The rising demand for health professionals to service the Australian population is placing pressure on traditional approaches to clinical education in the allied health professions. Existing research suggests that simulated learning environments (SLEs) have the potential to increase student placement capacity while providing quality learning experiences with comparable or superior outcomes to traditional methods. This project investigated the current use of SLEs in Australian speech-language pathology curricula, and the potential future applications of SLEs to the clinical education curricula through an extensive consultative process with stakeholders (all 10 Australian universities offering speech-language pathology programs in 2010, Speech Pathology Australia, members of the speech-language pathology profession, and current student body). Current use of SLEs in speech-language pathology education was found to be limited, with additional resources required to further develop SLEs and maintain their use within the curriculum. Perceived benefits included: students' increased clinical skills prior to workforce placement, additional exposure to specialized areas of speech-language pathology practice, inter-professional learning, and richer observational experiences for novice students. Stakeholders perceived SLEs to have considerable potential for clinical learning. A nationally endorsed recommendation for SLE development and curricula integration was prepared.

Background: Mechanical ventilation is commonly used during the acute management of cervical spinal cord injury, and is required on an ongoing basis in the majority of patients with injuries at or above C3. However, to date there have been limited systematic investigations of the options available to improve speech while ventilator‐assisted post‐cervical spinal cord injury. Aims: To provide preliminary evidence of any benefits gained through the addition of positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) and/or a tracheostomy speech valve to the condition of leak speech. Methods & Procedures: Speech production in the three conditions was compared in two ventilator‐assisted participants using a series of instrumental and perceptual speech measures. Outcomes & Results: The addition of PEEP or the use of a speech valve resulted in speech that was superior to leak speech for both participants; however, individual variation was present. Conclusions & Implications: Leak speech alone or with the addition of PEEP or a tracheostomy speech valve can facilitate functional communication for the ventilated patient, though PEEP and valve speech were found to be superior in the current study. These findings will be of assistance for clinicians counselling the growing population of patients who may require tracheostomy positive pressure ventilation long‐term regarding communication options.

SP training provided no benefit over seminar training in audiology students learning case history and feedback skills with adult patients.

The aim of the investigation was to examine the changes in phonation and related quality-of-life in the acute and sub-acute stages of recovery post-cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI). A prospective examination of phonation was conducted using perceptual and instrumental measures of respiratory and laryngeal functioning alongside a quality-of-life rating scale. Change was present across measures for both cases at each time point. Overall, a general pattern of recovery was seen, although some areas deteriorated between 6-12 months. Severity of impairments, extent of change, and impact on quality-of-life differed between the cases. Measures varied in sensitivity to change in function. Phonation can be impaired following both complete and incomplete CSCI, with type and severity of impairment/s undergoing change throughout the acute and sub-acute period post-injury. Spontaneous physiological recovery does not necessarily result in improved phonation and/ or quality-of-life. Potential exists for targeted speech-language therapy in this population, throughout recovery, to best capitalize on the physical changes that are occurring and to maximize functional application of skills to improve quality- of-life. Further research is warranted to examine this recovery period on a larger scale.

The ASPIRS shows promise as the first published tool for assessing audiology students taking a case history and giving feedback with an SP.