2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
| Bridging Research to Practice: A Service-Learning Model Supporting Spanish-Speaking Families of Children Who Are D/HH
Bridging Research to Practice: A Service-Learning Model Supporting Spanish-Speaking Families of Children Who Are D/HH
This longitudinal service-learning project addresses a research to practice gap in dual language development for children who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) by equipping future speech-language pathologists (SLP) with the tools to support Spanish-speaking families using Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) as their primary communication mode (Bunta et al., 2016; Vosa & Bunta, 2019; Guiberson, 2013). In partnership with a local early intervention (EI) provider, this project creates meaningful, sustainable resources for families of young children who are D/HH speaking Spanish in the home.
Each year, a cohort of at least five graduate students in Speech-Language Pathology from Samford University are selected to participate. Students gain foundational knowledge through didactic teaching and then apply their learning through the development of culturally and linguistically appropriate resources in service to the community. Each cohort plans and assembles Spanish Learning to Listen bags for distribution to families in EI and curates Spanish/English bilingual books for the EI organization’s lending library.
In addition to resource development, students design and deliver a one-hour continuing education course for EI staff, focused on evidence-based practices for bilingual families. In Year 1, eight first-year graduate students and eight practitioners participated, including seven SLPs and a teacher of the D/HH. Before this project, practitioners provided English resources to Spanish-speaking families. Now, they are equipped with materials and strategies that affirm home language use, supporting more equitable early intervention services. Following the project, 100% of practitioner participants reported high satisfaction with the initiative and recommended the student-led training to other organizations, according to the Community Partner Evaluation (Krishnan et al., 2015).
This program builds student competencies in evidence-based intervention, empowers current practitioners, and delivers culturally responsive support to underserved families of children who are D/HH.
- The participant will be able to identify barriers Spanish-speaking families face in accessing culturally and linguistically responsive early intervention services.
- The participant will be able to describe how a service-learning model equips graduate students to support bilingual families through dual language Listening and Spoken Language resources.
- The participant will be able to list strategies for building community partnerships that translate research into practice, enhance training, and promote equity in service provision.
Presentation:
View Presentation File
Handouts:
View Handout File 1
View Handout File 2
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Kelly Jackson
(Primary Presenter,Co-Presenter), Samford University , kjacks17@samford.edu;
Dr. Kelly Jackson is an Assistant Professor at Samford University. She received her BA in Communicative Disorders and Spanish and her MS in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Alabama, and her PhD in Health Sciences from Northern Illinois University. Her clinical experience includes work with both pediatric and adult clients with a variety of speech, language, and swallowing disorders. Kelly’s primary areas of interest include bilingual language development and service delivery, interprofessional and collaborative practice/education, clinical education, and neurogenic communication disorders.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Grants for Other activities from Samford University.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Samford University.
Nature: Internal grant funding used for this project.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Audrey Vickers
(Co-Author), Samford University , avicker2@samford.edu;
Audrey Vickers is pursuing her masters in speech-language pathology at Samford University and plans to graduate in May of 2026. During her graduate studies, she has had two clinical placements in an elementary school where she has provided listening and spoken language therapy to students with cochlear implants. She also participated in a service-learning project that focused on providing LSL resources to Spanish-speaking families in Alabama. She was recently accepted into Samford’s Listening and Spoken Language Focused Study Initiative and plans to pursue certification as a listening and spoken language specialist following graduation.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Kelli Ellis
(Co-Presenter), Woolley Institute for Spoken-Language Education (WISE), kelli.ellis@wise4al.org;
Kelli Ellis is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (Cert AVT). She currently serves on the team at the Woolley Institute for Spoken-Language Education (WISE), a preschool and therapy program serving children with hearing loss and other communication needs across the greater Birmingham area and beyond. Kelli has over 18 years of experience in the evaluation and treatment of children with hearing loss and other developmental concerns. She has experience in early intervention, outpatient clinics, spoken-language preschool classrooms and other school settings.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from Woolley Institute for Spoken-Language Education (WISE).
Nonfinancial -
• Has a Professional
(Certification - Listening and Spoken Language Specialist)
relationship for Other volunteer activities.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Woolley Institute for Spoken-Language Education (WISE) (financial)
AG Bell Academy (non-financial).
Nature: Financial (WISE) - Employment; salary
Non-Financial: Certification as Listening and Spoken Language Specialist/Certified Auditory Verbal Therapist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Kameron Carden
(Co-Presenter), Samford University , kcarden1@samford.edu;
Dr. Kameron C. Carden is an Assistant Professor and Director of Clinical Education at Samford University. She is also the Director of their Listening and Spoken Language Focused Study Initiative. She has over 15 years of clinical experience serving young children who are deaf/hard of hearing as a speech language pathologist and listening and spoken language specialist in oral preschool programs, early intervention, and outreach. Dr. Carden is a board member of the Division for Communication, Language, and Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DCD) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). She also serves on Alabama’s Special Education Advisory Panel (SEAP) and the Alabama Hands and Voices board of directors as a parent of a child with a hearing difference. Her research interests include complex language development, ecologically valid language assessment practices, and special education eligibility determination practices for preschoolers who are D/HH.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary,Grants for Employment from Samford University.
Nonfinancial -
• Has a Personal
(parent of child who is D/HH)
relationship for Board membership.
• Has a Professional
(co-chair of the Educator Special Interest Group)
relationship for Volunteer membership on advisory committee or review panels.
• Has a Professional
(certification )
relationship for Other volunteer activities.
• Has a Professional
(board member)
relationship for Board membership.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Samford University.
Nature: Salary from Samford University; Grant Support from Listening and Spoken Language Focused Study Initiative through Samford University; Board Member - Division of Language, Communication, and Hard of Hearing of the Council for Exceptional Children; Co-Chair of the Educator Special Interest Group for the American Cochlear Implant Alliance; Board member - Alabama Hands and Voices; ASHA and AG Bell certified .
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.