Service Learning

The Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders offers speech-language therapy groups for people in the community who are diagnosed aphasia, autism spectrum disorders, and several other speech and language disabilities. The department also provides individual speech therapy services. Please refer to the page about the Speech and Hearing Center.

Communication Groups include

• Adult aphasia support group-- meets weekly during the semester and combines various approaches of language therapy for adults experiencing language impairments following a stroke or traumatic brain injury
• Social groups-- two to three groups meet weekly during the semester to work on pragmatic (social language) skills associated autism spectrum disorders and pragmatic disorders
• CLLS language group-- works with college age adults who attend the Career Independent Living & Learning Studies and need assistance with improving communication.

• The support group and social groups meet every semester including summers and are offered by graduate students enrolled in advanced clinical practicum.

• Hear-4-You is a support group for deaf and hard of hearing students at the university. They meet twice a month.
• The CLLS group meets during the spring and fall semesters. This group is also served by graduate students.
• All groups are supervised by clinical supervisors/faculty of the department.

Undergraduate activities providing by the department and the clubs associated with the major.

• The ESU chapter of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSLHA) provides continued service learning projects, including: assisting in local soup kitchens, fund raising for Operation Smile & Shriner's Hospitals for cleft palate surgeries-- students present information to the community about cleft palate.
• The ESU chapter of Autism Speaks-- has an annual autism walk to raise funds for and provide information to the community about autism.
• Sign Language Club-- provides educational opportunities for people to learn about hearing disabilities.
• Gerontology Honor Society-- collects supplies and pet food for the local animal shelter.