Project Prospectus

Research Question:

Why do people who can't chew or swallow feel their life has less meaning?

Foundation Questions:

1. What is a swallowing disorder?

2. What are some signs or symptoms of a swallowing disorder?

3. What other needs besides the biological need of food does being able to chew and swallow fulfill?

4. How does swallowing affect our daily lives?

5. How do we help people endure their lack of ability to chew or swallow?

Tentative Point:

That just because you can no longer chew or swallow doesn't mean your life is over.

Genres: Voice Audience

Webliography Clinician Clinician
PowerPoint Presentation Clinician Client/Family

Poem Client Clinician

Brochure Clinician Client/Family

Newsletter Clinician Client/Family

Script from a Play Client Family

Journal Entry Clinician Clinician

Rationale: The reason I choose the brochure and newsletter is I feel this is a good way to get information to a client and their family about swallowing disorders and how it affects their daily lives. I chose the play so because I have never done this and thought it sounded like a fun way to express with the clients emotional and social distress. I was thinking of something like a comedy. My only concern is that someone will take it the wrong way and think that I am not taking this disorder seriously enough. My journal entry will reflect my private feelings about the role of food in today's society. I plan on using the poem to express the distress a person feels when they are no longer able to chew or swallow. Last but not least is my webliography and PowerPoint presentation. I would like to do these from a professional point of view. I want them to be attractive and entertaining.

Exactly how my genres will all come together is something that I'm not totally clear on. I would like for them to tell a story from the client's point of view expressing how lifestyles change when you aren't able to chew or swallow. It is hoped that everyone who reads it will understand that practically every social event, special occasion, holiday, family time revolves around food and how devastating life can become when you aren't able to participate because of a swallowing disorder.

Tentative Sources:

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (2002). Retrieved September 24, 2002, from http://www.asha.org/speech/swallowing/Swallowing-Disorders-in-Adults.cfm.

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (2002). Retrieved September 24, 2002, from http://www.asha.org/speech/swallowing/Swallowing-Disorders-in-Children.cfm.

Dysphagiaonline.com. Retrieved September 15, 2002, from
http://www.dysphagiaonline.com/private/en/framesetpro.phtml?targetframe=../../content/en/professional1.phtml&targetarea=slt&lang=.

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (2002). Retrieved September 23, 2002, from http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/pubs_vsl/dysph.htm.