SLP- Speech it is More Than the R Sound

SLP — It's More Than the R Sound

Special Ed IEPs, 504s, Oh My! Conversations with DCSEAC

Episode Summary Host Meredith sits down with Annika Barton (Assistant Director, Early Childhood Department, Douglas County School District) and Cindy Stephenson (Speech Language Pathologist Lead, K–Bridge) to demystify speech-language services in schools — from birth to age 21.

Topics Covered

🗣️ Why Speech is the "Front Door" to Special Education Speech and language delays are often the first outward sign families notice, making it a natural entry point into developmental support services.👶 Child Find: Birth to 21 Douglas County's Child Find teams support families from early intervention (birth–3) through preschool (3–5) and beyond. Any family in DCSD can call to be connected to resources.🧩 Preschool to Kindergarten Transitions How the district collaborates between preschool and elementary teams to support individualized transitions — including interim IEPs for students returning after a "gap year."

📚 How Speech Services Evolve Across Grade Levels

• Elementary: Focus on speech sounds, grammar, and early social language
• Middle School: Higher-level language, inferencing, pragmatics, code-switching, and social skills (Lunch Bunch, game clubs)
• High School: Functional communication, academic vocabulary (tier 2 & 3), dating/social navigation, college and career readiness
• Bridge Program: Real-life application — job sites, cooking, grocery shopping, collaborative teamwork

🖥️ AAC / Device Users DCSD's SWAAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) team consults with SLPs district-wide to support students using communication devices. Modeling on the device is critical for all adults in the building.

🤝 Collaborative, Transdisciplinary Model SLPs work alongside special education teachers, OT, mental health, and general education teachers. In the Bridge program especially, the goal is seamless collaboration where "you can't tell who's which professional."

⚖️ Educational vs. Private/Medical Speech Services School-based SLPs must demonstrate that a need is educationally impacting the student. Private SLPs can address a broader range of needs. Both can and should work together — "rowing in the same direction."

🔍 Later Identifications: Middle & High School Students with pragmatic language deficits or high-functioning autism may fly under the radar until social demands increase. New evaluations happen at all grade levels. Families often feel relief when their child is finally identified.

🌍 Multilingual Learners Families are encouraged to continue speaking all languages at home. Being a multilingual learner is a gift — there is no evidence that learning multiple languages harms language development.

Resources Mentioned

• DCSD Child Find — For families with children birth–21 in Douglas County
• SWAAC Team — DCSD's AAC/device consultative team
• School to Work Alliance Program (SWAP) — Transition support for students not qualifying for Bridge
• Bridge Program — Post-secondary transition program focused on real-life skills

Connect with DCSEAC

• 🌐 dcseac.org
• 📧 [email protected]