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Coffs Harbour
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Gold Coast
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Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

Faculty/College

Faculty of Health

Pre-requisites

HBIO1001 - Human Anatomy AND HBIO1007 - Human Physiology I

Unit aim

Extends student knowledge regarding structures and mechanisms integral to speech production, (particularly respiration, phonation, articulation and resonance), speech reception (hearing and auditory processing) and swallowing. Nature and causes of disorders (e.g. genetic) and diseases (e.g. cancer), that impact on communication and swallowing processes, are also considered. Additionally, students learn how to conduct aspects of an orofacial examination.

Unit content

  • Structures and processes in respiration for speech production
  • Laryngeal structures and physiology of phonation
  • Structures of the face, oral, pharyngeal and nasal cavities and physiology of articulation and resonance
  • Interactions between systems and sequelae of anatomical and physiological deficits 
  • Anatomic structures and physiological processes involved in hearing
  • Anatomic structures and physiological processes involved in auditory perception
  • Genetics in relation to hearing loss and communication disorders
  • Acoustics and instrumentation
  • Anatomic structures and physiological processes involved in swallowing
  • Diseases and disorders that affect swallowing
  • Working on health care teams and understanding medical reports
  • Orofacial examination for investigating structure and function of the oral-peripheral mechanism

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1 describe the anatomic structures and physiological processes involved in respiration and phonation for speech production
2 explain the anatomic structures and physiological processes involved in articulation and resonance for speech production
3 describe the anatomic structures and physiological processes involved in hearing and auditory perception
4 explain the anatomic structures and physiological processes involved in swallowing
5 outline some pathologies that impact on speech production, speech reception and swallowing
6 describe processes involved in conducting aspects of an orofacial examination (for investigating structure and function of the oral-peripheral mechanism).

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. describe the anatomic structures and physiological processes involved in respiration and phonation for speech production
  2. explain the anatomic structures and physiological processes involved in articulation and resonance for speech production
  3. describe the anatomic structures and physiological processes involved in hearing and auditory perception
  4. explain the anatomic structures and physiological processes involved in swallowing
  5. outline some pathologies that impact on speech production, speech reception and swallowing
  6. describe processes involved in conducting aspects of an orofacial examination (for investigating structure and function of the oral-peripheral mechanism).

Prescribed texts

  • Seikel, JA., Drumright, DG., & Hudock, DJ., 2019, Anatomy and physiology for speech, language and hearing, 5th edn, Plural Publishing Inc.
Prescribed texts may change in future teaching periods.