Individual Experience Assignment
Week 4: Preparation of Individual Experiences Assignment
1. Assignment Overview
People who share the same communication disorder “label” can be vastly different in the types of challenges that they have, what kind of services they have received, and how the communication disorder impacts their lives. The purpose of this assignment is to summarize the personal experiences of one person with a communication disorder. You may choose from the following:
One disorder of speech, voice, resonance, swallowing, hearing, language, or cognitive-communication; OR
One disorder of speech, voice, resonance, swallowing, hearing, language, or cognitive-communication disease/condition that includes communication disorder(s) as a part of the disease/condition .
You will note that your assignment instructions direct you to pay attention to four elements and to ensure that you describe them:
Communication-related features of the disorder ;
If choosing 2 from the above list, ensure that you focus on the communication-related features primarily. You will of course mention that your chosen disorder involves more than a communication impairment, but that this is not the focus of your paper.
Suspected or known causes (aetiology);
If the aetiology is unknown, it should be mentioned.
Communication-based (i.e., SLP/audiology) assessments and interventions; and
I.e., do not focus on non-CSD interventions for disorders described in #2 above.
Impact of the disorder on the quality of life of the person living with the said disorder (activities of daily living, psychosocial and emotional well-being, etc.).
Based on the communication disorder/individual case, amount of details available for each of four elements will vary, but efforts should be made to address each element to some extent
2. Gathering Content
Your first step is to find an individual living with a relevant disorder. Here is a more comprehensive list of what is acceptable, with examples:
From 1 above:
Speech sound disorders
articulation disorder, lisp
Motor speech disorders
dysarthria, apraxia of speech
Fluency disorders
stuttering, cluttering
Voice disorders
dysphonia, aphonia, spasmodic dysphonia
Resonance disorders
hypernasality, hyponasality
Swallowing disorders
feeding disorder, dysphagia
Language difficulties, disorders, or language-based learning disability
dyslexia, aphasia (any type)
Cognitive-communication disorders
Hearing impairments
conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, presbycusis, auditory processing disorder, auditory neuropathy, tinnitus
From #2 above (If the person has one of these diseases, the person should have at least one of the communication disorders listed immediately above)
Cleft lip and/or palate
ALS, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy
Vocal nodules, vocal polyps, vocal fold paralysis
Laryngeal cancer, laryngectomy, glossectomy
Down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, other genetic syndromes
Global developmental disability, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, selective mutism, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Alzheimer dementia
Traumatic brain injury
Acoustic neuroma, Meniere’s disease
Laryngeal cancer, laryngectomy, glossectomy
If you find something that does not fit within the above list, please feel free to contact me to see if it is appropriate. You have the following options regarding your source of information:
Option A: interview one individual with a communication disorder and/or their significant other(s). As we are social beings, it is important to get the “bigger picture” as these individuals typically do not live in social isolation (pandemic issues notwithstanding).
The person with the communication disorder:
Can be you (yes, you can talk about your own communication disorder),
Can be your relative, friend, colleague, classmate, etc.,
Can be someone referred to you by your friends, family, etc. (e.g., try to reach out via social media if necessary).
Other suitable interviewees:
Can be you (if you happen to know the person with the communication disorder),
Family members, friends, clinicians of the person with the communication disorder.
You are not required to disclose any identifying information. Please ensure that you have permission from the person and note their preference when it comes to confidentiality. You can interview multiple people from the above lists, but make sure your interview is only about the person living with the disorder.
Option B: published media (e.g., book, film, blog, etc.) about one individual with a communication disorder:
Autobiographical/biographical account (i.e., a TRUE, non-fiction report);
Make sure the resource provides you with the type of information about the individual (i.e., communication-related details) necessary for meeting the case content requirements;
Not all books/films/blogs about people with communication disorders will provide sufficient information for all four of the elements that need to be covered in the summary
You can use multiple sources (e.g., news articles, books, TV episodes) as long as all of the sources provide information about the same individual.
Your next step is to gather detailed information about the person. A face-to-face interview is ideal, though other alternative or supplementary methods can include teleconferencing, videoconferencing, or email. As we know, there is more to communication than what is said and/or written. Please ensure that you are following all relevant pandemic-related safety precautions. The safety of all individuals is paramount. Begin with an open-ended question asking the person to tell you about their communication disorder and their experience of it. When and where appropriate, add in questions targeting the four elements required for the summary. If there is no opportunity to ask your targeted questions while the person is telling their story, ask them at the end of the interview. You should allow them to tell their own story in their own words first. Here are some sample questions to consider:
What are some of the problems with communication?
What caused the communication disorder? If the cause isn’t known, do you have any ideas about possible causes?
Did a speech-language pathologist or audiologist ever complete any testing or assessments with you? If so, what types of tests or activities do you recall being completed?
Has any equipment been prescribed by a speech-language pathologist or audiologist? If so, what types?
Has any therapy been given by a speech-language pathologist, audiologist or communication disorders assistant? If so, what types of activities were involved in the therapy? How often?
How have the communication problems impacted your life, for example, in areas such as personal care, independence, emotional well-being, relationships, recreation, schooling, employment, etc.?
If incorporating additional information about the assessment and/or treatment, ensure that you use sources of the highest available quality. Here are some helpful tips:
Use reputable scientific sources
Research journals
Members of the scientific community
Peer review is a helpful way to ensure the reliability of the information
Most journals and edited books are peer-reviewed
If a book is not peer-reviewed, look for authorship by recognized experts in the field
Some journal articles may be too specific/detailed