UVM Communication Sciences and Disorders

04/30/2026

04/30/2026

04/30/2026

We’re catching up on some exciting things happening around CSD this past month! ✨

Last week, Dr. Tiffany Hutchins, Dr. Ashley Brien, and research assistants Alex and Kevin traveled to Prague to present their work at the annual conference hosted by the International Society for Autism Research - one of the world’s leading scientific meetings focused on autism research.

We’re so proud of this amazing team! 👏 Check out a snapshot of their research below ⬇️

"In this study, we assessed whether autistic people rely more on formulaic (i.e., stored word sequences used in relatively fixed forms, including figures of speech and social scripts) or analytic language processing styles when participating in a sentence completion task. Consistent with well-documented strengths in analytic reasoning in autism, we found that autistic participants provided a greater number of less conventional, though still lexically and grammatically correct, responses than matched non-autistic peers. Our findings have implications for how language assessments are interpreted when administered to autistic individuals. Furthermore, results suggest that people with autism employ both analytic and formulaic processing styles as dependent upon the demands of the communicative context (small talk, storytelling, written expression, etc.). Future research should examine how autistic people use formulaic language in everyday speech through conversation analysis"

04/27/2026

Go, Sarah! We're so proud of you!

Drawn to communication and autism research, UVM alum Sarah Kubinski found her path in the wide‑ranging field of speech‑language pathology.

03/02/2026

NSSLHA is also participating in Parkinson's Moving Day Community Walk on April 12th!

If you are interested, you can register through this link:
https://secure.parkinson.org/site/TR?fr_id=7676&pg=entry

02/19/2026

https://www.facebook.com/uvmcenteronaging/posts/pfbid02oeJpGiPeD2NkLzrpDqV33nyGRcx5FNrRMteXpYftb1HzRXsgRjvedoeMJtJa4wupl

02/18/2026

Dear ASHA Advocate,

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has proposed a rule that does not classify audiology and speech-language pathology degrees as “professional degrees.” As a result, students entering the professions would only have access to $100,000 in federal student loans. This proposed change threatens the pipeline into audiology and speech-language pathology and could reduce access to the vital services our professions provide.

https://www.asha.org/advocacy/takeaction/

Thank you for taking action on this issue in recent months. Your advocacy is making a difference—and now is a vital time to raise our voices and keep up the pressure.

Please take one (or more) of these actions today:
Write your legislators again. We’ve updated the letter you previously sent with new information legislators need to understand the impact of this rule.

Sign your profession’s comment letter to ED by February 27. We will submit two sign-on letters—one for audiology, one for speech-language pathology—alongside ASHA’s formal comment letter.

Call your legislators. Sharing your personal story directly is one of the most effective ways to influence policymakers.

Encourage others to act. Colleagues, friends, students, and supporters can write or call their legislators—even if they are not audiologists, SLPs, or students.

ASHA will submit formal comments by March 2. We also continue to engage with legislators and administration officials to demonstrate that audiology and speech-language pathology degrees meet the criteria for the “professional degree” category and should qualify for the lifetime maximum of $200,000 in federal student loans.

Thanks to the efforts of ASHA advocates, several legislators have already introduced legislation to counteract this rule. Your continued engagement is essential to protect our professions and the people we serve.

https://www.asha.org/advocacy/takeaction/

Take Action! Voice support for legislative efforts on behalf of the professions.

01/28/2026

Calling all families 📣 come help our SLP and OT graduate students learn about toddler feeding. See flyer below!

01/28/2026

Call to Action: Here is a VERY simple way to contact our legislators and let them know we want SLPs and AuD students to get proper funding for their graduate programs. See message from ASHA Advocacy below. You can edit the letter if you wish and you no not need to have an ASHA number.

ashaa.quorum.us/campaign/loanlimits119

You do NOT need to be an ASHA member to use this link-it's open to all concerned citizens. The tool makes it incredibly easy to send a message directly to your legislators.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) currently includes language that restricts federal student loan funds for programs not included in its specific definition of "professional programs." Despite Speech-Language Pathology meeting every criterion of a professional program-graduate degree, extensive clinical training, national certification (CCC-SLP), and state licensure-SLP has been left off the list.

This oversight could create significant barriers for aspiring clinicians, negatively impact enrollment in essential programs, and worsen workforce shortages that are already occurring in many areas.

SLPs and Audiologists are among the most fiscally responsible borrowers in higher education. Our graduates consistently secure competitive positions immediately upon graduation and maintain exceptionally low rates of student loan default.

Restricting access to federal funds is not only a mischaracterization of our professional status but also an unnecessary obstacle for a workforce that is desperately needed in schools, hospitals, and clinics across the country.

Please use the ASHA advocacy link below to contact your legislators and urge them to include Speech-Language Pathology in the definition of "professional programs":

ashaa.quorum.us/campaign/loanlimits119

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

12/12/2025

12/09/2025

About Me:

Hi everyone! I’m Ashley Couture, a Speech-Language Pathologist who has spent nearly 30 years helping people of all ages discover and use their true voice. I’ve always been drawn to communication—how it connects us, how it shapes participation, and how powerful it is when someone finally feels heard. That passion has guided me from my psychology studies at McGill
University, to graduate training at UVM, to decades of clinical work across medical, educational, and community settings. Currently, I practice in schools through part-time work with the
Vermont Interdisciplinary Team and work together with community service agencies to serve AAC needs of adults with developmental disabilities.

I’m originally from Massachusetts (yes, a proud Boston sports fan!) but Vermont has been home for almost three decades. Outside of work, you’ll find me reading, hiking and being outdoors with our rescue pup Lily, or playing games with friends and family.

I see myself as a facilitator and partner in the therapy process. For me, the heart of this work is building relationships, sharing knowledge, and working together to remove barriers so people
can participate fully in their lives. I also care deeply about creating spaces that are inclusive, affirming, and accessible for everyone.

About True Voice Speech Pathology Services:

I founded True Voice Speech Pathology Services because I believe every person deserves access to communication that feels authentic, functional, and empowering. My practice has
evolved and while I remain grounded in my ability to provide assessment and intervention for individuals with communication, cognitive, and swallowing needs— my primary focus now is
AAC assessment, intervention and training, always with a focus on evidence-based care and person-centered collaboration.

I support individuals who use AAC, across the age span including young people and adults with complex communication disabilities who are transitioning to new environments, services, or
routines. I help clients and teams navigate the full AAC process—from identifying needs to selecting systems to ensuring people, families, and caregivers feel confident using them in everyday life. I also support teams in understanding funding pathways and device acquisition so that communication tools become both accessible and sustainable.

True Voice is grounded in the belief that communication is a human right. My goal is always the same: to honor each person’s strengths, celebrate their individuality, and help them express their unique humanness with the world.

12/08/2025

Huzzahs to Dr. Liz Adams for her first publication as a PhD student with her mentor, Dr. Matthew McCluskey!!

CONGRATS on this tremendous accomplishment, Liz! 🤩

To manage costs and maintain personnel flexibility, universities have shifted to hiring more non–tenure-track (NTT) faculty. Clinical faculty are one subset of ...