The language assessment process: clinical implications for individuals with severe speech impairments

Augmentative and alternative communication techniques may serve to facilitate the development of functional speech and improve understanding of spoken language in children with severe speech and language impairments. Understanding the nature of the speech and language problems in children developing language is critical. To highlight the importance of the language assessment process, a case report is presented of Victoria, an 8:7-year-old female child, who exhibits a severe language impairment with a speech-motor component. Victoria's current status is reviewed with particular attention to language and speech functioning, educational placement, and the use of augmentative communication. A framework for a comprehensive language evaluation is provided followed by an in-depth discussion of one of the major components of the framework: Comprehension. Throughout the discussion, examples from Victoria's history are presented to demonstrate the importance of approaching the diagnostic process in a comprehensive ...