2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
| Assessing Spoken Language in Infants and Toddlers who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing using the LENA Developmental Snapshot
Assessing Spoken Language in Infants and Toddlers who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing using the LENA Developmental Snapshot
Regular language assessment is essential for supporting the development of age-appropriate language skills in infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH). The LENA Developmental Snapshot is a newer assessment that is completed by parents and scored automatically online; it can be administered as frequently as once a month. It has been validated for children with typical hearing and development. The aim of this presentation is to evaluate the utility of the LENA Developmental Snapshot for assessing expressive and receptive spoken language development in infants and toddlers who are D/HH. To this end, the LENA Developmental Snapshot scores from 115 infants and toddlers (aged 0 - 35 months) with bilateral hearing loss from English-speaking homes were analyzed. The average LENA Developmental Snapshot standard score was in the low-average range (87.98, SD = 15.56), mirroring findings from prior research in children who are D/HH. Scores from the LENA Developmental Snapshot were also compared to scores from other standardized language assessments (MacArthur-Bates CDI, PLS-5, DAYC-2), when available. Spearman correlations indicated strong positive correlations between percentile scores on the LENA Developmental Snapshot and the CDI (rs(44) = .8, p < .001). Similarly, strong positive correlations existed between the standard scores of the LENA Developmental Snapshot and the PLS-5 (rs(33) = .751, p < .001) as well as the DAYC-2 (rs(38) = .644, p < .001). These results indicate that the LENA Developmental Snapshot is a valid and practical tool for assessing receptive and expressive spoken language skills in infants and toddlers who are D/HH. The ease of online administration by parents and potential for frequent use make it a valuable addition to early intervention assessment batteries, particularly for tele-intervention.
- Summarize key features of the LENA Developmental Snapshot
- Identify two methods that were used to evaluate the utility of the LENA Developmental Snapshot in children who are D/HH
- Identify one advantage and one unanswered questions related to using the LENA Developmental Snapshot for infants and toddlers who are D/HH
Presentation:
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Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Monika-Maria Oster
(Primary Presenter), Listen and Talk, monao@listenandtalk.org;
Monika-Maria (Mona) Oster is a teacher of the deaf, LSL Mentor, and auditory researcher. Dr. Oster completed her graduate education in Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of Washington and in Early Intervention in Deaf Education at Fontbonne University. As the Education and Research Director she leads the preschool-age educational programming and research at Listen and Talk (Kirkland, WA), which is a specialized program that supports children who are deaf/hard of hearing and their families. Dr. Oster is also a Research Associate in the Speech Language Hearing Sciences Department at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment,Management position from Listen and Talk.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Kimberly Peters
(Co-Presenter), Western Washington University, petersk3@wwu.edu ;
Kimberly Peters is a speech-language pathologist and audiologist. She completed
her graduate education and clinical training in communication sciences and disorders at
the University of Connecticut. She worked at the New England Center for Hearing
Rehabilitation for 9 years as a rehabilitative specialist, consulting with school districts
and providing services to infants, children, and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing. In
2002, she accepted a position as an assistant professor at Western Washington University
in Bellingham, Washington. Kimberly is a Full Professor and Director of the Aural Rehabilitation Clinic
at Western Washington University. She provides clinical services, supervises graduate students, teaches courses
in pediatric hearing loss and habilitation, and conducts research in language, cognitive
development, and social competence in children who are deaf and hard of hearing.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from Western Washington University.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with .
Nature: I am employed by a university and one condition of my employment is that I conduct research.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.