JONESBORO – Arkansas State University’s Department of Communication Disorders has established an ALLIANCE (Applied Literacy Learning through Innovation, Collaboration and Evidence) Lab to assist children with learning difficulties.
The lab, led by Arianne Pait, director of clinical services in communication disorders, represents the evolution of a two-decade commitment to serving struggling readers in Northeast Arkansas. This also expands research using technology to improve early intervention.
“This marks an expansion into cutting-edge research using technology to improve early identification and intervention for dyslexia,” said Pait, who also works as an assistant professor of communication disorders at A-State.
First started in 2004 with a service-learning partnership with Brookland Public School District, ALLIANCE Lab has created opportunities for students in the communication disorders graduate program. Students have worked to provide evidence-based literacy interventions to assist school-age children with reading difficulties.
“As the demand for services grew throughout the region, we moved the program to the A-State Speech and Hearing Center, allowing greater access for underserved K-12 students across Northeast Arkansas,” added Pait.
The formal establishment of the ALLIANCE Lab provides infrastructure for enhanced research
collaboration and expanded student mentorship opportunities.
“What began more than 20 years ago has grown into a comprehensive program that serves students throughout our region,” Pait continued. “The ALLIANCE Lab allows us to formalize our research efforts, collaborate with experts across disciplines, and develop innovative tools that can identify and support struggling readers earlier and more effectively than ever before.”
Dyslexia affects 15-20% of the population. Despite its prevalence, dyslexia is often not identified until third grade or later. Intervention is most effective when provided in kindergarten and first grade, before reading difficulties compound and negatively impact learning across all academic areas.
Members of the ALLIANCE Lab, including Dr. Jake Qualls, associate professor of bioinformatics in the Department of Computer Science, are collaborating in three research projects that integrate literacy science with technological innovation.
“These projects represent exactly what the ALLIANCE acronym stands for,” Pait explained. “We are taking applied research questions that matter for real children in real classrooms, using innovative technology to solve practical problems, collaborating across disciplines to combine expertise in literacy and computer science, and ensuring everything we do is grounded in evidence. This is research with immediate impact potential.”
The ALLIANCE Lab’s research agenda extends beyond current projects to encompass broader questions about literacy development, dyslexia identification and effective intervention.
The lab also serves as a critical training site for graduate students in speech-language pathology, preparing future clinicians to assess and treat literacy disorders.
For more information about the ALLIANCE Lab for Dyslexia Research and Literacy Innovation, to inquire about clinical services, to explore research collaboration opportunities, or to learn about student mentorship possibilities, one may contact Arianne Pait at apait@AState.edu.
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