2025 Iowa Conference on Communicative Disorders (ICCD)

The Iowa Conference on Communicative Disorders provides continuing education activities in speech-language pathology that are acceptable to the State of Iowa and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Areas of emphasis include adults and pediatrics.

The conference co-chairs are Karson Swim, BA, Paige Layman, BA, and Isabelle Fransen, BA___and advising the conference is Mrs. Suzanne Dripps, MA, CCC-SLP.

Please fill out the following form if you have purchased lunch and require any dietary accommodations.

https://forms.gle/1PWaWVHoW1BxmFcc8

Speakers for ICCD 2025:

Dr. Alison Prahl, Re-Framing Literacy Supports for Individuals with IDD

1. Describe functional literacy
2. Explain the speech-language pathologists role in supporting literacy development in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
3. Identify evidence-based strategies to enhance functional literacy skills in individuals with IDD.

Dr. Emily Guaseelan, Beyond Likes: Ethical Considerations of SLP Social Media Use

1. Attendees will describe common ways that SLPs use social media for clinical decision-making, contrasting these methods with more "traditional" methods.
2. Attendees will define the term "digital materials" and list at least 3 issues SLPs consider a lot/a little before downloading.
3. Attendees will analyze case studies, connecting case facts to ASHA Code of Ethics, and explain related ethical considerations.

Dr. Heather M. Clark, Intensive Therapy for Childhood Apraxia of Speech

1. Describe features of childhood apraxia of speech and its common co-morbidities
2. Access resources for learning more about Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing Therapy
3. Summarize advantages and disadvantages of intensive speech therapy

Dr. Julie Stierwalt, Differential Diagnosis of the Dysarthrias

1. Detail the underlying neuropathology of the dysarthrias.
2. Review the importance of differential diagnosis of the dysarthrias.
3. Identify salient features that differentiate the dysarthrias including neuropathology, perceptual features, and physical characteristics.

Dr. Katie Jo Funk, Collaboration Among Speech and Occupational Therapy Students and Professionals

1. Participants will learn of current student learning interprofessional opportunities within Cedar Valley.
2. Participants will demonstrate knowledge of occupational therapist role in patient care.
3. Participants will understand the values of the sensory model in relation to communication.
4. Participants will be provided resources for sensory tools and potential future training.

Dr. Margaret Lehman Blake, Apragmatism: Communication after right hemisphere stroke

1. Define pragmatism.
2. Provide examples of linguistic, paralinguistic, and extralinguistic aspects of communication.
3. Describe historical trends in research on language and pragmatics in adults with right hemisphere stroke.
4. Describe how to select or design treatments in the absence of evidence

Dr. Michelle Hughes, Changes in Cochlear Implant Candidacy and Future Innovations

1. As a result of this activity, participants will be able to list the subsequent populations that have benefitted from cochlear implant technology since cochlear implants were first approved for postlingual, profoundly deaf adults.
2. As a result of this activity, participants will be able to describe three concerns with lowering the age at implant.
3. As a result of this activity, participants will be able to describe the negative impacts of asymmetric hearing.
4. As a result of this activity, participants will be able to describe at least three innovative technological research areas that are currently being targeted for improving outcomes for people with severe to profound hearing loss.

Dr. Mili Kuruvilla-Dugdale, Enhancing Auditory-Perceptual Skills and Optimizing Scaling Methods for Dysarthria Assessment

1. Participants will complete activities that enhance their perceptual and diagnostic skills to better detect and differentially diagnose dysarthria subtypes.
2. Participants will be able to identify resources for fine-tuning internal standards to carry out auditory-perceptual evaluations that inform dysarthria diagnosis.
3. Participants will be able to connect the current literature on perceptual scaling to help select optimal scales for use in dysarthria assessment.

Dr. Philip Combiths, Accurate Speech-Language Assessment for Dual Language Learners

1. Learners will understand socially contextualized and psycholinguistic frameworks of bilingual language development.
2. Learners will assess their current knowledge and practices for bilingual speech-language assessment and intervention in schools.
3. Learners will integrate evidence-based practices for dual language learners into their current assessment and intervention practices

Joy Hesse, Interpreting Mild, Moderate and Severe Dysphagia with FEES

1. Participants will classify 3 patients that would be appropriate referrals for a FEES and 3 patients that would be appropriate for a modified swallow exam.
2. Participants will correctly identify penetration and aspiration during case studies and will rate correctly using the Pen/Asp rating scales provided.
3. Participants will correctly rate video examples using the New Zealand Secretion Scale provided.
4. Participants will correctly rate residue in the vallecula, and pyriform sinuses using the Yale Residue Scale provided.
5. Participants will rate severity of dysphagia using the DIGEST for FEES and write recommendations for treatment during small group activity.
6. Participants will choose appropriate compensatory strategies based on impairment seen during FEES exams.

Julie Gatts, Multimodal Communication for Engagement

1. Participants will be able to describe a variety of communication modalities (minimum of 3) that may be relevant to individuals with aphasia and cognitive communication disorders.
2. Participants will be able to summarize multimodal treatment approaches for individuals with aphasia and cognitive communication disorders.
3. Participants will be able to integrate a variety of communication modalities into sessions to increase participation and engagement opportunities for individuals with aphasia and cognitive communication disorders.

Kali Rudd, A Holistic Approach to Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing

1. After this course, participants will understand the transformational role of the pediatric speech-language pathologist across care settings.
2. After this course, participants will summarize the ways speech-language pathologists use a whole-child approach to feeding assessments and interventions.
3. After this course, participants will list three disciplines the speech-language pathologist collaborates with to manage patients with pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders.
4. After this course, participants will demonstrate strategies to interact with, empower, and support caregivers to facilitate long-term feeding success in their children.

Lacey Wolf, Complex AAC- Case Studies Including Hands-on Strategies to Give Every Child a Voice

1. As a result of the case studies presented, the participants will be able to describe at least three different strategies to trial for children with complex communication needs.
2. As a result of the information presented, the participants will demonstrate their ability to create a communication board to be used to communicate their basic wants and needs.
3. As a result of the communication methods discussed, participants will be able to discuss their own complex communication cases and seek feedback to use in their practice.