Speech and Language/Autism

618 Words3 Pages
Speech and Language Impairments Speech and language impairments are defined as impairment in four different areas: articulation, fluency, voice or language. As defined by IDEA, a speech and language impairment “means a communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.” Characteristics The following are characteristics of a speech or language impairment as divided by type: Articulation: An impairment in this area leads to the child producing certain sounds incorrectly, as occurs commonly with a lisp. Fluency: An impairment in this area influences the flow of a child’s speech. This can be when the speech is “disrupted by sounds, syllables, and words that are repeated, prolonged, or avoided and where there may be silent blocks or inappropriate inhalation, exhalation, or phonation patterns.” Voice: An impairment in this area abnormally affects the pitch, resonance, or volume of a child’s speech. Language: An impairment in this area is characterized by when “the child has problems expressing needs, ideas, or information, and/or in understanding what others say”. Teaching Methods The teaching methods for speech and language impairments vary by which category the child falls under. Most often, a child with a speech or language impairment will require the services of a speech-language pathologist, whose services are defined by IDEA as: “(15) Speech-language pathology services includes— (i) Identification of children with speech or language impairments; (ii) Diagnosis and appraisal of specific speech or language impairments; (iii) Referral for medical or other professional attention necessary for the habilitation of speech or language impairments; (iv) Provision of speech and language services for the habilitation or prevention of
Open Document