Graduate Courses Taught:

• Voice Disorders
• Neurogenic Speech Disorders
• Neurogenic Language Disorders
• Advanced Anatomy and Physiology for Speech

Current Research:

• The use of standardized (aka simulated) patients for clinical skills teaching and testing.  This is an ongoing line of research where various types of communicatively-impaired “patients” and their “family members” were developed and used for simulated clinical encounters.
   
• The effect of divided attention on speech production.  Recently completed a funded pilot study examining how speech fluency is affected under conditions of divided attention.  Participants were normal speakers across the adult lifespan, as well as persons with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease.  Recently submitted an R03 proposal to the NIH (NIDCD) [Brent Gregg, co-investigator] to pursue this line of research on a larger scale.
   
• Normative data for phonatory airflow in normal adults and children.  Project sponsored by KayPentax to develop norms using their new Phonatory Airflow System (PAS).

Future Research:

• The role of patient motivation and support on efficacy of voice therapy.
   
• The efficacy of behavioral voice therapy.

Email Address:

rizraick@uams.edu