The McLean-Yoder Award for Professional Excellence

The McLean-Yoder Award for Professional Excellence (MYAPE) honors a team that exemplifies high quality professional services to individuals with severe disabilities.

The Award was named after Drs. James McLean and David Yoder, preeminent research scientists in the area of communication and intellectual disability.

Winners of the McLean-Yoder Award award will receive an honorary plaque and recognition at upcoming conferences attended by members of the NJC, a group of professionals devoted to advocating for individuals with significant communication support needs resulting from intellectual disability, which may coexist with autism, sensory, and/or motor limitation.

Application Information

To apply for the McLean-Yoder Award, please submit the following information:

1. Name and position of nominated team members
2. City, state and school district (if applicable)
3. Person nominating team
4. Contact information for nominator
5. A completed copy of the table Quality Indications Survey [PDF]. Surveys may be completed by the nominator or the team. Self-nominations will be accepted.
6. A narrative of 400 words or less that describes ways in which your team provides high quality interventions and demonstrates interprofessional practices (IPP) for individuals with severe disabilities.

Send your application to Andrea Barton-Hulsey (NJC co-chair) at abartonhulsey@fsu.edu as an e-mail attachment. You also may mail the application to Andrea Barton-Hulsey at:

Andrea Barton-Hulsey
Florida State University
School of Communication Science and Disorders
201 West Bloxham Street
Tallahassee, FL 32306-1200

The submission deadline is May 31, 2025 for this year's award.

Evaluation Process

Award nominations are judged according to the NJC's published quality indicators [PDF] specific to communication assessment, goal setting, and program implementation.

Teams that embody elements of interprofessional practices (IPP) are especially encouraged to apply. For more information on IPP, please visit the ASHA website or read the article "The Trifocus Framework and Interprofessional Collaborative Practice in Severe Disabilities."