Invitation

Research Study Participation

Determining Efficacy of Selected Method Utilization Toward Developing Expressive Language

in Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Good day,

I am writing to you to extend an invitation to participate in a research study. The topic for

discussion will center upon a review of method efficacy in developing expressive language in

children with autism spectrum disorder. As a doctoral student in education at Nova Southeastern

University, I am writing a dissertation concerning this topic. After performing significant

research in literature, I have identified methods demonstrated to attain results in this endeavor

and would like to present this information to you, along with your peer speech pathologists .

Your participation is requested in completing a preliminary web based survey and then

attendance at a virtual focus group event, scheduled for Friday 4/22/11.

Upon your hoped acceptance of this invitation, I will mail a consent form to you, along with

a self addressed stamped envelope for return submission to me. Upon receipt of your signed

consent form, I will email a link in www.surveymonkey.com for a self administered

questionnaire for your completion. This will facilitate my initial review of your exposure to the

subject methods. In addition, after completion of the consent form, I will be available via my

cell phone, 727-992-5111 or via email ml983@nova.edu to answer any questions that you may

have regarding this study.

Prior to the presentation, at the start of the focus group, I will ask you to complete a

Perspective Survey regarding your thoughts on the use of these identified methods, in advance of
delivery of my findings from research. Following the presentation, I will ask that you again

complete the survey in order for me to determine if a change in view has occurred from the

material promulgated in the presentation. These results comprise a critical portion of my

research. The time commitment for the focus group will not exceed a 1.5 hour period.

Please be assured that the results of this study are strictly confidential. Your perspectives to

be solicited at the focus group meeting are both valued and appreciated and will greatly enable

my continued research into identifying the most highly effective methods toward language

development in ASD children.

Thank you in advance for your consideration and your ongoing commitment to assist, guide

and enable children with autism. Please RSVP via email to me via the following address,

ml983@nova.edu by 3/18/11.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Laverty