Current research in plant genetics is described. Benefits of this research (which includes genetic engineering applications) will include reduction/elimination of crop diseases, assurance of genetic stability, and the creation of new crop varieties. (JN)

Describes a laboratory exercise which applies Koch's Postulates to a plant disease, bacterial speck. Includes an explanation of Koch's Postulate, list of equipment needed, advance preparation, outline of the three-week activity, and variations of the laboratory exercise. (DS)

A survey undertaken by the American Optometric Association reveals research projects, investigators, and in some cases, funding sources for research in the areas of low vision, ophthalmic lenses, pharmacology, anatomy and pathology, and sensory and motor functions. A total of 205 projects are charted. (MSE)

Recent neuropathology studies identify hypoxia as the main cause of perinatal cerebral damage. Cerebral lesions present at birth, with transition to chronic scar lesions, are correlated to mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and minimal brain dysfunction. Gestation age and severity of hypoxic exposure essentially determine the cerebral…

Forty-four judges evaluated the speech and intelligence of six African American preschoolers on a videotape. Judges who were Head Start teaching staff and pediatricians were likely to perceive that speech and intelligence were related. The judges who were speech-language pathologists tended to perceive speech as being relatively independent of…

Indiana school speech-language pathologists (n=157) responded to a survey regarding their educational and clinical preparation and current clinical practices with people who stutter. Respondents reported receiving insufficient academic and clinical preparation to work with people who stutter. Nearly half reported that their clinical skills are…

A detailed description of the five-step scaffolded story writing process is provided and four case examples of the written narratives of adolescents with communication disabilities are presented. Implications for speech and language intervention include successfully connecting the individualized education program goals with the core curriculum.…

A concluding article to a clinical forum on language, speech, and hearing services to students with autism spectrum disorder stresses: (1) importance of incorporating the family perspective in assessment and intervention; (2) social, behavioral, and communication challenges that influence assessment and intervention; and (3) effects of the…

School-based speech pathologists, school psychologists, and child psychiatrists (n=185) were surveyed to examine the role of sociocultural variables on clinicians' impressions of children with autism and related developmental disorders. Professional perceptions of children in hypothetical vignettes varied as a function of both practitioner's…

This paper reviews the substantial body of research on clinical judgment and decision making in medicine and psychology and urges the incorporation of clinical judgment into the speech-language pathology field. The accuracy of clinical judgment, methods of its study, and suggestions for incorporating it into professional training are considered.…

A national survey determines that, following the passage of Public Law 94-142 relating to services for handicapped children, there has been a general increase in the number of states establishing certification standards for school support service positions. The positions most affected were in speech pathology and school psychology. (SLD)

The area of adult learning disabilities is reviewed from a neurobiological and neuropsychological perspective. The paper covers possible pathophysiologic bases in dyslexia, neurobehavioral disorders that may coexist with learning disorders, neuropsychological assessment methods, treatment in the context of brain plasticity and recovery of…

This study used ethnographic methods to determine the underlying motivations for the role of two speech-language pathologists in public elementary schools. The study found that much of the behavior observed and the artifacts used by the speech-language pathologists were directed to establish or maintain prescriptionistic forms of language…

This study found that consonantal lingual-palatal contact patterns of 10 normal hearing children were consistent across subjects, whereas productions by 18 hearing-impaired subjects (ages 10-15) showed wide variability across subjects, contact patterns, and listener identifications. Hearing-impaired subjects who produced more correctly identified…

This article offers a working definition and an overview of the critical components of collaborative consultation, including theoretical foundations, competencies, and model components. It focuses on the role of the speech language pathologist within various models and as a participant in a five-step problem-solving procedure. (DB)