2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
| Preschool Hearing and Speech Education – University of Pittsburgh (PHASE-UP)
Preschool Hearing and Speech Education – University of Pittsburgh (PHASE-UP)
Universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) has drastically reduced the age at which children are
diagnosed with congenital hearing loss. As a result, children can receive intervention for hearing loss within the
first year of life. Unfortunately, UNHS does not guarantee early identification and intervention of hearing loss in all children during critical developmental years (e.g., infancy through preschool). It is not surprising that the prevalence of hearing loss among children increases from 1-3 per 1,000 at birth to 9-10 per 1,000 in school. It is surprising, however, that there is no universal, systematic, population-based hearing screening program to identify children with educationally significant hearing loss who will not be identified by UNHS. Preschool Hearing and Speech Education – University of Pittsburgh (PHASE-UP) targets this gap in hearing screenings during a critical time of child development by partnering with the Pittsburgh community to provide no-cost, comprehensive hearing screenings for local preschools, the majority of which enroll students from underrepresented, marginalized communities. Through PHASE-UP, audiology and speech-language pathology students in the first year of their graduate training program perform hearing and speech-language screenings under the instruction of a certified clinical audiologist and speech-language pathologist. On average, PHASE-UP screens 800-1,000 children ages 3-6 years each academic year. This poster will focus on the basic components of the PHASE-UP hearing screening and prevention program, including personnel, coordination, hearing screening protocols, data management, and course objectives.
- As a result of attending this presentation, learners will be able to list the benefits of universal preschool hearing screening.
- As a result of attending this presentation, learners will be able to describe the basic components of a community-based preschool hearing screening and prevention program.
- As a result of attending this presentation, learners will be able to recognize the benefits of establishing a graduate-level hearing screening and prevention practicum for audiology and speech-language pathology students.
Presentation:
3353554_14903Dr. NicoleCorbin.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Katie Vellody
(Co-Presenter), University of Pittsburgh, LEND, katie.vellody@pitt.edu;
Katie Vellody is adjunct faculty in the Department of Communication Science and Disorders in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. She is also a clinical pediatric audiologist at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Ms. Vellody’s responsibilities include administrative, clinical, academic, and research. Ms. Vellody is the coordinator of the Preschool Hearing and Speech Education – University of Pittsburgh (PHASE UP) Clinic. She coordinates with over 40 schools in the surrounding Pittsburgh area to provide evidenced based preventative care and screening to the preschool and school age populations. In the PHASE UP clinic, she oversees all 1st year audiology (AuD) and speech language pathology (SLP) graduate students in the administration of preschool & school age hearing screening protocols. Other clinical responsibilities include providing free audiological hearing care to adults residing in Pittsburgh regions of Homewood & East Hills at the Wellness Pavilion Community Engagement Center – University of Pittsburgh. Ms. Vellody teaches two academic graduate level courses to both SLP and AuD graduate students in the fall and spring terms. She is the audiology LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities) faculty for the University of Pittsburgh and participates as LEND faculty in the CARES (Connection, Advocacy, Resources, Empowerment and Support) program, a free family centered program to help children and young adults with neurodevelopmental and related disorders, and their families meet their goals. Ms. Vellody’s research interests include pediatric hearing health preventative care and peer assisted learning (PAL) in graduate level health science programs.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from University of Pittsburgh.
• Receives Salary for Employment from UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with University of Pittsburgh
UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Nature: Employment.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Elizabeth Larget
(Co-Presenter,Co-Author), University of Pittsburgh, egl15@pitt.edu;
Elizabeth Larget is a graduate student in the Doctor of Audiology program at the University of Pittsburgh.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Nicole Corbin
(Primary Presenter,Co-Presenter), Association of Public Health Laboratories, nec61@pitt.edu;
Nicole Corbin is a Scientist and the Director of the Pediatric Binaural Integration Lab at Boys Town National Research Hospital. The goal of her lab is to understand how children who are deaf/hard-of-hearing in one ear learn to navigate complex listening environments and optimize auditory input to support their academic, communication, and social-emotional development. Prior to joining Boys Town National Research Hospital, she was an Assistant Professor and the Co-Investigator of a Pediatric Audiology Competitive Supplement to the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) program at the University of Pittsburgh.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Emily Miller
(Co-Presenter,Co-Author), University of Pittsburgh, ejm134@pitt.edu;
Emily Miller is a graduate student in the Doctor of Audiology program at the University of Pittsburgh.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Xin Zhuang
(Co-Presenter,Co-Author), University of Pittsburgh, xiz213@pitt.edu;
Xin Zhuang is a graduate student in the Doctor of Audiology program at the University of Pittsburgh.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -