ACQ Vol 11 No 1 2009

MULTICULTURALISM AND DYSPHAGIA

The range of pictures provided is excellent and includes all consonant sounds in word initial and final position, and vowel sounds. Words that are proper names (e.g., Faye) and nonsense words have a number of illustrations to choose from. Another advantage of the program is that pictures can be printed in black and white or colour. Both options provide great looking pictures, although they may work out to be fairly costly in terms of printer ink because of the level of detail and shading. For clinicians who would like to use SCIP for computer- based treatment, the cost and the (fairly minimal) time investment in learning the software is likely to be counterbalanced by the ease and efficiency of choosing appropriate pictures for the target error pattern and treatment approach, scoring attempts, and keeping track of client progress.

Clinicians can simply choose the pictures required for a treatment session, and print them in colour or black and white. Second, it provides an option of carrying out therapy on the computer. This allows clinicians to choose a therapy approach (e.g., minimal pairs) and sounds to contrast (based on the target error pattern). The program provides a list of word pairs using these sounds, and the clinician can show these to the client on screen, one pair at a time. Using this approach allows for very simple scoring, recording and graphing of results. SCIP was easy to install and fairly easy to navigate once oriented to the different features. It may take a while for new users to become familiar with all of the features, and some features and navigation buttons are not obvious to find or use. However, the CD also contains video tutorials as well as useful help features and a detailed manual.

National Tour 2009

Speech Pathology Australia is very pleased that Dr Jacqueline Roberts has accepted the Association’s invitation to be the National Tour speaker for 2009. Jacqueline Roberts, BA (Hons), Dip. Teach, B Applied Science (Speech Pathology), Ph.D, is an Associate Professor at the University of Canberra, Faculty of Education, and the team leader of the National Education and Training Team for the Australian Autism Education and Training Consortium (AAETC). The Consortium is providing professional development for teachers and school leaders and for parents and carers of children with autism across Australia as part of the Federal Government Helping Children with Autism package. Dr Roberts will be presenting a two-day workshop across Australia on Autism of day one being to deepen understanding of autism with particular focus on the characteristics of autism which impact on learning and participation in home, school and community, and the focus of day two being on intervention, treatment and management of autism. Dr Roberts will be running a series of workshops nationally for Speech Pathology Australia in 2009. The planned itinerary is as follows (but may be subject to change): The first leg of the Tour confirmed as: • 17/18 April in Mackay • 20/21 April 2009 in Canberra

• 11/12 June in Hobart • 26/27 June in Brisbane • 13/14 August in Darwin • 7/8 September in Griffith • 10/11 September in Melbourne • 19 September in Sydney • 2/3 November in Adelaide • 5/6 November 2009 in Perth

We look forward to seeing you at the National Tour workshops. Please refer to the National Tour webpage under Cont Professional Development on the Speech Pathology Australia website for further information. www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

ACQ uiring knowledge in sp eech , language and hearing , Volume 11, Number 1 2009

61