Many of us take for granted the ability to communicate with ease, but for individuals with communication disorders, operating in a hearing and speaking world can be a daily challenge.

For more than six decades, the Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Clinic (WJSHC) at the University of Iowa has focused on serving individuals with communication disorders. In 2011, approximately 800 Iowans of all ages received care through WJSHC, part of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The department’s graduate programs in speech-language pathology and audiology are consistently ranked as top programs in the country. The speech-language pathology master’s program ranks as the No. 1 program in the country and the audiology clinical doctorate program is ranked No. 2 nationally, according to U.S.News and World Report’s America's Best Graduate Schools 2013.

In addition to teaching and research, the department’s faculty, staff, and students participate in and employ their expertise through a number of engagement programs throughout the year. These programs provide valuable real-world experience to students, as well as serving individuals with speech, hearing, language, or voice problems.

Iowa Now was able to tag along in a program that took place earlier this month, UI SPEAKS (University of Iowa Summer Program to Educate Adults and Kids who Stutter).

(Click on the thumbnails below for a look at the UI SPEAKS program.)