PROBLEM
Approximately 42 million Americans have a communication disorder or hearing loss. Health data reveal that 16 in every 1,000 children have a chronic speech disorder and almost 13 in 1,000 have some degree of hearing loss. Children from multicultural populations are over-represented in the caseloads of speech-language pathologists and audiologists. In 2002 services to multicultural populations represented from 33% to 40% of the total caseload of professionals, a proportion far above their representation within the general population. Hence, a major initiative of Healthy People 2010 is to eliminate health disparities that occur by race, ethnicity, education, income or disability. In addition, among the objectives of Healthy People 2010 are efforts to promote the health of people with disabilities, improve the health and well-being of women, infants, children, and families, and reduce the occurrence of developmental disabilities. This project is specifically designed to respond to the mission and goals of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau by establishing Howard University as a Center for Leadership in Communication Disorders. The purpose of the project is to produce doctoral level professionals in speech-language pathology and audiologh who are equipped to deliver high quality leadership services inorder to decrease the incidence of speech and hearing disorders among mothers and children, particularly those in multicultural populations.
GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Three goals of the project relate to: a) doctoral training in speech-language pathology; b) advanced doctoral education for post-master's audiologists, and c) continuing education for practicing professionals. Specifically, the project will:
1. Support and train seven doctoral students and graduate five students with the Ph.D. in speech-language pathology.
2. Support, educate and graduate two audiologists with the Au.D. through distance education technology.
3. Provide in-service continuing education and Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to 40 speech-language pathologists and 40 audiologists in order to enable them to maintain ASHA certification.
Specific objectives for doctoral training in speech-language pathology include the following competencies: a) ability to demonstrate cultural competence for services to children with communication disabilities, b) ability to demonstrate relevant knowledge for provision of service and advocacy responsibilities in health care settings, and c) ability to provide documentation that meets standards of health care regulatory bodies.
Objectives for Au.D. training reflect the knowledge required to respond to the Preferred Practice Patterns of Audiology. Unique training for the Au.D. will also focus on a) multicultural competence, and b) interoperative monitoring
METHODOLOGY
Training for the Ph.D. in speech-language pathology will consist of didactic courses, leadership seminars, research and practicum experiences with partner collaborators, Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) courses and mentoring. Trainees will take doctoral seminar designed to increase their knowledge and understanding of research and current issues in the field of speech-language pathology with special relevance to multicultural populations. In addition, trainees will select a cognate in the field of public health and take three additional courses designed to increase their knowledge of health care policy and administration. To enhance their leadership potential as academicians, trainees will participate in the Preparing Future Faculty Program which offers courses, workshops, mentoring and teaching experiences to prepare them for professional positions. Trainees will also partcipate in Leadership Seminars designed to provide organized mentoringn for success in academic study. Finally, trainees will undertake practicum experiences in research, teaching, administration, and advocacy.
As a distance education module, the Au.D. program is designed for practicing audiologists, nationwide, who do not wish to leave their positions to pursue the Au.D. degree. Students will take two courses during each semester for Fall, Spring and Summer and complete 36 credits within two years. These courses will be delivered by Howard University faculty, as well as eminent audiology faculty nationwide who have expertise in issues related to multicultural populations. The department is an ASHA Approved Sponsor of Continuing Education. Continuing education for speech-language pathologists and other health care professionals will be conducted with project support in Year 1. One-day workshops will feature prominent experts on topics with interdisciplinary appeal. Participants will receive .1 CEU for each contact hour. Continuing education for audiologists will be efficiently conducted by making distance education courses included in the Au.D. program available to professionals who are not enrolled in the degree program. Audiologists will be able to earn 4.5 CEUs for each course.
COORDINATION
The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders have established direct connections with Title V agencies and other universities as partners for the project. A major partnership has been established with the Division of Intramural Research of the National Institutes on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Other partners include the MCH Group at Georgetown University; Howard University Hospital; Howard University Child Development Center; Howard University Graduate School; Howard University Department of Psychology; Howard University Research and Training Center for Access to Rehabilitation; Gallaudet University; American Speech-Language-Hearing Associaton Division of Research, and Department of Multicultural Affairs; University of Iowa Post-Doctoral Project; District of Columbia Department of Health MCH Policy, Planning and Evaluation Office; District of Columbia Public Schools.
EVALUATION
The methodology used in evaluating the project will be both formative and summative. The methods and instruments are designed to respond to the project's goals and learning objectives to produce data that are objective and quantifiable. Evaluation of the project will address seven areas of concern including positions held by project graduates, attainment of competencies, quality of work performed by graduates, extent of utilization of resources, efficient and effective use of resources, impact of the program on other programs and agencies and quality of trainees selected for the project.
ANNOTATION
The Howard University/NIDCD Center for Leadership in Communication Disorders Project at Howard involves doctoral education in communication disorders which focuses on cultural diversity and interdisciplinary involvement. Doctoral trainee apprenticeships are included to provide a unique opportunity for practical experience. Training for audiologists leads to the Au.D. for post-master's audiologists and is delivered by distance education. A continuing education program supports training for practicing speech-language pathologists and audiologists to develop their skills in serving speech and hearing disordered infants, toddlers, children, and their families.
KEYWORDS
Speech-language pathology, audiology, communication disorders, cultural diversity, doctoral training
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