The examples in this section are intended to stimulate further creative uses of the Internet for learning and practice in audiology and speech-language pathology. The models and exercises presented below contain Internet addresses which also appear in the Communication Disorders URLs by Content Area list. The readings as cited in this section also contain suggestions for practical application of Internet resources.

Improve Your Internet Skills

As undergraduate student in Communication Disorders, you need to maintain a high GPA by turning in outstanding papers and making impressive classroom presentations. You have previously taken one computer course in high school, used a Web browser program to find information about sports scores and you send email to your friends using Pine. Purpose of this exercise: learn to use the Internet as effectively as possible for academic success. Objectives:

1. learn the terminology used by others during Internet activities,
2. discover how to conduct an efficient search for information on the Internet,
3. identify relevant Communication Disorders sites that contain the most information resources.

Read for background specific to Communication Disorders applications,

a. Shoemaker, A. (1997). Scholastic Surfing: World Wide Web Weaves Through University Classrooms. Advance, 7(3), 8Ð9.

Question: Describe one Internet resource (Web site, program, course) that you learned about by reading this article.

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b. Iskowitz, M. (1997). Diving into the Internet. Advance, 7(3), 6Ð7, 46.

Question: Describe one Internet resource (Web site, program, course) that you learned about by reading this article.

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Update your ability to understand and speak "Internetese" by going to the Web site Techencyclopedia at (http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/) for definition of over 11,000 words and concepts related to the Internet and technology, including newest terms.

Question: Define the following terms.

parental control software

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Web master

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Active-X browser

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browser cache

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TCP/IP

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flame

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netiquette

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compression utility

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Be welcome in any Internet society by improving your manners. Go to (http://www.fau.edu/rinaldi/net/ten.html)

Question: Which one of the ten commandments for computer ethics seemed most important to you?

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Why?

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You can learn some additional email manners, too. Go to (http:// www.claris.com/products/claris/emailer/eguide/index.html)

Question: How do you use a discussion thread?

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Question: Why is it a problem to overuse a mail distribution list?

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Question: What do the following emoticons mean?

:-O

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:-@

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:-|

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Delivering the Goods

As an SLP graduate student, you are assigned to work with your supervisor in a middle school in which there is a population of deaf and hard of hearing students. Resource Room and Inclusion models are used to deliver the curricula to these students. Your supervisor, the school-based SLP, tells you that she wants you to develop some specific activities to use with hearing-impaired students in classroom as well as the therapy room. You are also asked to gather some informational materials to give to parents. She also wants you to help her plan and carry out an inservice program with the classroom teachers during you practicum assignment.

Purpose of exercise: To use the Internet to provide services and enhance support to the students, their teachers and families across educational settings.

Objectives:

1. devise a service delivery model tailored to the inclusive model used in the school,
2. create a therapy plan for one-to-one and small group therapy activities in pull-out and resource room settings,
3. increase internal support for students through inservice with teachers and administrators and classroom presentations for the students' peers,
4. increase external support for students by providing informational materials for families and encouraging participation in self-help groups for students/parents.

You haven't learned anything about the inclusion model in your coursework, so you want to obtain information on SLP inclusive service delivery by going to SLP and Inclusion

Question: How does the SLP author of this Web site use "narratives" in an inclusion model?

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Question: What adaptations would be needed to use the books recommended for use in language literacy work with children with hearing impairments?

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Develop your therapy protocols by reviewing suggestions for aural habilitation activities at the Aural Habilitation Page (http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/srinivasan/ahpghm.htm)

Question: Why is a stuffed toy recommended for use in improving the behavior of a deaf child?

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Question: Sending hearing-impaired children on errands where they must communicate with speech is suggested as a technique for increasing the relevancy of therapy. Can you think of additional exercises to make using speech meaningful for the older deaf child?

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On a computer in the therapy room or the students' resource room, establish a subscription for students' use in an online discussion group such as Deaf Cyberkids (http://dww.deafworldweb.org/kids/) (younger children) or Deaf World Web (http://dww.deafworldweb.org/) (adolescents) and subscribe to the Newsgroup alt.support.hearing-loss on that computer's Web browser.

Question: Devise two ways you could incorporate material from these online groups into your therapy activities.

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Search for Internet resources aimed at teachers of deaf and hearing-impaired children and incorporate the materials you find there into an inservice presentation which includes information on using the Web sites you find into their classroom activities.

Question: Describe a valuable site you found, list the URL and the keyword(s) you used in your search.

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Question: Describe another site you found, list the URL and the keyword(s) you used in your search.

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Devise a three-step lesson plan to use for a classroom presentation on the deaf/hearing impaired culture in classes which include any deaf or hard of hearing students. Incorporate the web site Animated American Sign Language Dictionary (http://www.bconnex.net/~randys/)

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Produce printouts to send home with children which contain information about hearing impairment from two consumer-oriented Web sites. Offer to demonstrate the use of these sites to parents at the next scheduled "Parents' Night" at school.

Question: Which sites did you pick and why?

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Question: How could you make these sites useful for the parents who don't have access to the Internet at home or work?

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Joining the Cultural Elite

You have earned your audiology degree and your first job is in a rural practice setting in which the population consists of persons of a culture(s) and language-base different from yours. You intend to acquire the skills needed to interact appropriately with your patients and develop good marketing and advocacy techniques to support your practice.

Purpose of this exercise: To provide effective service by using culture-appropriate interactions and materials.

Objectives:

1. educate self on influence of culture on service delivery,
2. obtain information specific to the culture(s) prevalent in the area,
3. review and update information on the particular types of services needed by the patient population,
4. advocate for increased services/resources for the population.

Find at least two sections of the ASHA Web site (http://www.asha.org) that can help you increase your knowledge about multicultural practice.

Question: The ASHA Web site includes additional links to help you with your continuing education in this area. Describe them.

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Search the Internet for information regarding specific cultures, checking for Web sites, discussion groups, books, journals and essays. Try to find a "jumpstation."

Question: What is a jumpstation (and where did you find the definition)?

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Question: List five keywords or keyphrases that were helpful to you during your search for information on different cultures.

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Question: Select one of the cultures you found in your Internet search and describe three characteristics of the culture that are different than yours.

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Question: List one method that you could use to accommodate tone of these differences in your practice?

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Download informational materials for families written in their native language, such as those at Mi Pediatra (http://www.mipediatra.com.mx/).

Question: List three similar sites you find by simply browsing through the multicultural Web sites you have already found.

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Find two sites through which you can contact state and federal legislators to state your concerns regarding their culturally-diverse constituency to whom you provide services.

Question: If you are uncertain as to the identity of your congresspersons, how can you find that information on the Internet?

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Recommended Readings