Dr. Norimune Kawai, '02

During a recent trip to Japan, former SLHS clinical instructor and CLC supervisor (1986-2003) Sheila Goetz and CU alum Dr. Janice Zelazo, Ph.D. accepted an invitation from SLHS Alum Dr. Norimune Kawai, PhD to speak to his undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty members, at Hiroshima University. Dr. Kawai is an assistant professor in the Center for Special Needs Education Research & Practice at Hiroshima University, Japan. His primary area of interest involves speech and language disorders. Particularly, his research topics are listeners' auditory perceptions of stuttering, attitudes toward people who stutter, and speech motor activities of people who stutter.

Dr. Nori Kawai with Sheila Goetz, Dr. Janice Zelazo & students, Hiroshima University

With translation provided by Nori, Sheila and Janice talked about special education, professional roles of speech-language pathologists, and early intervention services in the US. While many special education services continue to be offered in Japan in segregated settings, a new national law similar to IDEA is forcing colleges and universities to understand and address the concept of inclusion in their pre-service training programs. Nori and his colleagues were especially interested in discussing the impact on the education system, both for students with disabilities as well as, teachers-in-training.

Miyoko Matsumoto, who studied with the INREAL program and with the CLC team from 1986-1988, accompanied Sheila and Janice during other travels in Japan and offered her expertise on the differences in services and roles between Japan and USA. Miyoko has a private practice in Tokyo where she spends most of her time working with children in their preschool programs. She works with a transdisciplinary team of private practitioners with a focus on addressing special needs in an inclusive setting. Miyoko teaches INREAL strategies to teachers in Japan and Bali. She participates in an INREAL study group in the Tokyo area.

Sheila Goetz, Dr. Janice Zelazo, Dr. Keiko Gondo & Miyoko Matsumotos

 
 
 
CDSS Alumni Dr. Keiko Gondo, '85 ( (see bio) joined Sheila, Janice and Miyoko in Tokyo for a traditional Japanese lunch in a downtown restaurant. Sheila also caught up by phone with alumnus Caroline (Elkin) Abourezk who now lives in Tokyo with her husband and children and works at The American School in Japan.