UCF School of Communication Sciences and Disorders

Health-literate communication can improve patient understanding, engagement, and outcomes in speech-language pathology practice.

In Brainstorms: Functional Neurorehab for SLPs' latest episode, Professor Richard Zraick joins host Renee Garrett to share practical strategies for using plain language, reducing cognitive load, incorporating teach-back, and creating more accessible patient education.

Check out the full episode (and earn .10 ASHA CEUs) at the link below. 🎧

Health-Literate Communication for SLPs | Richard Zraick Full video interview with Richard Zraick, PhD, CCC-SLP, CHSE, for "...

📢 Attention future SLPs! Are you an active Speech Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) in any setting or a Bachelor-Level Clinician serving in a Florida school? Take the next step in your career and apply to UCF’s new Communication Sciences and Disorders M.A. Professional Track! This flexible program allows you to advance your career to becoming an SLP through a part-time, primarily online track with a large portion of your clinical hours able to be achieved at your worksite.

Apply now for our inaugural cohort, launching Summer 2027. Don’t wait; spots are limited, with applications closing October 1. Start your journey or learn more https://www.ucf.edu/degree/communication-sciences-and-disorders-ma/masters-consortium/

Chronic pain can be multidimensional, deeply personal, and complex, so addressing it requires collaboration across disciplines.

For her independent study, kinesiology doctoral student Violette Gibbs developed a two-day workshop designed to introduce rehabilitation professionals to evidence-informed therapeutic yoga as a practical strategy for improving care for people living with chronic pain.

Why yoga? Chronic pain can create disconnection, from the body, from movement, from meaningful activities, and from others. Yoga, at its heart, is a practice of connection.

Through discussion, reflection, and experiential activities, participants explored how evidence-informed therapeutic yoga may help individuals reconnect with their bodies and move with greater confidence.

The workshop was attended by students in physical therapy, kinesiology, social work and athletic training and communication sciences and disorders, offering an exciting opportunity for interdisciplinary learning around a shared goal of helping people return to what matters most in their lives.

A special thank you to the faculty collaborators who were instrumental to the success of the project: professor of physical therapy William Hanney, clinical assistant professor of kinesiology Caitlin Cheruka, and clinical instructor Angela Ziegler in communication sciences and disorders.

Treeka Hart is graduating this week with a bachelor's in communication sciences and disorders and we're excited she'll be returning to our graduate communication sciences and disorders program as she takes the next step toward becoming a licensed speech-language pathologist. 🎓 During her time at UCF, she frequently volunteered with UCF’s Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, where she had the opportunity to assist with events and activities for children with autism and their families by creating a fun and welcoming environment to play, learn, and connect with others.

“I chose communication sciences and disorders because communication has always been an important part of my life. Growing up with a lisp that went untreated, I experienced firsthand how speech differences can affect confidence and self-expression. Those experiences inspired me to become the kind of speech-language pathologist I wish I had. Someone who helps others feel heard, understood, and confident in their own voice.”

Congratulations, Treeka! ✨

🩺This was a day that could shape a career! 🍏

We were pleased to welcome 68 high school students who spent part of their summer discovering what a future in healthcare can look like at this year's Health Leaders Summer Academy.

Presented in partnership with the UCF College of Medicine, the academy gives students an inside look at career paths that help build stronger and healthier communities. Throughout the day, participants gained hands-on experience, from working with simulated patients to examining assistive technology to learning about movement as medicine.

Students also toured our state-of-the-art Rehabilitation Innovation Center, where they experienced some of our unique technologies that support education, research and patient care, including holograms, manikins and our immersive simulation suite. We can't wait to see where these inspired healthcare leaders go next!

✨ So excited to share that our Basic Phonetics Escape Room, a project led by Lecturer Erin Leeming in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, was honored at the 2026 International e-Assessment Awards for Best College Digital Assessment! The award celebrates digital assessment projects that improve teaching, skills, and student achievement in a college environment. In Fall 2025, Leeming developed an interactive “escape room” final exam for students inside our Blended Learning Interactive Simulation Suite (BLISS) in the Rehabilitation Innovation Center, leveraging the touchscreen walls to engage students in solving a series of clues written in the International Phonetic Alphabet.

See the escape room in action here https://www.ucf.edu/news/future-speech-language-pathologists-test-skills-in-high-tech-escape-room-exam/

Our future speech-language pathologists and audiologists are putting classroom learning into practice through meaningful community experiences.

Through a long-standing partnership with the Brain Wellness Group at University Carillon Church, graduate students in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders conduct hearing and cognitive screenings and help older adults experiencing early cognitive decline with strategies to remain independent and engaged. Along the way, they gain the hands-on clinical experience and confidence needed to deliver compassionate, person-centered care.

Learn more at: https://healthprofessions.ucf.edu/news/speech-language-pathology-students-bring-personalized-care-to-brain-wellness-group/

Congratulations to Clinical Instructor Carrie Dawson Loughran in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders for receiving the 2026 Clinician of the Year Award at the Florida Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists Annual Convention! The award honors an individual who demonstrates exceptional professionalism and recent significant achievements in the field. Dawson Loughran is the creator and director of UCF’s highly sought iREAD programs, which helps students in first through twelfth grade who struggle with reading, spelling and language-based learning disorders. She was recognized for her leadership, innovative contributions, and advancement in clinical practice.

Join us in congratulating her on this exciting accomplishment! ✨