#asha.org

Maintaining direct eye contact with others may spur uncomfortable overstimulation of the brain in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), finds a recent study in Scientific Reports. Although lack of eye contact is commonly attributed to missed social cues or indifference, the study authors suggest that an overreaction in the brain may be the true cause.

This week, I can officially begin to call myself an adjunct professor!  It's a very exciting time particularly because it doesn't feel like it's been that long since I was sitting in the very seats my students will occupy Thursday night.  This is going to be a great way to "go back to school"!  

I am teaching a class which I have authored entitled the 21st Century SLP.  It seemed that there was an emerging need for more specific training at the graduate level on the use of technology in the field of speech-language pathology.  I remember using Google groups, a few web sites, and some software when I was in graduate school.  During my clinical fellowship, I attended the New Orleans ASHA Convention to do a poster presentation on my research.  I attended endless lectures over the course of that weekend, but one in particular literally made me "oooh" and "ahhh".  That lecture was given my Samuel Sennott who is co-creator of the original Proloquo2Go, an augmentative communication app for the iPhone/iPad/iPodTouch.  You can find out more about Sam at http://www.alltogetherwecan.com/  

There was only standing room left in this lecture hall which held nearly 500 people. Everyone was gasping as he verbally flowed on from one app to another, demonstrating how this new technology was able to either replace an antiquated tool or fill an existing gap.  People learned that they no longer needed separate devices for so many tools that speech-language pathology uses including delayed auditory feedback devices, digital recorders, data collection tools, flashcards, and more.  

Previous to this time, I had always had a "stupid" phone.  I never really saw the need to have or pay for much more.  Then again, I had been a single mom and full time graduate student.  I chose food over phone.  But there was this pearl of wisdom lodged in the back of my mind that said "if I get one of those, I wont need to carry tubs and bags of crap!"  Yayyah!!!  AND, they're freaking cool!  

So I started saving, and now I have a full collection of idevices, and I am so in love!  But it hasn't ended there.  The more I learned about apps in therapy, the more I came across a bunch of other elements of technology that should not have to be stumbled upon, or tumblred over or whatever…  So here I am learning and I get this idea in my head, "I wonder how the graduate education has changed since I was there?  Are they teaching this stuff, or using it at all?"  So I emailed my department chair at Worcester State University to ask these questions.  And her response was quite simple "I think you should teach the class."