Beyond Services in the United States of America: Fulbright U.S. Scholar Experience in Vietnam

Author(s):  
Sue Ann S. Lee

Purpose: This article addresses my experience as a speech-language pathologist in a cultural exchange and global outreach program in Vietnam. The importance and various types of cultural exchange and global outreach programs available through the U.S. Department of State, the current status of educational speech-language pathology programs in Vietnam, and a brief introduction of the country as well as its unique cultural characteristics are also discussed. Conclusions: As a Fulbright U.S. scholar, I resided 6 months in Hue, Vietnam, to provide education and consultation services to children who needed speech-language pathology services and their families. The speech pathology profession in Vietnam is significantly underdeveloped. However, several international nongovernmental organizations and foreign universities have assisted Vietnam in developing speech pathology and audiology professions. Among many opportunities to serve the needs of speech pathology and audiology preprofessional education and service delivery in Vietnam, one of the most prestigious opportunities is the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. It is my hope that my personal and professional experiences can encourage fellow speech-language pathology and audiology professors and practitioners to apply for a Fulbright scholarship to pursue a rich volunteer experience in a foreign country as well as to improve their cultural competency upon return to their own academic institutions.

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-16

Introduction: The complexity of ever-changing health standards, new health policies, changes in the healthcare environment, necessitates an advanced level of professional expertise in Medical Speech-Language Pathology (MSLP). Objective: This study presents the current status, opportunities, and perspectives for the development of MSLP in Bulgaria. Method Theoretical overview and comparative analysis of the data and literature on MSLP as it exists in the USA and is developing in Bulgaria, where it is most often referred to as Clinical Logopedics. In this article, we present: (i) a comparative analysis of the development of this dynamic, expanding, and continuously developing health profession in the USA (the country with the most innovative and highly evolved practice of MSLP) and Bulgaria; (ii) brief historical notes related to the development of Speech-Language Pathology in the United States and Bulgaria; (iii) the scope of practice of MSLP in the USA and Bulgaria, which is a key problem for the prospects for the development of this specialty in Bulgaria, and (iv) the problems associated with establishing a master’s degree program in MSLP. Conclusion: MSLP has perspective for development in Bulgaria only if it is studied as a health specialty within medical or health faculties, but necessarily housed within a medical university. A clear understanding of the scope of practice is fundamental for the development of MSLP, but it should not overlap the purview of other professions. The MSLP master’s program should be innovative, manageable, and comprehensive, providing for a wide range of specialized clinical experiences that prepare students to practice effectively in a medical environment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-54
Author(s):  
Kimberly A. Murza ◽  
Barbara J. Ehren

Purpose The purpose of this article is to situate the recent language disorder label debate within a school's perspective. As described in two recent The ASHA Leader articles, there is international momentum to change specific language impairment to developmental language disorder . Proponents of this change cite increased public awareness and research funding as part of the rationale. However, it is unclear whether this label debate is worthwhile or even practical for the school-based speech-language pathologist (SLP). A discussion of the benefits and challenges to a shift in language disorder labels is provided. Conclusions Although there are important arguments for consistency in labeling childhood language disorder, the reality of a label change in U.S. schools is hard to imagine. School-based services are driven by eligibility through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which has its own set of labels. There are myriad reasons why advocating for the developmental language disorder label may not be the best use of SLPs' time, perhaps the most important of which is that school SLPs have other urgent priorities.


Author(s):  
Melissa A. Pierce

In countries other than the United States, the study and practice of speech-language pathology is little known or nonexistent. Recognition of professionals in the field is minimal. Speech-language pathologists in countries where speech-language pathology is a widely recognized and respected profession often seek to share their expertise in places where little support is available for individuals with communication disorders. The Peace Corps offers a unique, long-term volunteer opportunity to people with a variety of backgrounds, including speech-language pathologists. Though Peace Corps programs do not specifically focus on speech-language pathology, many are easily adapted to the profession because they support populations of people with disabilities. This article describes how the needs of local children with communication disorders are readily addressed by a Special Education Peace Corps volunteer.


Author(s):  
Luis F. Riquelme

Abstract Passing the Praxis Examination in speech-language pathology or audiology can be a difficult task. A passing score is the entry to a list of requirements for national certification (CCC-SLP, CCC-A) and for state licensure in the United States. This article will provide current information on the examination and address barriers to success that have been identified over the years. A call to action may serve to refocus efforts on improving access to success for all test-takers regardless of race/ethnicity, ability, or geographic location.


Author(s):  
Charles Ellis ◽  
Molly Jacobs

Health disparities have once again moved to the forefront of America's consciousness with the recent significant observation of dramatically higher death rates among African Americans with COVID-19 when compared to White Americans. Health disparities have a long history in the United States, yet little consideration has been given to their impact on the clinical outcomes in the rehabilitative health professions such as speech-language pathology/audiology (SLP/A). Consequently, it is unclear how the absence of a careful examination of health disparities in fields like SLP/A impacts the clinical outcomes desired or achieved. The purpose of this tutorial is to examine the issue of health disparities in relationship to SLP/A. This tutorial includes operational definitions related to health disparities and a review of the social determinants of health that are the underlying cause of such disparities. The tutorial concludes with a discussion of potential directions for the study of health disparities in SLP/A to identify strategies to close the disparity gap in health-related outcomes that currently exists.


2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flora Keshishian ◽  
Rebecca Wiseheart

There is a growing demand for bilingual services in speech-language pathology and audiology. To meet this growing demand, and given their critical role in the recruitment of more bilingual professionals, higher education institutions need to know more about bilingual students' impression of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) as a major. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate bilingual and monolingual undergraduate students' perceptions of the CSD major. One hundred and twenty-two students from a large university located in a highly multicultural metropolitan area responded to four open-ended questions aimed at discovering students' major areas of interest (and disinterest) as well as their motivations for pursuing a degree in CSD. Consistent with similar reports conducted outside the United States, students from this culturally diverse environment indicated choosing the major for altruistic reasons. A large percentage of participants were motivated by a desire to work with children, but not in a school setting. Although 42% of the participants were bilingual, few indicated an interest in taking an additional course in bilingual studies. Implications of these findings as well as practical suggestions for the recruitment of bilingual students are discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (11) ◽  
pp. 73-78
Author(s):  
David W. Rule ◽  
Lisa N. Kelchner

Telepractice technology allows greater access to speech-language pathology services around the world. These technologies extend beyond evaluation and treatment and are shown to be used effectively in clinical supervision including graduate students and clinical fellows. In fact, a clinical fellow from the United States completed the entire supervised clinical fellowship (CF) year internationally at a rural East African hospital, meeting all requirements for state and national certification by employing telesupervision technology. Thus, telesupervision has the potential to be successfully implemented to address a range of needs including supervisory shortages, health disparities worldwide, and access to services in rural areas where speech-language pathology services are not readily available. The telesupervision experience, potential advantages, implications, and possible limitations are discussed. A brief guide for clinical fellows pursuing telesupervision is also provided.


2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (5) ◽  
pp. 41-49
Author(s):  
Ellen Moore

As the Spanish-speaking population in the United States continues to grow, there is increasing need for culturally competent and linguistically appropriate treatment across the field of speech-language pathology. This paper reviews information relevant to the evaluation and treatment of Spanish-speaking and Spanish-English bilingual children with a history of cleft palate. The phonetics and phonology of Spanish are reviewed and contrasted with English, with a focus on oral pressure consonants. Cultural factors and bilingualism are discussed briefly. Finally, practical strategies for evaluation and treatment are presented. Information is presented for monolingual and bilingual speech-language pathologists, both in the community and on cleft palate teams.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (15) ◽  
pp. 32-41
Author(s):  
Jennine Harvey ◽  
Scott Seeman ◽  
Deborah von Hapsburg

The field of Cognitive Hearing Science examines the relationship between cognitive, linguistic, and hearing functions. Although these areas are of particular importance to speech-language pathology, few studies have investigated applications of cognitive hearing science to clinical practice. The purpose of this review article is to (1) explore and present a summary of cognitive hearing science techniques for dual-task and hearing-in-noise procedures and implications to speech-language pathology, and (2) provide a clinical guide for speech-language pathology in adult multitasking intervention with noise. It is well understood that areas of cognitive skill and hearing function decline with age; therefore, additional understanding of the relationship of these functions is of particular importance to speech-language pathologists working with older individuals. This article meets the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's (ASHA's) Special Interest Group (SIG) 15's mission of “research-to-practice” professional development by “promoting understanding of the effects of normal and pathological aging on cognition, language […] and hearing” (ASHA, 2017), and is intended to be of interest to the SIG 15 readership.


2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-30
Author(s):  
Melissa Jakubowitz

This Letter to the Editor on the topic of speech-language pathology license portability for telepractice, was authored by Melissa Jakubowitz M.A. CCC-SLP, Vice President of SLP Services at PresenceLearning. A speech-language pathologist with over 20 years of clinical and managerial experience, Ms. Jakubowitz is a Board Recognized Specialist in Child Language. Ms. Jakubowitz began her career working in the public schools and has also operated a successful, multi-office private practice.  She is a past Director of the Scottish Rite Institute for Childhood Language Disorders in Stockton, CA. Jakubowitz is also a past-president of the California Speech-Language-Hearing Association, which, with over 5,000 SLP members, is one of the largest speech-language pathologist state associations in the country. Active in the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), Ms. Jakubowitz served as a Legislative Counselor for 12 years.


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