2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
3/16/2026 | 10:05 AM - 11:05 AM | Students & Parents: Creating Space for Collaboration and Learning | St. Johns
Students & Parents: Creating Space for Collaboration and Learning
The updated principles beyond Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) 1-3-6, outlined in the most recent Guidelines for EHDI Programs (JCIH 2019), highlight the critical role of family-centered care in EHDI systems. While guidelines for family-centered EHDI care exist (Moeller et al., 2013; Moeller & Szarkowski, et al., 2024), a growing body of literature suggests there are opportunities for improvement in family-centered care in the EHDI system (e.g., Nickbakht et al. 2021). This is important because family-centered care facilitates family engagement, which is a key driver of success for a child who is D/HH (Fitzpatrick et al. 2008). While EHDI providers acknowledge family-centered care is a critical competency of their professional role, they also report that their training programs did not adequately prepare them with the skills needed to practice family-centered care (Rice and Lenihan 2005). In honor of the 25th EHDI Annual Conference, the Student Involvement subcommittee of the EHDI Conference Planning Committee designed this session to address this training gap.
There is potential to illuminate gaps and improve family-centered care in the EHDI system by incorporating family perspectives and experiences in the education and training of student providers in the EHDI system. When patients and families are engaged in student education, students learn valuable lessons above and beyond what they can in the classroom (Eijkelboom 2023; Johnson et al., 2006). Patient panels, in which patients and families share their personal healthcare experiences through story, are a powerful way to involve patients and families in student education. Patient panels have been shown to be an effective method of teaching and learning patient- and family-centered care and building trust and relationships between providers and families (Parent et al., 2016). When paired with didactic education and a guided discussion/debrief, students agree that patient panels increase their understanding of the benefits of patient and family partnerships and the different elements of patient- and family-centered care applied in clinical settings (Parent et al., 2016).
This session will harness family, provider, and student perspectives to explore barriers to and facilitators of family-centered care in EHDI systems. Didactic education, family stories, and guided discussion will be used to supplement students’ training in family-centered EHDI care.
- Upon completion of this activity, attendees will be able to describe family-centered EHDI care.
- Upon completion of this activity, attendees will be able to identify one barrier of family-centered EHDI care from the perspective of a family.
- Upon completion of this activity, attendees will be able to identify one barrier of family-centered EHDI care from the perspective of a student or service provider.
Presentation:
View Presentation File
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Emily LaSpada
(Primary Presenter), University Of Connecticut , emily.laspada@uconn.edu;
Emily LaSpada is an Au.D. student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She completed undergraduate studies at the University of Connecticut where her interest in research was piqued. She continues to support work in the UConn Aural Rehabilitation Lab centered around family education and access to early intervention services. Emily’s passion for working with individuals that are D/deaf and Hard of Hearing stems from fluency in ASL and a history with the American School for the Deaf.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
• Has a Professional
relationship for Volunteer employment,Volunteer membership on advisory committee or review panels.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with University of Connecticut .
Nature: Paid by Pilot Grant .
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Nicole Corbin
(Co-Presenter), Boystown National Research Hospital, Nicole.corbin@boystown.org;
Dr. Corbin is a Scientist at Boys Town National Research Hospital where she studies how children integrate sound from both ears to develop skills that are foundational for listening, language, and learning. Her primary focus is on understanding 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.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary,Other financial benefit for Employment,Other activities from Boys Town National Research Hospital.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Boys Town National Research Hospital (BTNRH).
Nature: Employment; BTNRH provides start-up funds for my research program, which focuses on pediatric unilateral hearing loss.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Vivien Harrell
(Co-Presenter), Boys Town National Research Hospital and Vanderbilt University, vivien.harrell@boystown.org;
Vivien Harrell is a Doctoral Student of Audiology at Vanderbilt University and an Audiology Extern at Boys Town National Research Hospital. In both programs, she is passionately engaged in advancing the field of audiology through clinical practice and innovative research. With a strong commitment to improving the lives of individuals with multiple disabilities, Vivien plans to pursue a PhD at the University of Minnesota with research focused on the unique challenges faced by this population. Her dedication to both academic excellence and compassionate care reflects a deep-rooted belief in the potential of every child to thrive.
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.