Speech-language pathology proposals appropriate for submission to this topic area focus on advancing innovation, knowledge, and clinical practice in communication and language development in early childhood ages birth to preschool with normal hearing, including consultation with and education for families, caregivers, preschool teachers, and other professionals. Proposals may reflect the range of research and professional services, including, but not limited to: the nature of early communication and language disorders; prevention; screening, evaluation, and assessment; service delivery models and intervention methods; communication and language efficacy and effectiveness research; and scientific advances in the knowledge base that have implications for early communication and language development. Interprofessional education, practice, and/or research that addresses the implementation of interprofessional competencies within curricular or practice models or the evaluation of collaborative care outcomes specific to language in infants through preschoolers should be included in this topic area.
Proposals that address this area but primarily focus on: