ASHA Speech-Language Pathology Assistants Model Education Plan

Table of Contents

• About This Document
• Participants
• Summary
• Statement of Purpose
• Degree Programs
  • SLPA Associate Degree Program
  • Bachelor’s Degree Programs
• MEP Outcomes

About This Document

The ASHA Board of Directors approved a resolution in October 2023 to create a model education plan (MEP) for the academic training of speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs) to support ASHA’s Strategic Objective #4: Enhance service delivery across the continuum of care to increase value and access to services.

Participants

Participants in the development of the MEP included the following individuals:

• Tyler Christopoulos, PhD, CCC-SLP (Utah)
• Tracy Crosby, EdD, CCC-SLP (Florida)
• Charise Gainey, MEd, CCC-SLP (North Carolina)
• Vickie Jones, BS, C-SLPA (Arizona)
• AnnMarieKnight, PhD, CCC-SLP (South Carolina)
• Lindsay Knobelauch, MA, CCC-SLP (Maryland)
• Samantha Kohnle, AAS, C-SLPA (North Carolina)
• Ashley Northam, MS, CCC-SLP (Oregon)
• Jessica Raby, MA, CCC-SLP (North Carolina)
• Nancy Thul, MS, CCC-SLP (Minnesota)
• Carol Dudding, PhD, CCC-SLP, ASHA Vice President for Standards and Ethics (Virginia)
• Todd Philbrick, CAE, ASHA Chief Certification Officer, Ex Officio
• Judy Blackburn, Director of Academic and Clinical Education, ASHA Staff Consultant
• Jillian DeLuca, MS, CCC-SLP, Manager, Clinical Certification, ASHA Staff Consultant
• Lisa Wolf, Director, Assistants Certification Program, ASHA Staff Consultant

The group included ASHA-certified assistants, SLPA educators, and supervisors. The diverse group represented a variety of geographic locations and practice settings. The MEP development was facilitated by ASHA’s consultant—Professional Testing, Inc.—which has been ASHA’s partner for the development of several key Assistant Certification Program deliverables.

Summary

ASHA has identified critical shortages of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in all regions of the country, particularly in school settings. Utilizing assistant services can provide essential support in the delivery of clinical services.

This document is intended to provide voluntary guidelines for the development of programs with the minimum recommendations in the education and training of SLPAs at the associate and bachelor’s degree levels. It will also serve as a voluntary calibration tool for existing programs.

The group reviewed course sequences for academic programs, practicum requirements, state regulations, and the following ASHA documents:

• Scope of Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant
• 2020 Standards for Speech-Language Pathology Assistants Certification
• ASHA Assistants Code of Conduct
• SLPA Exam Blueprint

Statement of Purpose

The ASHA Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Model Education Plan establishes minimum recommendations for academic education and training to prepare an SLPA for entry-level practice. The recommendations cover the following specific topics:

• recommended academic course content for 2- and 4-year programs
• supervised clinical experience requirements and supervision guidelines
• training requirements in the areas of ethics, universal safety precautions, and patient/client/student confidentiality
• consideration of professional competencies (e.g., service delivery)
• culturally responsive practices
• responsibilities for all practitioners
• roles and responsibilities for practitioners who use multiple languages
• administration and support
• prevention and advocacy

Degree Programs

The SLPA can earn either an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree. These programs are detailed in greater depth in the subsections below.

SLPA Associate Degree Program

An SLPA associate degree program should include a minimum of 60 credit hours—or a minimum determined by the accredited institution. General education requirements are determined at the community/technical college level. ASHA recommends that the following course content be incorporated into an SLPA associate degree program.

Course Content for an SLPA Associate Degree Program

An academic program whose end credential is an associate degree may have different course titles for the content area. Such titles are not required to match, word for word, the listings below.

The course content area can stand alone as an individual academic course or can be incorporated into multiple courses. It is recommended that no more than two content areas be combined into a single course to ensure appropriate depth and breadth and to achieve fundamental knowledge of the subject matter across the lifespan. It is also recommended that the course content address culturally responsive practices and (b) responsibilities for practitioners who use multiple languages.

The course content for an SLPA associate degree program may include but is not limited to the topic areas and descriptions below:

• Overview of Communication Sciences and Disorders – Introduction to human communication and communication disorders across the It may also include information on the roles and responsibilities of speech-language pathology professionals.
• Phonetics – Overview of speech sounds and speech production—including articulation, acoustics, and linguistic This includes basic transcription skills in (a) phonetic transcription in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and (b) phonemic transcription of spoken language.
• Typical Speech and Language Development – Speech and language acquisition from birth through adulthood.
• Disordered Speech Production – Developmental and acquired disorders of speech production—with a focus on This includes articulation and phonological disorders.
• Language Disorders – Developmental and acquired disorders of language/cognition—with a focus on treatment.
• Speech and Hearing Anatomy and Physiology – Overview of the anatomical structures and functions involved in speech and language.
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) – Introduction to common forms of AAC.
• Audiology – Introduction to basic information on hearing, auditory disorders, screening, and anatomy and physiology of the ear.
• Clinical Methods – Screening, delivery, intervention, coaching, and behavior management; documentation and data review; and scheduling.
• SLPA Professional Responsibilities – This topic area includes:
  • ASHA’s Scope of Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant
  • the individual state’s scope of practice and regulations
  • ethical responsibilities, universal safety precautions, and confidentiality
  • advocacy/public awareness
  • the ASHA Assistants Code of Conduct
  • supervised clinical experience

Supervised Clinical Experience for an SLPA Associate Degree Program

The supervised clinical experience for an SLPA associate degree program should include a minimum of 80 direct clinical contact hours and 20 indirect clinical contact hours under the supervision of an ASHA-certified SLP. The supervising SLP must have completed a minimum of 9 months of full-time clinical experience post certification and must have earned at least 2 hours of professional development in clinical instruction/supervision or supervision by an equivalently credentialed SLP.

All clinical contact hours must be completed in accordance with the program policies, state regulations, and ASHA’s Scope of Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant.

For direct student/client contact hours, it is recommended that students receive a minimum of 50% real-time supervision. For indirect clinical contact hours, the level of supervision can be determined by the SLP clinical educator and the academic institution.

Clinical simulation and guided observation may be included in the program but should not be included in the 80 direct clinical contact hours or 20 indirect clinical contact hours.

Direct Clinical Contact Hours for an SLPA Associate Degree Program (80 Hours)

Examples of direct clinical contact may include the following activities performed by the SLPA student clinician under the direction and supervision of the supervising SLP per the Scope of Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant—and, potentially, state regulations:

• providing direct therapy services
• screening speech, language, and hearing
• assisting the supervising SLP during assessment
• administering assessment tools without interpretation
• provide client/caregiver coaching

Indirect Clinical Contact Hours for an SLPA Associate Degree Program (20 Hours)

Examples of indirect clinical contact may include the following activities performed by the SLPA student clinician under the direction and supervision of the supervising SLP:

• meeting with the SLP to review sessions and therapy approaches to plan for services
• preparing materials for clinical services
• attending consultations or team meetings with the SLP
• documenting screening/treatment results following services
• entering or recording data for billing purposes

Supervised Clinical Experience Expectations for an SLPA Associate Degree Program

Successful completion of a clinical experience should prepare the SLPA associate degree graduate to carry out the following tasks:

• demonstrate speech, language, and related therapy procedures that will allow the graduate to implement treatment plans developed by the supervising SLP
• perform speech, language, and hearing screenings without interpretation
• administer speech and language assessment tools and progress-monitoring tools per examiner manual qualifications and per supervising SLP direction
• create records, charts, or graphs to communicate client/patient/student performance to the supervising SLP
• perform clerical duties such as preparing materials, organizing records, and scheduling clients/patients/students
• evaluate clinical situations for compliance with ethical codes and with federal, state, and local regulations

SLPA Bachelor’s Degree Program

An SLPA bachelor’s degree program should include at least 120 credit hours—or another such minimum as established by the accredited institution. General education requirements are determined at the university level. ASHA recommends that the following course content be incorporated into the SLPA bachelor’s degree program.

Course Content for an SLPA Bachelor’s Degree Program

An academic program whose end credential is an SLPA bachelor’s degree may have different course titles for the content area. Such titles are not required to match, word for word, the listings below.

The course content area can stand alone as an individual academic course or can be incorporated into multiple courses. It is recommended that no more than two content areas be combined into a single course to ensure appropriate depth and breadth and to achieve fundamental knowledge of the subject matter across the lifespan. It is also recommended that the course content address (a) culturally responsive practices and (b) responsibilities for practitioners who use multiple languages.

The course content for an SLPA bachelor’s degree program may include but is not limited to the topic areas and descriptions below:

• Overview of Communication Sciences and Disorders – Introduction to human communication and communication disorders across the It may also include information on the roles and responsibilities of speech-language pathology professionals.
• Phonetics – Overview of speech sounds and speech production—including articulation, acoustics, and linguistic This includes basic transcription skills in (a) phonetic transcription in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and (b) phonemic transcription of spoken language.
• Typical Speech and Language Development – Speech and language acquisition from birth through adulthood.
• Disordered Speech Production – Developmental and acquired disorders of speech production—with a focus on treatment. This includes articulation and phonological disorders.
• Language Disorders – Developmental and acquired disorders of language/cognition—with a focus on treatment.
• Speech and Hearing Anatomy and Physiology – Overview of the anatomical structures and functions involved in speech and language.
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) – Introduction to common forms of AAC.
• Audiology – Introduction to basic information on hearing, auditory disorders, screening, and anatomy and physiology of the ear.
• Clinical Methods – Screening, delivery, intervention, coaching, and behavior management; documentation and data review; and scheduling.
• SLPA Professional Responsibilities – This topic includes
  • ASHA’s Scope of Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant
  • the individual state’s scope of practice and regulations
  • ethical responsibilities, universal safety precautions, and confidentiality
  • advocacy/public awareness
  • the ASHA Assistants Code of Conduct

Supervised Clinical Experience for an SLPA Bachelor’s Degree Program

The supervised clinical experience for an SLPA bachelor’s degree program should include a minimum of 80 direct clinical contact hours and 20 indirect clinical contact hours under the supervision of an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist (SLP). The supervising SLP must have completed a minimum of 9 months of full-time clinical experience post certification and must have earned at least 2 hours of professional development in clinical instruction/supervision or supervision by an equivalently credentialed SLP.

All clinical contact must be completed in accordance with the program policies, state regulations, and ASHA’s Scope of Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant.

For direct student/client contact hours, it is recommended that students receive a minimum of 50% real-time supervision. For indirect clinical contact hours, the level of supervision can be determined by the SLP clinical educator and the academic institution.

Clinical simulation and guided observation may be included in the program but should not be included in the 80 direct clinical contact hours or 20 indirect clinical contact hours.

Direct Clinical Contact Hours for an SLPA Bachelor’s Degree Program (80 Hours)

Examples of direct clinical contact may include the following activities performed by the SLPA student clinician under the direction and supervision of the supervising SLP per the Scope of Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant and, potentially, state regulations:

• providing direct therapy services
• screening speech, language, and hearing
• assisting the supervising SLP during assessment
• administering assessment tools without interpretation
• provide client/caregiver coaching

Indirect Clinical Contact Hours for an SLPA Bachelor’s Degree Program (20 Hours)

Examples of indirect clinical contact may include the following activities performed by the SLPA student clinician under the direction and supervision of the supervising SLP:

• meeting with the SLP to review sessions and therapy approaches to plan for services
• preparing materials for clinical services
• attending consultations or team meetings with the SLP
• documenting screening/treatment results following services
• entering or recording data for billing purposes

Supervised Clinical Experience Expectations for an SLPA Bachelor’s Degree Program

Successful completion of a clinical experience should prepare the SLPA bachelor’s degree graduate to carry out the following tasks:

• demonstrate speech, language, and related therapy procedures that will allow the graduate to implement treatment plans developed by the supervising SLP
• perform speech, language, and hearing screenings without interpretation
• administer speech and language assessment tools and progress-monitoring tools per examiner manual qualifications and per supervising SLP direction
• create records, charts, or graphs to communicate client/patient/student performance to the supervising SLP
• perform clerical duties such as preparing materials, organizing records, and scheduling clients/patients/students
• evaluate clinical situations for compliance with ethical codes and with federal, state, and local regulations

MEP Outcomes

Utilizing the recommendations in the ASHA Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Model Education Plan will prepare graduates to enter the profession as SLPAs having had the appropriate (entry-level) knowledge and skills to provide clinical services under the supervision of an ASHA-certified SLP.

This preparation will include:

• a solid foundation of knowledge in the discipline of—and topic areas within—communication sciences and disorders;
• a deep understanding of the roles and responsibilities of SLPAs;
• the ability to facilitate a transition in role from student clinician to SLPA after graduation due to practical, hands-on experience; and
• a comprehensive knowledge of treatment methods.