UTHSC Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology Spring 2017 Newsletter

The Department of Audiology & Speech Pathology Spring 2017

Annual Newsletter

IMPROVING LIFE’S CONNECTIONS Chair’s Message: A Bird’s Eye View Dear Friends , Each year about this time, I can hardly wait to share with you our annual newsletter, created entirely by Audiology & Speech Pathology (ASP) personnel. This is just one of many accomplishments by our hard-working faculty, staff, and students, who are committed to the mission of The University of Tennessee (UT): education, outreach, discovery, and public service . Everyday, ASP seamlessly integrates the four elements of our university’s mission with the ultimate goal of “Improving Life’s Connections.”

Inside these pages, you will see how, time and again, academic and clinical faculty combine their knowledge and experience to bridge the gap between practice and research through education. This shared approach benefits our students by requiring them to question, learn, and apply evidence-based diagnosis and treatment techniques and ensures best practice for our patients. From a bird’s eye view, perhaps the greatest consequence is the professional growth, shared pride, and productivity among our faculty as we very intentionally cross-pollinate our ideas, curricula, clinics, and laboratories. The success of these collaborative and, often, interdisciplinary approaches is evident by the many publications, presentations, grants, awards, and invited engagements for academic and clinical faculty alike.

I am proud to be a part of this amazing group who represents UT and ASP so well at the local, state, national, and international levels. After you finish reading our newsletter, I am confident you will be, too! So sit back and enjoy, and next time you are in the area, please drop by for a visit. Your ASP family welcomes you anytime.

Most Sincerely, Inside this edition Ashley W. Harkrider, Ph.D. UTAA Distinguished Service Professor and Chair VFL Contact Us Phone: (865) 974-5019 Email: Pamela at pwilli25@uthsc.edu utaspalumniandfriends

Improving Life’s Connections through p. 2—5 Hearing p. 6—7 Speech p. 8—9 Communication p. 10—11 The Department p. 12 Mark your Calendars

IMPROVING LIFE’S CONNECTIONS through ...HEARING

designed to help overcome background noise by transmitting the signal from the original sound source wirelessly to the listener to improve the level of the signal at the listener’s ear. Reducing the impact of background noise improves speech audibility over Drs. Patti Johnstone and Susie Robertson received a distance. These devices have been shown to improve grant from Advanced Bionics to evaluate novel word speech perception abilities in older children and adults, learning in infants and toddlers aged 18-42 months who and since young children are always listening and use Advanced Bionics cochlear implants. Using wireless learning, it is hoped that results of this study will lead to adaptive digital microphone systems (ADMs), ways to further enhance vocabulary development in specifically the Phonak Roger Pen transmitter and the infants and toddlers who use cochlear implants.

Roger 17 receiver, young children will be asked to learn Pictured above (L to R) is the Advanced Bionics new words and recognize familiar words in quiet and Research Team at UTHSC: Au.D. student Merry noise. The Phonak Roger is a digital device that bridges McGhee, Dr. Beth Humphrey, Ph.D. student Kristen the understanding gap, in noise and over distance, by Mills, Dr. Susie Robertson, Dr. Kelly Yeager, Dr. Patti wirelessly transmitting the speaker's voice directly to Johnstone, and Ph.D. student Karen Martin. the listener.

According to previous research, very young children who hear speech in daily interactions learn new words faster than those who hear less speech.

“Such research shows leadership of Children with hearing loss are, therefore, at a disadthought. We are proud to be a part of it.” vantage when hearing new words since many of these -Stefan Launer, Vice-President, learning opportunities occur in noisy environments, Science and Technology, *Sonova AG. such as at home or at day care, on the playground, or in the car. Amplification devices, such as cochlear *Sonova is the parent company of Advanced Bionics. implants, can be enhanced using ADMs which are

Helping Children with Cochlear Implants Listen in Noise

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Support Group for Individuals with Hearing Loss The Knoxville Chapter of The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) hosts meetings on the second Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the UT Hearing and Speech Center. Meetings take place from September through June. The HLAA is the nation’s leading organization representing people with hearing loss.

The Knoxville Chapter of HLAA promotes the overall mission to open the world of communication for people with hearing loss through information, education, support, and advocacy. All persons who experience hearing loss, their friends and/or family members, as well as those who work in related hearing health fields are welcome to attend meetings. Many of our members are cochlear implant recipients and several serve as peer mentors for Cochlear Americas and Advanced Bionics.

Carolyn Phillips is the President of the Knoxville HLAA and Dr. Beth Humphrey, clinical Associate Professor, serves as the publicity coordinator.

The Knoxville HLAA can be reached at knoxvillehlaa@gmail.com Or on Facebook at

https://www.facebook.com/ groups/knoxvillehlaa/

A-E-I-O-U Ongoing research studies at UTHSC are being conducted to understand how young children with hearing loss perceive vowel sounds. Results have shown that children who wear hearing aids may interpret vowel sounds differently than children who wear cochlear implants.

Pictured at the right is a seven-year-old cochlear implant user who is participating in a picture selection activity along with Dr. Mark Hedrick.

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IMPROVING LIFE’S CONNECTIONS through ...HEARING

“We knew we wanted to give to UT, but we wanted to support a very specific project that brought together the three disciplines with which we had been involved.”

The sliding-fee scale still exists in the UT Hearing and Speech Center today.

Little did Karen know back Just over 40 years ago, Karen Bunn, a music major at UT, realized she was then that she would one day be in a position to give back to UT in a way not hearing very well. Knowing the to help others like her and Rod, both importance of a musician having a keen ear, Karen acted quickly when music enthusiasts who wear hearing she learned about an audiology clinic aids. “We knew we wanted to give to UT, but we wanted to support a very on campus that could provide a specific project that brought hearing test. “I was very fortunate together the three disciplines with that I could plug into services at UT while I was there,” Karen noted in a which we had been involved.” Rod, a telephone interview from her home biomedical engineer, worked many years at UT. in Atlanta where she lives with her The Bunns’ desire to fund husband, Rod. “My services were something that specifically provided on a sliding fee scale.”

Music to Her Ears

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benefitted individuals, especially musicians with hearing loss, resulted in a collaborative research project directed by Dr. Patti Johnstone, Associate Professor in ASP. Johnstone is partnering with UTK colleagues, Dr. Jeffrey Reinbolt, Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering, and Dr. Jeffrey Pappas, Director of the School of Music.

“I currently wear hearing aids that have five different programs, one of which does allow somewhat better perception of music, but I know I’m still missing a lot,” said Karen, who is an organist and pianist.

Her Ears (Cont) “Each pedal stop has a unique acoustic signature, much like a human voice, but my ears have difficulty hearing those subtle differences, even with hearing aids. As a result, I am sometimes playing on ’blind faith’ to fill in the pitches I’m not hearing.”

Johnstone noted, “When we reviewed the literature on listening to music through hearing aids, we realized very little had been done to compare listening outcomes across manufacturers.” Hearing aid manufacturers are responding; they want to help individuals follow and appreciate music. “Music is important because of its contribution to good health. It truly has a healing quality,” said Karen. Hearing aid manufacturers have music settings on their instruments that are supposed to make listening to music an enjoyable experience for the listener. However, there aren’t studies to compare these settings across instruments.

UT School of Music Faculty, under the guidance of Pappas, produced live music using different instruments and recordings were made on a Kemar head (pictured left) by UT Audiology graduate students and Johnstone. “The flute piece might sound fine on Hearing Aid A, but it might sound hideous on Hearing Aid B and that may have to do with how the harmonic structure of the flute is managed within that hearing device.”

After measurements with the music are complete, Reinbolt and engineering graduate student, Christopher Davitt, will begin their piece of the research. For those devices identified to be preferred by subjects, they will attempt to create a hearing aid app to help individuals augment their personal hearing devices (or use in lieu of their hearing device) to improve their perceptual experience while listening to music.

The Bunns hope this is just the beginning of research that address how musicians with hearing loss can find improved perception of the music they create and enjoy. The goal is to ultimately help music enthusiasts, both casual and professional, to “re-tune” their ears (or the devices they wear) in significant ways.

Equipping Audiologists for Hearing Aid Selections

Audiology Professor, Dr. Patrick Plyler, and clinical Assistant Professor, Dr. Jennifer Hausladen, along with Au.D students Tom Bushur and Neil Garrison, are researching the impact of digital noise reduction and directionality across different technologies and hearing aid manufacturers. The end goal is to develop protocols to assist audiologists with hearing aid selections.

Funds Benefit Those Needing Hearing Aids Each year, some audiology patients who qualify financially receive assistance for hearing aid purchases through the Starkey Hear Now Fund and the Jody Chambers Fund. Velma Willison, patient of Dr. Jennifer Hausladen and 2016 recipient of a set of hearing aids from the Starkey Hear Now Fund notes, “I can now hear every single word my pastor says on Sunday mornings and the music at church is easier to hear.” When she learned about the music perception research being conducted in ASP, Willison noted that there could be room for improvement when listening through her hearing aids and that Johnstone’s research findings “could be life-changing for many who enjoy music like me.”

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IMPROVING LIFE’S CONNECTIONS through ...Speaking Helping Identify Children Who Stutter Drs. Tim Saltukaroglu and Ashley Harkrider received NIH funding to identify how neural mechanisms involved with perceiving speech differ in stuttering individuals. They are measuring time-sensitive electroencephalographic (EEG) responses from regions of the brain that are used when speaking, but doing so while people who stutter are listening to speech. Their research, in children and adults, aims to create an early objective tool to accurately identify children who are at risk for persistent stuttering and develop novel, effective treatments for stuttering.

Drs. Saltuklaroglu and Harkrider work with their Ph.D. students, David Thornton and David Jenson, in the Human Auditory Physiology Laboratory.

Meet Michael Michael is a 22 year-old, full-time research specialist in the neuroscience lab at UT and is preparing to pursue his doctoral degree. He came to the UT Hearing and Speech Center about two years ago to finally address his stuttering. “My older brother, who is also a person who stutters, began going to speech therapy five years ago. I noticed a big change in his stutter and his self-confidence… he seemed to be at peace with his dysfluency.” Michael wanted the same for himself. Since starting therapy at UT, he and his brother “actually discussed stuttering,” which they had not done for 18 years. “My first three years at college were a rather rough time. I was afraid to speak to those around me,” Michael stated. “Speech therapy helped rid the paralyzing, negative emotions and thoughts that came along with my stutter. I have a much more positive view of myself and my future.” During Michael’s time at the UT Hearing and Speech Center, he has had many opportunities to share his new knowledge and perspective with children, SLP graduate students, and other SLPs in the community.

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“I always enjoy getting to speak to others about what I have learned here.”

Support Group for Individuals who Stutter In collaboration with the National Stuttering Association, clinical Assistant Professor Tricia Hedinger is the Chapter Leader for the Knoxville Area Stuttering Support Group. Meetings are conducted once per month at the UT Hearing and Speech Center. People who stutter, friends, family, SLPs, and all those affected by stuttering are welcome to attend. During meetings, members discuss struggles with communication, new research, related books and videos, upcoming plans, and anything else that comes to mind.

For more information, email Prof. Hedinger at thedinge@uthsc.edu Meetings are held at 5:30 pm on the last Thursday of every month!

Speaking Through Experience Vince Vawter (top), author of the Newbery Award winning novel “Paperboy,” and Thad Cox, Sr. (bottom), retired CEO of Suntrust Bank, continue to offer ongoing support to the education of ASP’s graduate students. They make frequent appearances in class to share their experiences about growing up with a stuttering disorder, along with offering their time and support to the annual Volunteer Your Voice Summer Camp. Both Vawter and Cox were recently featured in a UT-produced video which can be found on the ASP website.

Do You Wonder Why Children Stutter ?

ASP is conducting a non-invasive neurophysiological study to better understand why some children continue to stutter and some grow out of it. Children, ages 7-13, who currently stutter or have outgrown stuttering are invited to participate.

Contact Dr. Tim Saltukaroglu tsaltukl@uthsc.edu for more information.

Sharing Our Expertise

Tricia Hedinger, clinical Assistant Professor was an invited guest lecturer at the Mississippi State Speech and Hearing Continuing Education Conference on March 31, 2017. Her six-hour course covered evaluation and treatment of school-aged children who stutter, along with directly addressing their attitudes and beliefs regarding communication. Professor Hedinger also authored an article in the December 2016 ASHA Leader entitled, “Taking Clinical Education Outside,” and a blog entitled, “ A New Approach to Self Disclosure.”

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IMPROVING LIFE’S CONNECTIONS through ...Communication

Language, Literacy, and AAC: Bridging Practice and Research If you walked through the corridors of South Stadium Hall during the summer of 2016, you would hear children giggling, squeals of joy, and graduate clinicians saying, “ready, set, go” followed by “let’s check our schedule.” Welcome to the Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) Summer Language and Literacy Groups, funded by the Office of Special Education Programming through a federal training grant.

“We wanted the summer AAC groups to meet a clinical need for the grant trainees, expand language and literacy for children who benefit from AAC, and address an important area of research,” notes Dr. Jillian McCarthy, co-investigator with Dr. Ilsa Schwarz. The AAC groups allow grant trainees to implement evidence-based language and literacy intervention to determine what strategies are most beneficial for this population.

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The groups, supervised by clinical Assistant Professor Emily Noss, met once a week for two hours and included children who used either low-technology supports (pictures), high-technology supports (voice output), or both.

As one of the trainees, Cathryn Altdoerffer, shared, “The AAC grant allowed me to gain advanced knowledge in a variety of devices and taught me how to use those devices to target both functional communication and literacy.

This experience pushed me outside my comfort zone and provided me with the knowledge and skills to give my clients a better chance of success.”

One parent from the summer group commented, “We have been very fortunate to participate in various group therapies at the UT Hearing and Speech Center. I love how the therapists and students strive to find new practices to keep the kids

(and the parents) engaged and excited about learning. Another benefit to group therapy has been the social interaction. This interaction has been amazing not only for the kids, but for the parents as well. While the kids are learning from one another, the parents are offered that same opportunity.”

The research team has continued to implement the AAC Language and Literacy groups throughout the 2016-2017 academic year, with plans to examine the impact of shared reading with parents during the summer of 2017.

Pictured above (left) is Dr. McCarthy working with a grant trainee to program an AAC device and (right) a four-year-old boy using “step-bystep” to request “more snack” during group time.

Pals for “PALS” The UT AAC Language and Literacy (UT-AACL) Lab and the East Tennessee Chapter of the ALS Association jointly created the Pals for PALS program. Amyotrophic laterals sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a debilitating neuro-degenerative disease that often leads to the inability to speak, eat, move, or breath.

The goal of the PALS program is two fold, to provide: (a) AAC support to individuals with ALS and their families, and (b) graduate students in the SLP program hands-on experience programing, positioning, and troubleshooting AAC devices with patients. To date, seven graduate students have assisted 12 PALS and their families in the East Tennessee area.

Jane Luethke, a Care Services Coordinator for the ALS Association, shared, “ The UTHSC SLP students have been a fabulous asset to people in our region who have ALS. Their help has been especially valuable to those who are in nursing homes or under hospice care. Medicare does not provide coverage for communication devices for these clients. By donating their professional expertise, the masters’ students have provided the missing link necessary for the PALS to communicate using the loaner equipment the ALS Association has available.” For more information about the Pal for PALS program, please visit the UT-AACL page on the ASP website.

“ The UTHSC SLP students have been a fabulous asset to people in our region who have ALS.” -Jane Luethke, R.N.

Meet Reagan and Her Family When 3-year-old Reagan Lively was diagnosed with Rhett Syndrome, an AAC device was recommended to help her communicate. “Initially, we had not gotten a lot of training on the Tobii-Dynavox eye gaze system. UT Hearing and Speech Center faculty helped us understand it better,” Reagan’s father, John shared.

Reagan currently attends speech therapy weekly to improve her communication and interaction with others. After a few sessions, John felt more confident and comfortable taking her out into the community with her AAC device. “I like to see her interact with people other than us. The students have been great at coming to Reagan’s level, then moving forward to help her gain needed skills. We are so thankful for everything you do. “ 9

IMPROVING LIFE’S CONNECTIONS throughout the Department Knoxville Scottish Rite Continues Generous Support

ASP Chair, Dr. Ashley Harkrider, receives a check from KSR representatives (l to r) Robert Beam, Secretary of KSR Foundation and General Secretary of Knoxville Scottish Rite; Robert Reed, Vice President of KSR Foundation; Robert Anderson, Personal Representative Emeritus to the Sovereign Grand Inspectors General in Tennessee for Knoxville Scottish Rite; and David Webb, President of KSR Foundation.

Knoxville Scottish Rite (KSR) recently presented ASP with a $25,000 gift to be used toward speech-language therapy services for children who are in need. This generous gift is in addition to KSR’s long history of supporting ASP, through both graduate student scholarships and coverage for speech-language services to economically disadvantaged children in Knox and surrounding counties.

To learn more about this and other ways ASP supports patients in need, contact jbeeler8@uthsc.edu.

Welcome Dr. Nola Radford ASP welcomes Nola Radford, Ph.D., Director of Clinical Education and Clinical Research in SLP. Dr. Radford earned her Ph. D. from the University of Memphis and completed a post-doctoral fellowship through the University of Virginia. Dr. Radford has over 30 years of experience in higher education and has conducted research and developed programs in stuttering intervention, treatment of speech sound and language disorders, and cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease. She also has experience and expertise in clinical education and supervision, with special interest in programs to promote effective college-level teaching.

A Brighter FUTURE

ASP recently partnered with UTK’s FUTURE Program, a post-secondary inclusion program for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, housed in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences.

Clinical Instructor, Jennifer Wilson, is instrumental in coordinating ASP’s efforts to support the FUTURE Program while providing a unique educational experience for ASP graduate students. Faculty and students conduct speech-language screenings to identify FUTURE students with a communication delay that might impact their success on a college campus and provide intervention when needed. The UT Hearing and Speech Center serves as an intern site for two FUTURE students who are developing social language skills. FUTURE Director Tom Beeson notes, “The internships at ASP are unique because they allow our students to receive professional support as they develop skills in a real workplace. Too often, services for people with disabilities are provided in artificial settings and/or are overseen by people without advanced training. Both can reduce effectiveness. Additionally, ASP faculty and students are able to work on skills such as communication which are beyond the scope of most other internship sites.”

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ASP Hosts First Parent Weekend Audiology and Speech Pathology held its first Parent Weekend on November 4-5, 2016. The festivities began Friday afternoon with tours of the department. Students and their families visited the various clinics and research labs and had an opportunity to meet informally with faculty. Friday evening the department hosted a reception at Crescent Bend House and Gardens where families and faculty members visited and enjoyed an array of desserts. The evening included presentations by Dr. Ashley Harkrider, Department Chair, and Dale Amburn, Community Advisory Board member. Two ASP alumni, Ryn Rowlett (speech—2008) and Lee Cotrell (audiology—2011) also spoke, providing their perspectives of how their academic and clinical experiences at UTHSC prepared them for successful careers in speech pathology and audiology. The weekend concluded with a tailgating party at Circle Park prior to the UT vs.

Tennessee Tech football game. Approximately 40 families attended the parent weekend, which is planned to be an annual event.

Hear Us Run With Emerson Emerson Grace Doty, age five, was born with a bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss and received cochlear implants at 10 months of age. She has now successfully graduated from aural/oral communication therapy and continues to receive cochlear implant programing at our Center. On November 5, 2016, the “Hear Us Run” 5K/1-mile fun run for kids was held in Knoxville and raised over $32,000 to support the pediatric audiology and rehabilitation programs at UT Hearing Center. The run was sponsored by Derek Wright of Graham and Cook Insurance, and the Doty and Cook families.

“The UT Hearing and Speech Center has overwhelmingly blessed our family, as well as many other families in and around the region. We were honored and humbled to run alongside so many in an effort to raise awareness and resources and be a part of giving back to an institution that has helped move mountains for so many children.”

-Cristin and Jesse Doty 11

Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology University of Tennessee Health Science Center 578 South Stadium Hall Knoxville, Tennessee 37996

MARK YOUR CALENDARS Celebrate Sound Walk April 22, 2017 at 9 a.m.

Sertoma hosts this annual event to support community groups serving those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. A portion of the funds go to UT Hearing and Speech Center.

Maryville Greenway Registration at 8:30 a.m.

Contact: Sertoma.org

Volunteer Your Voice Summer Camp

Tom Davidson Memorial Audiology Conference

June 5 - 9, 2017 A one-week camp for children ages 8-15 with speech, language, and/or hearing disorders. The camp includes fun times at the UT Hearing and Speech Center and a 3-day, 2-night stay at the Great Smoky Mountain Institute at Tremont.

September 29, 2017 Join us to learn more about tinnitus management from Dr. Richard Tyler, Clinical Psychologist and Professor, Univ. of Iowa Otolaryngology Clinic.

Dr. David Lipscomb will be honored.

ASP Graduation Ceremony

Holiday Inn, World’s Fair Park Contact: brinehar@uthsc.edu

Dinner with Tamika Catchings

May 11, 2017 at 11 a.m.

For ASP graduate and undergraduate students, families, and friends. Alumni Memorial Building, Cox Auditorium.

October 27, 2017

Cost $360* Contact: thedinge@uthsc.edu *Some scholarships available The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA. Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA Institution in the provision of its education and employment programs and services.

PAN: E07-3740-001-17

All proceeds benefit the Tamika Catchings Scholarship Fund for ASP students and the department. Event details to follow.

Contact: mnixon@uthsc.edu