Approximately 48% of children receiving special education services from birth to 3 years are from minoritized linguistic backgrounds (US Department of Education, 2022). However, this rich linguistic diversity is not well recognized; children from non-English speaking backgrounds are frequently misdiagnosed for special education services. Although this disproportionality was first documented at least 55 years ago (Dunn, 1968) and well-studied since then (e.g., Zuckerman et al., 2014), misdiagnosis of linguistically diverse children continues to be a persistent concern. 

One major cause of the lack of linguistic responsivity is the absence of knowledge, tools, and sufficient training (Caesar & Kohler, 2007). Studies reviewing medical records have shown that special education practitioners serving children from birth to 3 are not reliably documenting language histories or employing proper assessment tools for linguistically diverse children (e.g., Huerta et al., 2021). Practitioners report poor guidance on whether to assess and treat in one or more languages. Moreover, language access for the children’s families through the use of interpreters is often not considered (Saenz et al., 2019). Despite years of research, the issue remains largely unresolved (Arham et al. 2021).  

These challenges with services for culturally linguistically diverse populations necessitate the development of a protocol that streamlines and interprets best-practice procedures, many of which already exist but are not well implemented and disseminated. The presentation aims to summarize the Linguistic Diversity Protocol (LDP) created for practitioners as an attempt to respond to linguistic diversity during assessment.  The presentation will also detail the components of LDP and the significance of using linguistic responsive procedures during assessment. 

The Language Development Protocol (LDP) is a training protocol created through input from subject matter experts and practitioners who work with linguistically diverse populations aged from birth to three years. The protocol's framework is an adaptation of special education teacher training models and is based on evidence-based practices. The development of the training outline is based on feedback from the community practitioners through surveys, focus groups and panel discussions. It is an attempt to create and implement one of the many ways to resolve the concern of misdiagnosis in children with linguistically diverse backgrounds. 

The presentation will describe the challenges encountered by practitioners due to the lack of linguistically responsive assessments and present the LDP as a case study of a researcher-practitioner collaboration that aims to provide a tool for implementation in practice. We will also provide recommendations and future directions for practitioners interested in implementing linguistically responsive practices. Additionally, the presentation will also provide guidance for professionals to develop similar protocols with their teams. Specifically, the presentation will summarize the approaches for enhancing linguistic responsivity in assessments and analyze different methods for providing language access, (e.g., the use of language translators and interpreters). The presentation will conclude with a discussion of obstacles to implementing linguistically responsive practices and proposing solutions to overcome them. 


Time –Ordered Agenda – Oral presentation (60 min) 

3 minutes – Introductions and disclosures 

10 minutes – Overview of literature and challenges in linguistic responsivity 

5 minutes – Overview of LDP 

10 minutes – Constructs of LDP / strategies for linguistic responsiveness during assessment 

10 minutes – Language access during assessments 

10 minutes – Future directions and clinical recommendations 

12 minutes – Question and answer 

References

Caesar, L. G., & Kohler, P. D. (2007). The state of school-based bilingual assessment: Actual practice versus recommended guidelines. 
https://doi.org/10.1044/0161-1461(2007/020) 

Dunn, L. M. (1968). Special education for the mildly retarded—Is much of it justifiable?. Exceptional children, 35(1), 5-22. 
https://doi.org/10.1177/0014402968035001 

Huerta, L., Cycyk, L. M., Sanford-Keller, H., Busch, A., Dolata, J., Moore, H., ... & Zuckerman, K. (2021). A retrospective review of communication evaluation practices of young Latinx children. Journal of Early Intervention, 43(4), 295-313. 
DOI: 10.1177/10538151211012703 

Saenz, T. I., & Langdon, H. W. (2019). Speech-language pathologists' collaboration with interpreters: Results of a current survey in California. Translation & Interpreting, The, 11(1), 43-62. 

US Department of Education, 2022. IDEA section 618 Data. 
https://data.ed.gov/dataset/docs/idea-section-618-data-products-state-level-data-files 


Zuckerman, K. E., Mattox, K. M., Sinche, B. K., Blaschke, G. S., & Bethell, C. (2014). Racial, ethnic, and language disparities in early childhood developmental/behavioral evaluations: A narrative review. Clinical pediatrics, 53(7), 619-631. 
DOI: 10.1177/0009922813501378 



Assessment in Early Intervention: Developing the Linguistic Diversity Protocol

Moderator: Rachel Maneloveg 
Speaker: [Sabreen NoorAli](https://underline.io/speakers/240630-sabreen) 
Responding to the linguistic variability of children during the assessment process is essential to avoid misdiagnosis of language delays and disorders. This presentation introduces a collection of the best-practices for linguistically responsive assessments in Early Intervention: The Linguistic Diversity Protocol (LDP). We will describe the development of the LDP which combines input from practitioners and subject matter experts. The resulting best evidence-based practices from the LDP will be presented. 
**[View Slides](https://s3.amazonaws.com/pf-user-files-01/u-59356/uploads/2023-10-01/yn23z4l/OSHA%20Presentation_23.pdf)**

Sponsored by [Reliant Rehabilitation](https://underline.io/events/406/expo/2610-reliant-rehabilitation)

![](https://assets.underline.io/uploads/markdown_image/1/image/c85d7f7ade088874da7918a9452fd410.png)

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The Oregon Speech-Language and Hearing Association (OSHA) is excited to present 2023 Fall Conference theme “Community in Action”. In addition to professional development content at the conference, we look forward to recognizing and celebrating the research, clinical work, and advocacy of our colleagues through our OSHA honors and awards.
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#### [**The Official Website of the OSHA**](https://www.oregonspeechandhearing.org/fall-conference)

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Please register for the 2023 OSHA Fall Conference to join the event.

OSHA 2023

The Oregon Speech-Language and Hearing Association (OSHA) promises to be a forum of growth, learning, and meaningful exchange, encompassing a rich tapestry of topics that are shaping our field in profound ways. The conference agenda is designed to address a wide array of critical subjects, each reflecting the evolving landscape of speech-language pathology. From early language and literacy development to the provision of gender-affirming and culturally responsive care, we are diving deep into the issues that matter most to our profession and the individuals we serve.

Sabreen NoorAli

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