Moondog, my point relates I suppose to distinguishing between SLT and what it can offer in the truly global sense and what is offered as service here in the UK which is very limited.
My understanding of services in the States for example is that it is very data driven etc and there is a lot of emphasis on reinforcement even in non-ABA settings etc. That's the impression I get from a lot of the research I read etc.
I think it's a systems failing rather than an SLT failing as such, but the research on this side of the pond reflects the service delivery model here iyswim. If you read any serious case study you see very detailed assessment and details of intervention and outcome etc but this is not translated into practice.
I am also interested more generally in research being done on language acquisition in different clinical populations, the mechanics of nonverbal communication development and social interaction (e.g. Brinton and Fujiki's stuff on how kids get access to ongoing interactions a few years ago is something I often think about when I see how young typical kids manage this skill etc), the development of conversation, narrative e.g. into how SLT can inform parents/carers/school staff about typical development and how it varies.
As a random example there's really interesting stuff on how gesture precedes the development of two word phrases in typical toddlers with gesture beginning to combine with words into a single system between 2-3. This is really gaining a body of research literature behind it. I'm really interested in whether this is something that should be looked at/targeted
in ABA programmes as there is some evidence from adults with autism that gesture can slow speech comprehension in ongoing conversations and it tallies with my clinical observations and what students have told me about hands being distracting.. the ABA evidence is that the development of imitation is a core skill and this seems to link to this but there is still more work to do! All the discrete behaviours that underpin joint attention development need so much research so we can understand them better and how they link together so that they can be appropriately targeted.
So I know you were talking about SLT intervention as such Moondog but I suppose I want to make the case that there is still a role for the profession (vs perhaps current service delivery), that there is value in having a background that takes account of non-behavioural research on speech and language, and for development of other theories of speech, language and communication that go beyond the behavioural and link to typical development and where ASD differs..... even if the evidence is pretty unequivocal intervention needs to be designed and implemented in a particular way.
A lot done, more to do? I know people have horrendous experiences with what SLT is in this country but that's really the tip of a large iceberg of what SLT can be.. and I just wanted to point that out because I suppose people's experiences can make it seem that SLT is all so much waffle because.. well.. that's how it is being delivered in this country in many if not most public sector settings.
I will send you my email!