COURSE SYLLABUS: SPTHAUD 6212

VOICE AND RELATED DISORDERS FALL 2015

Instructor: Meher Banajee, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Class schedule: Thursday, 5:30 8:00 pm
Office Hours: By appointment
E-mail: mbanaj@lsuhsc.edu Telephone: 568-4344
CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
This course addresses the nature, course, evaluation, and treatment of voice and related
disorders in children and adults. This course also aims at providing detailed study of anatomy
and physiology of voice production. In addition the etiology of voice disorders, their
management and treatment will be addressed.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of this course the student will:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of anatomic, neurologic and physiologic components of
normal and disordered voice production.
2. Explain key acoustical properties of the phonatory signal.
3. Demonstrate knowledge differential diagnosis of neurological, anatomical and functional
causes of voice disorders.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of instrumental and non-instrumental voice assessment
techniques including the use and interpretation of these techniques.
5. Have the ability to develop a voice intervention/treatment by establishing long and shortterm goals and selecting procedures, techniques and instrumentation.
6. Apply knowledge to clinical case studies.
7. Present a summary/review of a published research report in the area of voice disorders.
COURSE COMPETENCIES:
Through lectures, discussions, demonstrations, laboratory activities, videos, CD-ROMs,
student presentations, and independent study, students will:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of anatomical, neurological, and physiological
components of normal and disordered voice production. This knowledge will be assessed
by the professor via formal testing. (Addresses ASHA SLP standards III-B, III-C, III-D)
2. Demonstrate knowledge differential diagnosis of neurological, anatomical and functional
causes of voice disorders. This knowledge will be assessed by professor using formal
testing. (Addresses ASHA standard III-B, C, D.)
3. Demonstrate knowledge of vocal fold physiology and biomechanics of voice production.
This knowledge will be assessed by professor via formal testing. (Addresses ASHA
standard III-B, C, D.)

4. Demonstrate knowledge of instrumental and non-instrumental voice assessment

techniques including the use and interpretation of these techniques. This knowledge will
be assessed by professor via formal testing (Addresses ASHA standard III-B, C, D.)
5. Demonstrate basic knowledge of various voice disorders. This knowledge will be
assessed by professor via formal testing. (Addresses ASHA standard III-C, D.)
6. Demonstrate knowledge of developing a treatment plan by establishing long and short
term goals and selecting procedures, techniques and instrumentation. This knowledge
will be assessed by professor via formal testing. (Addresses ASHA standard III-C.)
7. Describe appropriate assessment procedures given specific voice symptoms or a case
history. Determine voice symptoms from videostroboscopic images. This knowledge
will be assessed by professor via formal testing. (Addresses ASHA standard III-C, D.)
8. Demonstrate knowledge of current research and state of the art practices in the areas of
voice and related disorders. (Addresses ASHA standard III-A, D, E, F, G.)
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Please bring this book to your class each time since we will be referring to them in class.
Colton, R. H., & Casper, J. K. (2011). Understanding Voice Disorders: A Physiological
Perspective for Diagnosis and Treatment (4th Ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Wolters &
Kluver
OTHER REQUIRED TEXTS:
Hixon, T. J. & Hoit, J. D. (2005). Evaluation and Management of Speech Breathing
Disorders. Tucson, AR: Redington Brown.
Stemple, J. C. (2000). Voice Therapy: Clinical Studies (2nd Ed.). San Diego, CA: Singular
Publishing Group.
Stemple, J. C., Glaze, L. E., & Gerdeman Klaben, B. (2000). Clinical Voice Pathology:
theory and management (3rd Ed.). San Diego, CA: Singular Publishing Group.
These books will be available at the reserve desk at the LSUHSC library. Please see course
schedule for required readings from these texts.
Please remember that all required readings are exactly that (i.e. REQUIRED). All
readings need to be completed before each class. All students are expected to come to
class PREPARED, and to ask and answer questions. Examinations will include
questions from assigned readings. Also points will be taken off for those students who
do not come to class prepared and are unable to answer questions from the assigned
readings.
OTHER MATERIALS:
The instructor will provide students with outlines of class notes prior to class sessions.
These will be posted on Moodle before class (Sunday evening). The purpose of the class
notes is to guide the discussion and not to substitute for the required readings assigned for
that class. Students are required to print these out and have them available during class or if

they choose to, they can follow along on their laptops and write additional notes. These
notes can also be used to provide background for case presentations.
CLASS ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Attendance is required in all classes. Students are allowed no more than two (2)
absences (regardless of the reason). However, if you must miss class because of an illness,
injury, or emergency situation it is necessary to let the instructor know as soon as you know
you will not be in class that day. It is then the students responsibility to find out information
that was covered that day in class. Following a second absence, points will be taken off from
the miscellaneous category (see grading information below). A letter will also be sent to the
department chair, informing her of the absences. An absence will be defined as missing more
than 30 minutes of any particular class session.
Use of cell phones, text messaging, studying for another class or doing work other than
what is being done in class is strictly prohibited as it is felt that this is extremely distracting
and disrespectful of fellow classmates and the instructor. Points will be taken off for any of
these disruptions in class.
E-MAIL:
Students are required to check their e-mail at least once per day to receive information
such as class cancellations, classroom changes, due dates, etc. The course will be conducted
through Moodle. Course syllabus, information about assignments, lecture materials and
grades will be posted to Moodle. Computers are available in the COMD student computer
lab as well as in the library.
POLICY FOR SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS:
Assignments can be e-mailed to the instructor but do not wait until the last minute to
submit them. No excuses will be accepted for late assignments. Two points will be deducted
for each day the assignment is late. Feedback will be given to students who would like
assistance on their assignments or for me look over their assignments before submitting the
final copy. However, feedback will not be given if assignments are submitted for feedback
one day prior to the due date.
GRADING POLICY:
Grades will be assigned according to the following table:
90% - 100%
A
80% - 89%
B
70% - 79%
C
60% - 69%
D
Below 60%
F

COMPLIANCE:
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have
emergency information to share with the instructor, or if you need special arrangements in
case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with the instructor or with
the office of student affairs as soon as possible. This course adheres to the dishonesty policies
of LSUHSC
ASSESSMENTS:
EVALUATION PROJECT: 30%
CRITIQUE OF RESEARCH ARTICLE: 15%
CLASS PRESENTATIONS: 20%
FINAL EXAM: 25%
MISCELLANEOUS: 10%
FINAL EXAM:
The final exam will consist of two sections. An objective section consisting of true/false,
fill in the blank, and multiple choice questions. The second section will be a short answer
section and will be answers based on scenarios of clinical cases. Anything from the readings,
handouts, videos, CD-ROMS, demonstrations, guest lectures and class lectures/discussions is
fair game for the exams.
EVALUATION AND TREATMENT PROJECT:
Students will conduct and submit a report on a voice evaluation. Students will be paired
off and guided through a voice evaluation which they will conduct on each other. Students
are required to write a complete report based on the evaluation. The report should include
the use of low and high technology strategies and their interpretation to determine the type of
pathology, its location, potential causes, characteristics and prognosis. The evaluation will
also include appropriate recommendations and if necessary referrals.
A treatment plan will be then written and submitted to go with the evaluation. The
treatment plan should include long and short term goals and objectives and hierarchies.
Again low and high technology strategies should be recommended, if appropriate.
CRITIQUE OF RESEARCH ARTICLE
Students will search for, read, summarize and evaluate/critique one (1) article published
in a refereed journal related to voice disorders. The article should have been published
during the last 5 years. Students merely summarizing their article without providing a
critique will receive no higher than a B on the project. The project will be graded as
follows:
Topic selected: 5 points
Information presented: 5 points
Quality of the presentation - strategies and techniques (props, aids, etc.): 5 points

Students will submit a short paper of these reviews (see schedule), to the instructor. The
article must be approved by the instructor before beginning work on the presentation. See
schedule for deadline for approval of the article.
CASE PRESENTATIONS
All classes will start promptly at 5:30 pm. This semester classes will be conducted using
case based method of instruction. Class participants have been divided into 5 groups. Each
group will be assigned a hypothetical case. Each group will present on different topics as it
applies to the assigned case. All group members will be responsible for working on the
presentations however; only one person will present each topic. Presentations on assessment
and treatment will be needed to be split between the group members. Preparation for the
presentations will need to be done by reading the textbook and my PowerPoints which I will
attach to Moodle on the Sunday before class. As an incentive a student scoring at least 85%
on these presentations will not have to take the final exam.
MISCELLANEOUS
These 10 points are for attendance, class conduct and timely submission of assignments.
Marks will be taken off for more than 2 class absences, use of cell phones, text messaging, or
distracting peers in other ways, lack of class participation, and late submission of
assignments.
TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE:
DATE
8/20/15

TOPICS
Course overview Anatomy and physiology of
the respiratory system

8/27/15

Anatomy, physiology & innervations of the

larynx Includes normal voice & theories of
phonation.

9/03/15

Respiratory lab, contd.

9/10/15

Assessment: Non-instrumental (approval of

presentation article due)

9/17/15

Voice assessment lab

READINGS
Stemple, Glaze,
& Klaben (S, G
& K) Ch. 2
S, G & K Ch. 2,
handouts

S, G & K Ch. 2;
C & C Ch. 11,
12, 13
C & C Ch. 2, 8;
S, G & K. 5

Dr. Banajee
All groups
case
presentation &
description of
anatomy and
physiology
Dr. Zamjahn
All groups
case history,
CAPE V and
Voice
Handicap
index
Dr. Banajee
and Ms. Lykes

9/24/15

Laryngeal pathology

S, G & K Ch. 6

10/01/15

S, G & K Ch. 3;
C & C Ch. 4

10/08/15

Assessment: Instrumental procedures (UMC)

class starts at 5:30 pm
Laryngeal pathology

10/15/15

Vocal rehab - intervention

S, G & K Ch. 4;
C & C Ch. 6

10/22/15

LSVT Loud/Big (Lynne Lee-guest speaker)

10/29/15
11/05/15
11/12/15
11/19/15
11/26/15

Work on completing assessment

Professional voice (Phyllis Treagle)
ASHA
Article presentation
Thanksgiving holiday (evaluation & treatment
project due)
Final exam

12/04/15

All groups
present on
stroboscopy
results & case
pathologies
All groups
present on
treatment
NO CLASS

S, G & K Ch. 8

Policies and procedures related to student conduct:

http://alliedhealth.lsuhsc.edu/administration/professionalconduct.pdf
Guidelines for students with disabilities:
http://alliedhealth.lsuhsc.edu/Administration/ADAPolicy.pdf
Academic standards:
http://alliedhealth.lsuhsc.edu/Admin/academicstandards.aspx
Academic calendar:
http://alliedhealth.lsuhsc.edu/Administration/AcademicCalendar.aspx
Catalog/Bulletin:
http://catalog.lsuhsc.edu/

All groups
present on
stroboscopy
results & case
pathologies

All groups