West Texas A&M University
Department of Communication Disorders
Spring 2012
VOL. 4 ISSUE 1
RESEARCH: Dr. Barnes is working with a multidisciplinarian team that is comprised of students
from Communication Disorders and the psychology
department. They are working with four Traumatic
Brain Injury (TBI) adult patients that present with
frontal lobe impairments. This involves tracking
Brain-Builder software for auditory memory. It is a
12-week program. The first six weeks involves no
stimulus changes while the second six weeks
involves changing the stimulus to olfactory and
introducing a scent. Every third trial, the client will
take the scent and sniff twice. Dr. Barnes will
compare the first six weeks to the second six weeks
to determine if there is significant progress.
RESEARCH: Dr. Dalton is currently working
Department of Communication Disorders
Telephone 806-651-5100 Facsimile 806-651-5105
with two thesis students in the department of
communication disorders on the Dichonics program.
It is a stimulus response paradigm based on B.F.
2402 Russell Long Blvd.
Virgil Henson Activity Center, Suite 242
Canyon, TX 79016
www.wtamu.edu
Skinner’s Operant Conditioning. The specialty of the
program lies in its temporal asymmetry test called
Virtual Image Analysis (VIA), which has been
patented by Dr. Dalton.
TSHA
Texas Speech-Language Hearing Association
TSHA was held in the captivating city of San
Antonio, Texas, and the conference proved to be
as captivating as the city. The conference
correlates to a candy store of knowledgeanything and everything one could desire was
available. The conference proved to be a
beneficial experience for students in all stages of
their careers. A vast variety of classes were
offered: everything from Strategies for Beginners
101: Planning Effective Therapy Sessions to
guidance on How to Survive Your CF Year. As
first-year graduate students, they received
invaluable information and guidance related to
the transition of completing their degrees and
stepping into the professional world. Fascinating
topics ranged from cleft lip/palate, cochlear
implant,
stuttering,
pharyngoesophageal
dysphagia with cricopharyngeal dysfunction,
AAC/computer access methods for the physically
challenged, music and social skills, nutrition for
swallowing neuro-rehabilitation, the art of
singing in speech, voice evaluation and treatment,
mutism, and all aspects of language. Students
also had the opportunity to network with future
employers and obtain information about
company expectations, as well as job descriptions
and salaries. Nothing boosts morale like school
spirit, and the students of West Texas A&M were
honored to cheer along their fellow second-year
graduate students in the very competitive
PRAXIS bowl!
The PRAXIS bowl was a
rewarding experience and great exposure that
helped ease their anxiety and boost their
confidence for the upcoming examination. All in
all, TSHA is a wonderful experience and a
priceless opportunity to connect with and learn
from others in this field.
Students representing the WTAMU
Communication Disorders Department at TSHA 2012
WT students learning invaluable information
from a TSHA speaker
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SAMSUNG TABLET
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Clinic Site Update
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Spring 2012 clinical internships include: The Turn
Center, Reeves-Hinger Elementary, Jan Werner Adult
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Day Care and Guymon Public Schools. WT’s
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Communication Disorders program is getting many
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positive responses to the services they are providing.
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Parents and administrators are seeing great
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improvements in the individuals
that are being
served.
Coming up…
The Samsung tablet is a wonderful portable
device used by speech-language pathologists.
Currently, at WT we have five tablets ready to
be checked out this spring. It can be used to
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There will be a mini summer camp for learning
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disabilities, ADHD, dyslexia, CAPD and more. This
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camp will have computer therapy, games and other
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fun. This will be held
the second
summer
session,
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Tuesday-Thursday afternoons.
here.
remote access a desktop in one of the therapy
Annual College of Nursing and Health
rooms located at the WTAMU Speech and
Sciences Awards Ceremony
Hearing Clinic. The desktops are capable of
Faculty:
Outstanding Accomplishments in Teaching- Rebecca
Linke
Outstanding Accomplishments in Research- Dr. Les
Dalton
Outstanding Accomplishments in Service- Ann
Wallace
Rising Star- Dr. Elizabeth Roberts
Star Polisher – Dr. Brenda Cross
running the BrainBuilder software and Parrot
software. The BrainBuilder software consists
of tasks to help with attention, memory and
focus. The Parrot software has 40+ activities
designed to assist executive function; this
would include patients with Aphasia or TBI.
The faculty will check out the tablet and sign
it over to the student clinician who may then
use it in therapy.
Students:
Outstanding Undergraduate Senior- Summer Branch
Outstanding Undergraduate Junior- Morgan Young
Outstanding First Year Graduate- Cara Reid
Outstanding Second Year Graduate – Stephanie
Campos
Bruckner Scholarship- Morgan Young $250
PRSHA Scholarship – Cresta Deaton $500
Excellent Supervisor Award- Noel Clifton