This chapter discusses communication disorders including language disorders involving problems with form, content, and use of language as well as speech disorders involving articulation, fluency, and voice. It covers identifying communication disorders through reviewing history, interviews, questionnaires, and testing as well as delivering services through monitoring, consultation, classroom-based, and pullout models. The chapter emphasizes collaboration between teachers and speech language pathologists to support students with communication disorders.

1. Chapter 11
Communication
Disorders
Based on: Special Education for Today’s Teachers: An Introduction,
by Rosenberg, Westling, and McLeskey (second edition)

2. Chapter 10 Questions
 What are language and speech disorders?
 What are the main types of language and speech
disorders?
 How are communication disorders identified?
 What kinds of service delivery options are used?
 What are some ways that teachers can
collaborate with speech therapists?

3. Communication Disorders
 IDEA definition: a communication disorder such
as stuttering, impaired articulation, language
impairment, or voice impairment that adversely
affect a child’s educational performance.
 Language disorders – problems receiving,
understanding, and formulating messages.
 Speech disorders – problems related to the
verbal transmission of messages.

4. Language Disorders
 Form Disorders
• Phonology - sounds used to make word parts (e.g., 40
phonemes in English language)
• Morphology - rules for constructing words (e.g., plurals,
suffixes)
• Syntax - rules for connecting words together (e.g., word
order, organization)
 Content Disorders
• Semantics - rules that dictate meaning (e.g., vocabulary)
 Use Disorders
• Pragmatics – application of language in social contexts
(e.g., conversation)

5. Speech Disorders
 Articulation Disorders (common)
• Phonological – mental representation problem (can
make sound, but doesn’t)
• Articulation – structural problem (can’t make sound)
• Substitutions, omissions, additions, distortions
 Fluency Disorders – interruptions in the flow of speaking
(e.g., stuttering)
 Voice Disorders - pitch, duration, intensity, resonance,
vocal quality
 Motor Speech Disorders
• Apraxia - lack of coordinated muscle movement
• Disarthria – weak, slow, or paralyzed muscles

6. Should I Talk to the SLP?
 How is the student’s intelligibility? (By age 4,
should be 100%.)
 How easy is it to communicate with the student?
(Can you have a normal conversation?)
 How does the student interact with others?
(Does s/he avoid talking?)
 Does the student have unusual speech
characteristics (e.g., substitution, omission,
stuttering, hoarseness, etc.)?

7. Identification
 Review developmental, educational and medical
history
 Interview parents, teachers, etc.
 Questionnaires
 Systematic observation
 Language sampling
 Formal tests

8. Service Delivery
 Service Delivery Models
• Monitoring
• Collaborative consultation
• Classroom-Based
• Pullout
 Issues
• Shortage of SLPs
• Heavy caseloads

9. Collaboration
 Discuss concerns about students
 Know what student is working on
 Ask how you can help students
achieve and generalize skills
 Communicate progress
 Discuss behavioral challenges
 Ask how to improve the
communication skills of the whole class.