEFINITIONS If the total languagestandard score does not meet the criteria of at least 2 SDs below the mean (70 or below), • a standard score at least 2 SDs below the mean (70 or below) in one area (receptive or expressive) of a comprehensive language testAND • a standard score or quotient at least 2 SDs below the mean (70 or below) on an assessment of a specific language component (in the same area) must be used.

11. DEFINITIONS

12. DEFINITIONS Dialectal differences, such as one in which the regular past tense “-ed” ending is often omitted (example: “He talked yesterday” becoming “He talk yesterday”), is not considered a language disorder.

13. DEFINITIONS Students with limited English proficiency (LEP) do not automatically qualify for speech-language services. Beware: Inappropriate assessment tools and procedures may lead to misidentification and inappropriate placement of the child in special education (LEP will be discussed in more detail in Chapter IX) .

14. CHAPTER II IDENTIFICATION AND REFERRAL

15. IDENTIFICATION & REFERRAL IDENTIFICATION RELATES TO • Students under 3 years of age • Early Intervention (EI) students • Non EI students • Students ages 3 through 21 years old • Screening

16. IDENTIFICATION & REFERRAL TRANSITION FROM EI TO PRE-K: • Age of referral • Transition meeting • Documentation form • Referral meeting • Referral Form • LEA of residence • Summer birthdays • Timelines

17. IDENTIFICATION & REFERRAL NON-TRANSITIONING PRE-K STUDENTS: • Responsible agency • Referral meeting • Referral form

18. IDENTIFICATION & REFERRAL STUDENTS 3-21 YEARS • If suspected of speech impairment only (artic, voice, or fluency), may proceed directly to referral without BBSST • Kindergarten through 12th grade student must go through BBSST if student has suspected • Language impairment only • Combined speech and language impairment • Any concomitant instructional or behavioral concerns

19. IDENTIFICATION & REFERRAL If a student is suspected of having both speech and language and/or other impairments, the IEP team may decide to • Proceed with speech referral/testing while BBSST provides prereferral language intervention, OR • Wait until BBSST intervention is completed then proceed with referral/testing of speech and language at the same time. BUT the IEP Team must remember timelines.

20. IDENTIFICATION & REFERRAL KINDS OF SCREENING • Screening for instructional purposes in Reg. Ed class by Reg. Ed teacher is not SPE function. • Speech or language screening is not permitted for individual students. • Vision and hearing screening must be completed on all referred students prior to testing.

21. IDENTIFICATION & REFERRAL • REFERRAL PROCEDURES ARE OUTLINED ON PROCESS CHART 1 • REMEMBER TIMELINES • Eligibility must be determined within 60 calendar days after parent signs consent to evaluate • IEP must be developed within 30 days after eligibility determination.

22. CHAPTER III INITIAL SPEECH OR LANGUAGE EVALUATION

23. INITIAL EVALUATION • When conducting a speech or language evaluation, be sure to follow all procedures outlined in the SLI section of the AAC (p. 519ff.) • Use the Compliance Verification Form (Speech or Language Impairment Section) as your checklist for required data collection.

24. INITIAL EVALUATION Check here to document giving assessments. Check here to document reporting on eligibility form.

25. INITIAL EVALUATION CAUTION FOR COMPLIANCE VERIFICATION FORMS: Be sure to check in the appropriate boxes that • the required assessments/checklists were performed, and • they were properly documented on the Notice and Eligibility Decision Regarding Special Education.

26. INITIAL EVALUATION TYPES OF SLI ASSESSMENTS • Required standardized formal assessments • Medical records • Grades and curriculum-based assessments • Language samples • Observations • Interviews • Results of BBSST intervention, if appropriate

27. INITIAL EVALUATION TYPES OF SLI ASSESSMENTS, cont’d • SLI-ARTICULATION CHECKLIST • SLI-VOICE DISORDER CHECKLIST • SLI – PHYSICIAN VOICE REFERRAL FORM • SLI – STUTTERING DISORDER CHECKLIST • SLI – LANGUAGE CHECKLIST • SLI CHECKLIST- PRESCHOOL • SLI – PREK OBSERVATIONS IN AN EDUCATIONAL SETTING

28. INITIAL EVALUATION SLI – ARTICULATION CHECKLIST ARTICULATION PROFICIENCY ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION/INTELLIGIBILITY

29. INITIAL EVALUATION SLI – VOICE DISORDER CHECKLIST VOICE BEHAVIOR MEDICAL HISTORY ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION

30. INITIAL EVALUATION SLI – PHYSICIAN VOICE REFERRALFORM REFERRAL INFO TO PHYSICIAN PHYSICIAN’S DIAGNOSIS AND PERMISSION FOR THERAPY REQUIRED FOR ELIGIBILITY!!

31. INITIAL EVALUATION SLI – STUTTERING CHECKLIST STUTTERING BEHAVIORS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION

32. INITIAL EVALUATION SLI – LANGUAGE CHECKLIST BBSST REFERRAL? DESCRIPTION OF LANGUAGE SKILLS TESTING RESULTS

33. INITIAL EVALUATION SLI –CHECKLIST: PRESCHOOL COMPLETED BY TEACHER/PARENT/ CAREGIVER DESCRIPTION OF SPEECH/LANGUAGE SKILLS

34. INITIAL EVALUATION • SLI –CHECKLIST: PRESCHOOL • COMPLETED BY • PRE-K TEACHER OR • DAYCARE PROVIDER • DESCRIPTION OF SPEECH/LANGUAGE SKILLS

35. INITIAL EVALUATION OTHER IMPORTANT FORMS AND PROCEDURES • Oral Peripheral Examination • Stimulability/connected speech checklist • Observation form from ALSDE website • Communication observation form • Interview documentation for stuttering assessment

36. INITIAL EVALUATION • ARTICULATION STIMULABILITY AND INTELLIGIBILITY DOCUMENTATION, PAGE 1 • WHEN TO USE IT • HOW TO USE IT

37. INITIAL EVALUATION • ARTICULATION STIMULABILITY AND INTELLIGIBILITY DOCUMENTATION, PAGE 2 • WHEN TO USE IT • HOW TO USE IT

38. INITIAL EVALUATION • SLI – RATING OF INTELLIGIBILITY OF CONNECTED SPEECH • WHEN TO USE IT • HOW TO USE IT • MEETS DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENT ON ELIGIBILITY FORM

39. INITIAL EVALUATION • COMMUNICATION OBSERVATION FORM • WHEN TO USE IT • HOW TO USE IT • MEETS DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENT FOR FLUENCY AND VOICE ON ELIGIBILITY FORM

40. INITIAL EVALUATION • INTERVIEW WITH STUDENT AND/OR PARENT • Procedure required for stuttering referrals • Allows for student and parent interviews • Be sure to list on eligibility form and verification checklist.

41. INITIAL EVALUATION WHEN ASSESSING STUDENTS WITH LEP OR DIALECTAL VARIATION, REMEMBER… • Tests must be provided and administered in child’s native language. • Use an interpreter/translator if SLP is not proficient in student’s native language. • Count only errors that are not result of being LEP. • For students speaking with dialectal variation, note differences on protocol but don’t count as errors. Only count nondialectal errors.

42. CHAPTER IV: SLI ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

43. SLI ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES ADVERSE EFFECT ON EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE • Not limited to academic performance • Determined on a case-by-case basis • Variety of sources should be used in determining eligibility • Checklist for each communication area available at www.alsde.edu.

44. SLI ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES DOCUMENTATION OF APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION • Answers question on eligibility form, “Was lack of appropriate instruction in math and/or reading, including essential components of reading instruction…or limited English proficiency the determining factor in the decision?” • Documentation forms for PreK, Elementary, and Secondary students at www.alsde.edu.

45. SLI DETERMINATION GUIDELINES • SLI – DOCUMENTATION OF APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION - PRESCHOOL • WHEN TO USE IT • HOW TO USE IT • MEETS DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENT ON ELIGIBILITY FORM

46. SLI DETERMINATION GUIDELINES • DOCUMENTATION OF APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION: ELEMENTARY GRADES • WHEN TO USE IT • HOW TO USE IT • MEETS DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENT ON ELIGIBILITY FORM

47. SLI DETERMINATION GUIDELINES • DOCUMENTATION OF APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION: SECONDARY GRADES • WHEN TO USE IT • HOW TO USE IT • MEETS DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENT ON ELIGIBILITY FORM

48. SLI ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES:ARTICULATION • Minimum of one standardized/formal articulation/phonological assessment • AAC does not require standardized score for eligibility determination for articulation • Stimulability assessment • Assessment of connected speech

49. SLI ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES:ARTICULATION • Examination of oral structures/functioning • Documentation of impact of artic disorder on classroom and/or natural environment (checklist) • Documentation of appropriate instruction (documentation form)

50. SLI ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES:VOICE • Formal assessment of student’s voice • AAC does not require standardized score/percentile rank for eligibility determination • Two diagnostic observations • Physician’s evaluation and permission for speech therapy (ALSDE form)