Service Learning

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

Communication Support 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 skills groups-- two to three groups meet weekly during the semester to work on pragmatic (social language) skills associated autism spectrum disorders and pragmatic disorders
• Life skill communication support group-- works with young adults who attend the Career Independent Living & Learning Studies (CILLS) program and others who and need assistance with improving communication for independent living and vocation.
• Hear-4-You is a support group for deaf and hard of hearing students at the university. They meet twice a month.
• Parkinson's support group
• Transgender discussion group
• All groups are supervised by clinical supervisors/faculty of the department.

Undergraduate activities/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 U ESU-- 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.