Communication Disorders

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1 of Special of Special Education Education and and Communication Disorders Communication Department Disorders of Special Education and Communication Disorders Message from the Chair Volume 3, Issue 1 December 2010 Dates to remember: Dec 18: Last Day of Fall Classes Dec 11-17: Finals Week Dec 17:Commencement Dec 24-Jan 2: University Closed Jan 10: Spring Semester Begins Jan 17: University Closed Feb. 15 Fall Practicum Applications Due March 20-27: Spring Break April 30: Last Day of Spring Classes May 1-6: Finals Week May 6: Commencement Inside this Issue Message from the Chair 1 Welcome New Faculty Student Organizations Norway Spotlight Student As you will be able to tell by reading the newsletter, the department of Special Education and Communication Disorders has been very busy. As I read over all of the different activities happening on and off-campus, I am inspired by the level of ongoing engagement by our faculty and students. IDEA recently celebrated a significant birthday, and 35 years later, UNO students are continuing to make an impact on the lives of individuals with disabilities in the community. I recently attended a service learning celebration in Dr. Ritzman s class titled the Next Generation. Undergraduate speech-language pathology students were able to relate their service learning experience to all areas of the College of Education s conceptual framework: Dedicated Practitioners, Reflective Scholars, and Responsible Citizens. This was another great example of the connections our students are making every semester. Enjoy learning more about the department! Kris Swain, Ph.D. Welcome New Faculty! Shari DeVeney pathology. Shari DeVeney is a doctoral candidate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln specializing in early intervention for children who are late talkers. She previously worked as a speech-language pathologist for early intervention programs and school districts in Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas, including five -years with Boys Town Schools in Omaha and has experience providing speech-language therapy for children from birth through 12th grade. Her Master s degree is from Kansas State University and undergraduate degree is from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, both in speech-language This fall, she is teaching a Fluency Disorders course for graduate students in speech pathology and an undergraduate course in Articulation and Phonological Disorders, as well as supervising graduate student clinicians in the UNO Speech-Language Hearing Clinic. Her research interests involve early intervention for children with communication disorders. Future research endeavors will likely pertain specifically to children who are late talkers and the intervention techniques, targets, and settings that can be most effective for this population and their families. Joe Johnson was born and raised in North Carolina (still is and always will be a Tarheel fan!) He graduated from Appalachian State University with a B.S. in Secondary-Ed. Social Studies in He then taught middle school social studies for 7 years and also coached basketball. Then he made a switch over to special education and taught in that area for six years at the middle and high school level. Joe Johnson In 2005 he moved to Omaha where he earned his MS in Special Education-Learning Disabilities from UNO in He currently is scheduled to finish his PhD in Special Education from UNL in May, Joe's research interests included ADHD, strategy instruction, and reading comprehension, and he is currently teaching EDUC 2510, SPED 4640/8646., and supervising student teachers.

2 Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders Page 2 What s Up With Student Organizations NSSLHA The University of Nebraska at Omaha NSSLHA chapter continues to actively participate in events both on campus and around the metropolitan area. This fall, our chapter continues to actively participate and work alongside other local organizations, such as SERTOMA, the Autism Society of Nebraska (ASN), and the Omaha Down Syndrome Parents Network (ODSPN). Also a new organization that our chapter is working alongside with is the Hope Center for Kids. This fall we've participated in two career awareness days with middle and high school students to increase awareness of the field of speech-language pathology. We've also participated in the 2010 ODSPN Buddy Walk. We provide on-going support of ASN s monthly support group meetings at Pump It Up, as well as many organized events for the ASN families. Our chapter also worked on the second annual Hoops for Hope fundraiser which raised money during a 3 on 3 basketball tournament for the Hope Center for Kids. This is a program for Omaha s lower SES children, and provides a safe place for children to grow and learn and stay off the streets. SCEC The UNO Student Council for Exceptional Children (SCEC) chapter has had a busy fall semester! We have participated in the NECEC Be Inspired Event which showcased local artwork done by children with disabilities. We've partnered with TOP Soccer, to provide support for young athletes who have physical and/or intellectual disabilities while they learn to play soccer. We also volunteered for HETRA Little Britches Rodeo, which is an organization that strives to improve the quality of life of individuals with disabilities, through therapeutic riding. The annual Omaha Down Syndrome Parents Network (ODSPN) Buddy Walk took place on October This was a 1 mile walk sponsored by ODSPN. We had over 30 SCEC volunteers at the Buddy Walk this year! UNO SCEC Schwan s Fundraising Event took place on October , and we raised money to benefit ODSPN. The Future Educators of America Conference took place on October 28, and we hosted a Mini Disabilities Workshop where high school students had the opportunity to simulate physical and intellectual disabilities. Talking Hands This semester Talking hands has been quite busy. On November 7th they sold honey bears at area Walmarts in order to raise money for individuals with disabilities. On November 18th, Talking Hands hosted a free showing of Children of a Lesser God. On November 13th there was also showing of Black Sand at Boys Town. For more information visit on films visit

3 Volume 3, Issue 1 Page 3 Reach Out Student clinicians this semester were Jessica Hargis, Marcie Reed, Amy Salerno, Stephanie Gannon, Lindsey Vanderwert, and Michaela van der Westhuizen. Our Fall outing was to Boys Town where group members had a guided tour. They were able to practice their communication skills with persons unfamiliar with aphasia or other language disorders following brain injury. During this semester, we have discussed the following topics: Current Events, Summer Activities, Fall Favorites, Games, and Mementos. We've had several new members join group based on referrals from the community and area hospitals. If you would like more information about Reach Out Communication Group, please contact Amy Teten at (402) Norway In September, Drs. Conway, Leader-Janssen and Swain travelled to the University of Agder in Kristiansand, Norway to continue fostering the development of collaborative partnerships with faculty members in the area of special education. The days were filled with learning the similarities and differences regarding special education in Norway and the United States. One of the outcomes of the trip was to determine courses at UNO that will be a fit for exchange students. In addition to the collaboration regarding programs, research collaboration was also planned. University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway An important part of the time in Kristiansand was visiting Krossen School, a local K-8 school, and learning about special education services in Norway. Most striking was the very low teacher to student ratio in all of the classrooms that we visited. We were also able to spend time at the Hokus Pokus Kindergarten that is housed on the University of Agder campus. One of the most intriguing Norwegian qualities is the significance placed on nature and the outdoors. As evidenced at Hokus Pokus, we were able to see children sleeping in the fresh air, a real rock-climbing wall, and a workshop complete with hammers, saws, and every other tool a child would need to construct something. We look forward to our continued relationship with the University of Agder. Bikes, bikes, everywhere!

4 Student Spotlight Page 4 Jennifer Kaminski Jennifer Kaminski is ecstatic to say that she has found her passion in teaching. In 2006 she was faced with a life changing decision to make. Should she stay in the Air Force, continue in her career as a Weather Forecaster and retire after 20 years or pursue her dream of teaching students who are deaf/ hard-of-hearing? After much thought, she decided that it was time to and pursue her dream of becoming a teacher. She is currently enrolled at the University of Nebraska-Omaha pursing a degree in Elementary Education with a Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing subject endorsement. She will graduate in December 2010 and plans to teach students who are deaf/hard-of-hearing at the elementary school level. Her educational aspirations do not stop here. She also plans to earn a Master s degree in Reading Disabilities or Behavioral Disorders, and eventually a Doctorate in Administration. She feels that the more education she has, the greater the impact she will be able to have on her students. She student taught at Western Hills Elementary School from January 2010-May 2010 and is currently student teaching at Iowa School for the Deaf, and in the evenings she teaches dance class. Prior to student teaching, she was working two jobs, and attending UNO full-time. Trying to balance work and school was a struggle, but she maintained focus in knowing that she was doing what had to be done to achieve her dream. Jennifer has received numerous scholarships and grants in recognition of her high academic achievement and commitment to her craft. the International Chapter P.E.O. Sisterhood Chapter GB organization awarded her a $1,000 grant during the fall of She was also recently awarded the Lykke Student Teaching Scholarship for the fall semester of the 2010 school year as well. She is so grateful for the financial assistance she has received. Jennifer was honored by being chosen as the alternate graduation speaker from UNO for the December graduation and has received several other honors for her academic achievements. Congratulations on your upcoming graduation and good luck pursuing your future endeavors Jennifer! New Technology! The UNO Speech and Hearing Clinic has been gifted with new clinical equipment by the local chapter of Sertoma. The Nasometer measures the difference between air directed through the mouth and air directed through the nose during speech, providing visual biofeedback for the two streams of airflow. This will enable our clinic to help a variety of clients who have an improper balance of the two types of airflow, often resulting in overly nasal-sounding speech. Such clients include persons with cleft palate, hearing loss, and articulation disorders due to stroke. The academic program will also benefit from the addition of this tool in that labs will be developed for students to meet competencies.

5 Page 5 Collaboration in Speech-Language Clinic Kathy MIklas, Clinic Coordinator Collaboration has been the theme in the Speech-Language Clinic this semester. It's not unusual to see student clinicians collaborating with one another, or to hear them planning yet another nostalgic, yet therapeutic activity for Reach Out Communication Group, or even to overhear experienced clinicians guiding their less-experienced colleagues in the intricacies of clinic. Recently however, a group of students collaborated with occupational therapy students at Creighton University in an attempt to increase their knowledge and comfort level with adaptive equipment and augmentative/alternative communication (AAC ) systems. In addition to this experience, student clinicians, who will be entering their educational or medical practica in the upcoming semesters, presented hypothetical case studies to a team of school administrators as well as a team of physician assistants from the Omaha area. This experience gave the students an opportunity to practice how to adapt their speaking style to different types of listeners and how to answer questions extemporaneously. By the end of this semester, some clinicians will have collaborated with a pediatric occupational therapist, and with providers of AAC equipment in order to find the best AAC system for their clients. Collaboration has definitely been "in the air" in the Speech-Language Clinic this semester. Clinic Information Congratulations Graduates!!! There continues to be two clinics that are associated with the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders. The Speech-Language Clinic provides services to children and adults with communication disorders. Clinic services are available during the fall, spring, and summer semesters. The LD Clinic provides services to school-age children who are experiencing academic difficulties. The LD Clinic is available during the spring semester. Congratulations to our 2010 graduates. We have had many students graduate from our undergraduate and graduate programs and look forward to hearing about your successful careers. If you would like to receive upcoming department newsletters, contact the department with your new address or check out newsletters on our department web site. If you are interested in finding out more about our clinics, call Check our department web site: coe.unomaha.edu/sped/ Contact our department: Kayser Hall 115 UNO Omaha, NE 68182