Welcome to Education by Design's Online store. We have brought to you a selection of products like Books : Introduction to Communication Disorders. A Life Span Perspective 3rd Edition along with it's reviews, pictures and related products. All sales from these pages goes towards the creation and maintenance of our educational online activities, articles and resources. We have over 40,000 online stories submitted by kids around the world.
Introduction to Communication Disorders. A Life Span Perspective 3rd Edition
Normal Price:$96.00
Our Price:$86.40
Availability:Usually ships in 24 hours
... For more information or Buy from Amazon.com ...
Manufacturer: Allyn & Bacon
Author: Robert E. Owens
Binding: Paperback
Publication Date: 2006-04-15
Publisher: Allyn & Bacon
Label: Allyn & Bacon
Number Of Pages: 576
Features for Introduction to Communication Disorders. A Life Span Perspective 3rd Edition :
Small Picture
Medium Picture
Customer Reviews
A book with good intentions that misses the mark completely 
2008-04-22
"Introduction to Communication Disorders" is a feeble book rife with inaccuracies. It attempts to take a relateable and emotional approach to sensitive subject matter and comes off as a biased and unacademic mess.
The information contained in the book often appears as if its the author's own interpretation off the top of their head. For example, in the chapter on augmentative communication, the author attempts to discern the origin of the sign for the concept "America" or the "United States". The author's hypothesis (and they make no attempt to disguise that it is purely their hypothesis) is that the derivation of the sign deals with fence-building and the European explorers' response to the vast lumber in the United States upon arrival in the Americas. Had the author bothered to consult a Deaf linguist, or any member of the Deaf community for that matter, they would have found that the sign represents the union of the states. Had they bothered to consult a history textbook for that matter, the author's would have found that European explorers arriving in North America were not particularly active in the lumber trade or fence-building at the outset of settlement. Their justification for the origin of this sign is a misinformed and unnecessary speculation on the part of the authors.
Instances such as the ones listed above are not uncommon. The book presumes things about the affected individuals that it discusses, often coming off as insensitive, belittling, and lacking in appreciation and understanding for individuals with Communication Disorders. It also presents biases on the author's opinions as to the best approaches for treatments and tends to generalize the needs of the client. When used to teach a university course, it makes for an ineffective tool, both because of the information it contains and the approach it takes to presenting it. The "thought-provoking" boxes every few pages or so that have the student ponder the material they have just learned are reminiscent of something found on "Bill Nye the Science Guy". They seem better suited for young children incapable of understanding the material on any other level.
All in all I found this book very ineffective, insulting, somewhat discriminatory and downright discombobulated. I don't know where the author's got their information, but it certainly wasn't of any use to me as a student.
