TSHA Disability Determination Guidelines Companion for Articulation Disorders in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations

Abstract: The revision of the TSHA Disability Determination Guidelines Companion for Articulation Disorders in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations (CLD) commenced in 2024. This session will provide an overview of the companion manual's use and contents, which includes considerations and resources for assessment and intervention, data collection and analysis, guidelines and rationale for assessment, guidelines for assessment, report writing, and eligibility and dismissal considerations.
Description: In Texas public schools, 23.0% of the student population was identified as emergent bilinguals (TEA, 2023). Thus, it is imperative that speech-language pathologists develop cultural responsiveness and carefully consider every student’s cultural and linguistic backgrounds and needs when referring and/or denying services. The purpose of this session is to provide an overview of the use and contents of the revised (2024) Disability Determination Guidelines Companion for Articulation Disorders in CLD students. The manual was created as a companion to the TSHA Disability Determination Guidelines for Speech Impairment, 2020, and the TSHA Disability Determination Guidelines for Articulation, 2020. Additionally, this companion manual provides a structure within which the speech-language pathologist (SLP) can use consistent, evidence-based evaluation practices in accordance with the law. The session will cover the content described in the abstract, including an overview of the manual's use and contents, as well as considerations and resources for assessment and intervention, data collection and analysis, guidelines and rationales for assessment, guidelines for assessment, report writing, and eligibility and dismissal considerations for CLD populations. Additional detail for each section is included below:
General information:
- ASHA description of dialectical differences vs disorders
- Impact of Second Language Acquisition on phoneme production in multilinguals (e.g., BICS/CALP, positive and negative transfer, language loss)
- Speech Sound Disorders Definitions and CLD Considerations
-Signs and Symptoms of Speech Sound Disorders in CLD individuals
Assessment Guidelines
- Data collection (e.g., language proficiency, case history, potential markers for concern)
- Procedures for conducting the evaluation (e.g., standardized and informal assessment procedures and considerations, available standardized assessments, informal measures of articulation)
-Forms and resources
Analysis and Interpretation
- Report writing considerations
- Example case studies
Guidelines and considerations for the interpretation of articulation assessments
Making Recommendations
-Eligibility considerations (evidence for articulation disorders, adverse impact, needs for specialized services)
-Dismissal considerations ( continued evidence of articulation disorder, adverse impact, and need for specialized services).

Supporting Research: Reference 1: American Speech - Language - Hearing Association. (n.d). Phonetic Inventories and Cultural and Linguistic Information Across Languages. Retrieved from https://www.asha.org/practice/multicultural/phono/

Supporting Research: Reference 2: Bauman-Waengler, J. (2020). Articulation & phonology in speech sound disorders: A clinical focus (6th ed.), Hoboken, NJ: Pearson Education.

Supporting Research: Reference 3: Goldstein, B., Fabiano-Smith, L. C., & Iglesias, A. (2004) Spontaneous and imitated productions in Spanish-speaking children with phonological disorders. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools 35, 5-15.

Supporting Research: Reference 4: Texas Education Agency (2023). Enrollment in Texas Public Schools 2022-2023. https://tea.texas.gov/reports-and-data/school-performance/accountability-research/enroll-2022-23.pdf

Supporting Research: Reference 5: