Graduate students in the speech and hearing sciences program can develop clinical experience working in a preschool for children with autism.

The preschool, called the Domino Project, is an early intensive intervention program for children with autism, said Washington State graduate student Kellie Carns.

“I believe that students assigned to work at the Domino Project are truly lucky. Children with autism have many special needs that can be challenging to handle, but they are also very bright, loving individuals,” Carns said.

Carns said she completed part of her required direct clinical experience for the speech and hearing sciences (SHS) program through the Domino Project. She travelled to the preschool, located on the Eastern Washington University campus, two days a week during the 2013 fall semester.

Every semester, two WSU students in the SHS program work at the Domino Project, said Georgina Lynch, the clinical assistant professor of the department.

WSU collaborated with EWU and has an affiliation agreement to provide critical training in speech-language pathology for WSU graduate students’ clinical training, Lynch said.

“It’s really a nice partnership between WSU and EWU and Northwest Autism Center because the kids in the Domino program receive the speech-language therapy they need and our students receive the clinical training they need,” Lynch said.

The Domino Program was founded in 2005 by the Northwest Autism Center, said Dawn Sidell, the executive director of the Northwest Autism Center.

“The term ‘domino’ seemed appropriate because we would like to support and help improve peoples’ ability to work with children, wherever they are. A child should have access to quality services regardless of where they live,” said Sidell.

Each child at Domino is supported by an individualized plan with specific goals and objectives, she said.

“A typical day at the Domino Project involved working one-on-one with two to three students before leading a group activity where each child’s individual communication goal was targeted,” Carns said.

Sidell said the program utilizes an evidence-based applied behavior analysis approach (ABA) for intervention.

“(Students) learn that it’s not just TLC that helps this child do well, but a qualified approach to intervention and treatment,” Sidell said. “And you can influence their learning trajectory in some profound ways.”

Every child with autism has to work with a speech-language pathologist to develop communication skills, Lynch said. Students gain experience working with children with autism in a natural setting. 

“It’s critical that our students have training in evidence-based practices for autism spectrum disorder before they go out into the work force,” Lynch said. “It’s ensuring that future professionals have the training they need so they can go on to treat a really difficult disorder.”

Autism is a complex neurological disorder, and 90 percent of speech-language pathologists will work with a child with autism, Lynch said.

“The language aspects of autism are unlike any other disorder, so this experience has been invaluable,” Carns said.

When working with children with autism, students need to address language from a variety of different perspectives, Lynch said, including the children’s sensory system and their ability to follow routines and stay on task. Students learn how to engage a child with autism and help him or her communicate basic wants and needs.

“Each child has a strong personality that shines through even when he or she is not able to communicate traditionally…people with disabilities are not ‘lesser,’ simply different,” Carns said.