Overview of Communication Impairment: Effective Practices in Determining Eligibility in NJ

This presentation describes New Jersey’s preschool and school age eligibility criteria for speech language therapy based on initial assessments, describes cultural and linguistic considerations in SLP assessment, eligibility, and therapy services, discusses the concept of cognitive referencing as related to provision of speech language services to students with below average IQ and corresponding language abilities in the state of New Jersey, lists NJ dyslexia laws and ASHA’s position on SLPs screening and assessing students for literacy based disorders as well as suggests helpful free resources available to SLPs.

Due to the specialized nature of this  presentation it is best applicable to individuals who are residing and/or working in the state of New Jersey. This is because it explicitly addresses and quotes portions of the NJ special education code pertinent to speech language and literacy assessments of school-age children in the state of New Jersey.

It is particularly relevant to:

• Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) working in the state of NJ
• Seasoned professionals
  • Graduate Students
  • Clinical Fellows
• Parents/Caregivers residing in the state of NJ

Disclaimer: The  information in this presentation is taken directly from the New Jersey Special Education Code and is by no means an exhaustive treatise. It deals with a very small portion of the code as relative to initial eligibility guidelines for speech language therapy of preschool and school-aged children.  It is meant to serve as a very general guideline for parents and professionals seeking information on this topic. Individuals looking for specific information related to the speech pathology content of the code are strongly encouraged to read the code carefully, contact Board of Education representatives for further clarifications, as well as contact New Jersey Speech Language and Hearing Association (NJSHA) for further information.

Learning Objectives:

• After reviewing this presentation, learners will be able to:

1. Review of state preschool and school-age eligibility criteria for SLP services in NJ
2. List cultural and linguistic considerations in SLP assessment, eligibility, and therapy services
3. Outline NJ Dyslexia laws and ASHA’s position on SLPs screening and assessing students for literacy-based disorders
4. Identify helpful free resources available to NJ-SLPs and well as sped supervisors

Slide Content:

• Preschool Eligibility for Special Education
• Battelle And Determination of Preschool Disability
• Preschool Test Selection (General/applies to all states)
• Initial Assessments Eligibility Criteria: School Age 
• Psychometrically Strong School Aged Test Selection 
• Why are popular SLP Tests Recommendations Missing?
• Cognitive Referencing and Qualification for Services
• Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students
• Dynamic Assessment:  Basic Framework 
• Indicators of Language Impairment in Bilingual Students
• Dyslexia Law, Screening and the SLP
• NJ DOE and Dyslexia Assessment by SLPs
• ASHA and the Role of SLPs in Literacy (General/applies to all states)
• Special Education SLP-Related Memos
• Helpful FREE Resources