Before coming to Vanderbilt’s MS-SLP program, Katia Jarufe received a master’s degree in Child Studies from Peabody College at Vanderbilt. There, she became interested in language development and working with Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. This newfound passion led to Jarufe’s involvement in Project AACelerating Communication Focused Interventions in Educational Settings by Speech-Language (AACCESS), a Department of Education training grant that provides a foundation for students to build additional skills for school speech-language pathology specialization while providing students a strong foundation in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
“What interested me most about the school track was working with school-aged students in different environments, and especially the focus on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices,” Jarufe explained.
The School Specialty track, led by Associate Professor of Hearing and Speech Sciences Melanie C. Schuele, PhD, offers unique instructional opportunities outside of the set coursework. One in particular is the AAC class, offered in the spring for first-year SLP students on the school track.
“In the AAC class, we are learning about the different types of devices (low tech vs. high tech), barriers that a student might face in the implementation of the AAC device, and how to assess what benefits the child most,” Jarufe said.
These classes directly translate to the clinical experiences students have each semester. In her current placement at a school within Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools (MNPS), Jarufe is able to engage in speech and language evaluation and treatment while immersed in the school environment.
“This [school] placement has been one of my favorites because I’ve been engaging with students from so many different ages and backgrounds,” Jarufe explained. “Navigating IEP (Individualized Education Program) meetings has also been very interesting to see how an interdisciplinary team works at a school to help a student succeed.”
Beyond their clinical placement, SLP students on the school specialty track also have the opportunity to carry out preschool screeners for children in Nashville. Partnering with MNPS, students on the school track screen referred children who have concern of a possible speech or language impairment. From screening the child to conducting parent interviews, these screeners offer direct contact with the community.
“By screening them, we decide whether they need further language evaluation,” Jarufe said. “And if they do, this process is helpful in starting early intervention services, and eventually receiving services through an IEP at a school.”
In addition to clinical opportunities, the school specialty track emphasizes forming a connection with students and families. For Jarufe, who is a bilingual Spanish-English speaker, making these connections at her clinical placement and early childhood screeners have made the experience even more impactful.
“The whole process of seeing students from the start, communicating with the families, and making a decision for further referral has been very meaningful,” Jarufe said. “Being a bridge for students to be able to communicate has been a big learning experience.”
With Maymester on the horizon, each SLP student on a specialty track has a unique experience in a variety of clinical settings. On the school specialty track, Maymester consists of a three week practicum course where students work with AAC while rotating through different field environments such as Bill Wilkerson Pediatric Speech-Language Clinic, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, and partnering schools in the area.
“It’s a little bit of everything, and we’ll be able to observe AAC assessment and intervention in a variety of different settings every day,” Jarufe said.
In the future, Jarufe sees herself working with school-aged children, either in an outpatient setting or a school setting, utilizing all the skills she’s developed in the MS-SLP program.
“This track has given me so many opportunities to have direct contact with this [school-aged] population, and to see classes translate into actual clinical experiences,” she said. “It has also allowed me to really confirm my desire to work with this population, and made me excited for future experiences.”
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