Northwestern University has initiated a community-based partnership aimed at improving access to speech and language services for preschool-aged children. The project, led by Marisha Speights from the Northwestern School of Communication, seeks to address racial inequities in current testing methods.
Speights' lab, Pediatric Speech Technologies and Acoustic Research (PedzSTAR), is collaborating with the Childcare Network of Evanston (CNE) and local nonprofit CHAT (Communication Health, Advocacy & Therapy) to form the Communication Justice Project. This initiative expands on previous research efforts and aims to bring speech-language services into underserved communities.
Current testing models have been criticized for centering 'whiteness' in test design and scoring, leading to potential misidentification of disorders among children from diverse backgrounds. "This kind of bias at the root of normative models can result in misidentification," Speights noted. Her team is working on redesigning these measures using an equity-based approach.
The project has expanded data collection efforts to eight preschools across Evanston and Skokie. CHAT's speech-language pathologists conduct screenings, collect data, and provide onsite services. "Sustainable identification and support should be the norm for everyone," said Karine Fiore, CHAT president and CEO.
In 17 classrooms with children aged three to five, CHAT SLPs lead activities focused on language and literacy while conducting screenings for speech-language delays or disorders. Families can share their child's results with PedzSTAR for further research contributions. Children identified as needing additional interventions receive deeper assessments and therapy services provided by CHAT SLPs.
"Partnering with CHAT enables us to center community stakeholders in our research," Speights said. The collaboration allows quick screening within culturally diverse communities, creating individualized plans for those facing long wait times.
PedzSTAR is conducting two separate research projects across eight U.S. areas, supported by grants from Northwestern's Racial Equity and Community Partnership Grant and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.