Vermont Department of Education and the University of Vermont Collaboration

Distance Learning Master’s Degree for Speech-Language Pathologists

SIG 3

Hope Morris, M.S., CCC-SLPDirector

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VT StatisticsVT Special Education: Data Reports, Publications & Resources:Special Education Child Count Data Report for 2008

14, 078 students on active IEP’s

758 children birth to 3 years IFSP

18-19% of students in most needy districts on IEP’s

These districts include: Franklin, Orange, Rutland, Orleans Counties

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Students on IEP4-7% of students have autism

13-24% of students have a developmental delay

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What does this mean?Large number of students with communication disorders

84% of SLP’s in schools service children with ASD

66% of SLP’s in schools service children with Developmental Delays

(ASHA 2008 Schools Survey)

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VT Statistics-12% of VT school districts with no full-time SLP-46% of school districts with at least one SLP

opening-34% in need of an additional full time SLP-1/3 of unfilled positions remained open more than

4 months

-17% remained unfilled for over one year

VSHA Survey, 2007

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Rural School District IssuesMedian Academic Year Salaries of School-Based SLPs byType of Community, 2004, 2006, and 2008

(ASHA Schools Survey Report, 2008)

Community Type

2004 2006 2008

Rural $43,000 $47,000 $52,000

Suburban $51, 600 $56,000 $60,000

Metro/Urban

$52,000 $54,999 $60,000

Program Characteristics~Focus: Increase number of certified SLP's in Vermont schools

~Utilizing students currently working as SLP-A’s in Vermont schools

~ 3 year part-time Master’s of Science degree program

~ Contains same rigor as conventional, on-campus program

~Utilize online and hybrid course formats for learning at a distance

~Many courses modified for RtI, PBIS, DI, and Early Literacy Strategies

~Accredited by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA)

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Program DataApplications reviewed: 19Applicants accepted: 13Attended UVM’s SLP-A program: 5Bachelor’s Communication Sciences: 4Bachelor’s Education: 4

Student ComparisonMeans DL Students On-Campus

Students (2008)

GRE-Quantitative

445 506

GRE-Verbal 463 499

GRE-Writing 3.8 4.3

GPA 3.44 3.65

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UVM SLP Master's Program

Fall 2009~Largest program to date: 45 students~Servicing largest number of in-state students: 37

· 13 DL students· 13 Continuing On-campus students· 11 In-coming On-campus students

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Where are we now?13 students began graduate courses in Fall 2009

12 students continued on in the program for Spring 2010

Students currently taking 2 courses and begin clinical practicum summer 2010 with requirement to accrue 400 clinical clock hours

Students grades continue to be in the A and B range

Students set to graduate in summer 2012 with M.S. in Communication Sciences

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TechnologyUtilizing both synchronous and asynchronous teaching

-Video web streaming for F2F interactions

-Blackboard for asynchronous teaching

-Camtasia software

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Current Student Feedback“I’m not sure, but UVM appears to be raising the bar high for online teaching”

“I am getting such a quality education in the CMSI department. I couldn’t be more pleased with the organization and course content of each of my classes to date.”

“Hope, you and the professors responded to e-mails and questions amazingly fast.  I’m so pleased to be part of this program.  Weekly, I was able to discuss new information with my SLP and apply the information learned through my classes to my work situation-that is what is so wonderful about this program.”