RESEARCH AND FACILITIES

DIVISION OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

Research

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of teaching places the University of Wyoming in it's highest research classification, Doctoral/Research Universities--Extensive.  UW attracts $40-50 million annually in research contracts and grants.  As a graduate student, you will find a caring, nurturing atmosphere with excellent student services to support you.

Facilities

All About Communication (AAC) Lab!

UW Health Science Building Room 189

Dr. Mary Jo Cooley Hidecker and her students in the All About Communication (AAC) Lab work on a variety of communication research each year. The following types of projects are currently being conducted in the research lab by Dr. Hidecker and her team of student research assistants.

* Creating instruments to use in epidemiology and clinical studies

* Using instruments to increase understanding of functional communication

* Using telehealth to address rural health disparities

The lab includes eight work stations and web-authoring software, SPSS and SAS statistical software, survey creation software, and bibliographic management software. Additional equipment include a laminating machine and video cameras. Augmentative and alternative communication include no-tech, low tech, and high tech systems including 3 iPads loaded with AAC speech generating apps.

The Phonological Understanding Lab

UW Health Science Building Room 254

The Phonological Understanding Lab is dedicated to improving treatment efficacy and efficiency for children with speech sound disorders as well as increasing our understanding of how typically developing children learn new sounds and words in terms of perception, processing and production. The lab is equipped with three Dell PC computers equipped with dual monitors, phonetic transcription equipment, a Sonospeech Ultrasound system, and standardized assessments. Additionally, the lab houses three mobile lab kits that include Microsoft Surface Pro 4 tablets, recording devices, and specialized equipment for treatment and psycholinguistic tests. Recordings are taken in a double walled sound attenuated booth.

The Neurogenic Cognitive Communication and Language Lab (Bush Lab)

UW Health Science Building Room 256

Dr. Erin Bush and her undergraduate and graduate students work on a variety of tasks related to communication disorder research. Currently we are:

* Investigating professionals’ understanding of TBI

* Developing intervention/treatment protocols for individuals with TBI

* Investigating telehealth as a way to decrease rural health disparities. Related projects:

o Developing measurement tools to investigate usual care for people with Parkinson’s disease as well as older adults’ use of technology/telepractice

o Investigating speech therapy outcomes via telepractice

Craniofacial Lab

UW Health Science Building Room 258

Research conducted in the Craniofacial lab is directed towards 1) understanding the impact of cleft palate on early speech sound development and 2) examining speech outcomes associated with differences in type and timing of palatal operations. We use Language Environmental Analysis (LENA) technology, traditional phonetic transcription, and real time listening methodologies to study early speech outcomes in children with cleft palate. A Kay Pentax Computerized Speech Lab (CSL 4500) software and the Nasometer II (Model 6450) are also available for acoustic analyses.

Preschool and Dual Language Lab

UW Health Science Building Room 258

The overarching goal of research in the Preschool and Dual Language Laboratory is to improve clinical practices and cultural competence when serving culturally and linguistically diverse populations. A major focus of the lab is evaluating clinical practices with toddler and preschool age children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, including dual language learners as well as Native American children. Interventions with multilingual children with hearing loss, and studies describing cultural competence are other areas of active research in the lab. The laboratory includes two data entry and coding stations. In addition to the workstations, there is a large table with four chairs that can be used for meetings and trainings, and a second separate table for other projects or meetings. There are four field kits, that include Ipads in child friendly cases, standardized child language measures, developmental toys, and mini-flip cameras. In addition, there are two high quality digital cameras.

Communication Disorders Shared Lab

UW Health Science Building Room 258

The Communication Disorders shared lab was designed so that lab teams can meet together for trainings and to hold tele-conference meetings with collaborators from off-campus. This lab space includes a touch white-board, a PC computer, a projector, microphone system, and a wall mounted camera.

UW Speech & Hearing Clinic

The clinic is a training center for graduate and undergraduate students in speech-language pathology and audiology under the direct supervision of licensed and ASHA-certified speech-language Pathologists (CCC-SLP) and audiologists (CCC-A). Click here for more information.