Kayla Lane Wins Second Place Honors at Georgia Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention

Kayla Lane

VALDOSTA — Kayla Lane’s “Virtual Audiometry in CSD Undergraduate Training” won second place in the undergraduate research student poster competition at the 2016 Georgia Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention.

Lane is a student in Valdosta State University’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. She will graduate magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Education, with a major in communication disorders and a focus on audiology, on Saturday, May 7.

Describing her award-winning research, Lane said, “It is a virtual program that is designed to help undergraduate students in the field of communication sciences and disorders receive one-on-one interaction with a virtual patient. The student will conduct audiometric, or hearing, evaluations on the virtual client. Another great aspect of this program is your professor can determine the extent and degree of the hearing loss and you, as the student, administer the test, sending your professor the results.”

Lane’s research was guided by Dr. Ted Johnson, a nationally certified audiologist and an associate professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

“The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at VSU is wonderful and prepares you for your future endeavors as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist,” she said. “I was very excited and shocked to hear my name called [at the convention awards ceremony]. Seeing as how I was one of the few at the convention presenting on audiology and one out of two specializing in audiology, I thought it was great to have received second.”

During the three-day Georgia Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention, Lane was able to expand her knowledge base by listening to nationally, state, and locally recognized experts from the speech-language pathology, audiology, occupational therapy, and assistive technology fields. She was also able to network with educators and professionals in her chosen career field and learn about the latest research being conducted by students at colleges and universities around the state.

The Georgia Speech-Language-Hearing Association is a professional association of individuals specializing in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of communication, swallowing, and hearing disorders. It advocates for the professional interests of its members and the individuals they serve and provides a forum for the exchange of professional information and ideas.

Lane, 22, is a Georgia HOPE (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally) Scholar and a member of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association and Sigma Alpha Pi: The National Society of Leadership and Success. She plans to attend Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, in the fall and has received a full scholarship to pursue an advanced degree in audiology. She is the daughter of Rhonda and Don Lane of Iron City, Georgia.

On the Web:

https://www.valdosta.edu/colleges/education/communication-sciences-and-disorders/welcome.php

https://gsa.memberclicks.net

Valdosta State University’s 2013-2019 Strategic Plan represents a renewal of energy and commitment to the foundational principles for comprehensive institutions.

Implementation of the plan’s five goals, along with their accompanying objectives and strategies, supports VSU’s institutional mission and the University System of Georgia’s mission for comprehensive universities. 

The story above demonstrates VSU's commitment to meeting the following goals: 

Goal 1: Recruit, retain, and graduate a quality, diverse student population and prepare students for roles as leaders in a global society.

Goal 3: Promote student, employee, alumni, retiree, and community engagement in our mission.

Goal 4: Foster an environment of creativity and scholarship.

Visit http://www.valdosta.edu/administration/planning/strategic-plan.php to learn more.