DEIB Monthly Article
The Power of Collective Intelligence, Teamwork, and Diverse Perspectives
At its July business meeting, the CAA and ASHA Accreditation reviewed feedback from the widespread peer comment period and voted on revisions to Standard 3.4 A/B. While the CAA reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all accredited programs—regardless of location—can equitably meet accreditation standards and prepare practitioners to deliver individualized care to all clients, we also…
Read MoreShared Purpose and Meaningful Connections
Did you know that several groups within the larger ASHA Community are dedicated to supporting the diverse communities within our professions and those populations we serve? You can learn more about these important groups, the work they do, the resources they offer, and how to become involved in any one of these groups through ASHA…
Read MoreBridges to Belonging: Merging Community Partnerships with CSD Curriculum
Authentic connections and organic experiences are critical facilitators of DEIB that require engagement beyond the walls of a classroom or clinic. It requires intentionality and collaboration across partners who are willing to engage in mutually beneficial experiences. As communication sciences and disorders (CSD) faculty and clinical educators, finding opportunities for these immersive experiences for our…
Read MorePractical Strategies for Recruiting Underrepresented Students into the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD)
Recruiting students from underrepresented backgrounds into the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) remains a critical challenge. According to data from the most recent 2023-2024 CSD Education Survey, students from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds represent less than 34% of undergraduate students and 29% of graduate students enrolled in CSD programs. This decline between the undergraduate and graduate levels highlights…
Read MoreWhen Belonging Begets Belonging
Belongingness is not an aspirational concept in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD); it is a foundational condition for learning, professional identity formation, and ethical culturally responsive clinical practice. In CSD, students are asked to engage deeply—with vulnerability, cultural humility, and reflective capacity—while navigating high expectations, evolving clinical competence, learning in real time, teambuilding, and assessment-focused supervision. These demands do not pause…
Read MoreDismantling Microaggressions in Clinical Settings: A Guide for Teaching CSD Student Clinicians
Microaggressions are defined as brief, commonplace, daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative slights and insults and may have harmful psychological effects on individuals or groups (Sue et al., 2007). Microaggressions are pervasive in both clinical and academic environments and often manifest as subtle, yet harmful expressions of bias…
Read MoreNavigating Funding Mechanisms to Support Research: A Practical Roadmap for Speech Language Hearing Professional
When Maya, a second-year master’s student in speech-language pathology, developed an idea for her thesis on bilingual language development, her first reaction was excitement. Her second was hesitation. She wondered how she would pay for participant incentives, transcription support, and conference travel. Across campus, an early-career faculty member was refining a pilot study on technology-supported aphasia…
Read MoreFrom Service Learning to Participatory Action: A Process for Equity-Centered Engagement in CSD Education
Does your CSD program have a service-learning and capstone project to benefit the communities we serve? Our programs are well positioned to advance equity by preparing speech-language pathology and audiology students to engage with communities as equal partners. Yet traditional service-learning models often fall short of this ideal when problems and solutions are defined by the program or faculty alone. If we don’t partner with the community, we can be unintentionally…
Read MoreActivities to support DEIB during National Speech, Language, and Hearing Month
Creating a sense of belonging is one of the most powerful – and most challenging – goals within diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) efforts. While we often focus on increasing representation, ensuring equitable access, and promoting inclusive practices, belonging is what transforms those efforts into meaningful human experiences. According to Merriam-Webster, belonging is “a state of…
Read MoreHow to Integrate DEIB Into the Curriculum and Clinical Training
A principle of patient- and family-centered care is honoring a shared vocabulary which supports mutual respect and inclusivity among patients, families, and health care providers. Clinicians who practice patient-centered care are encouraged to dedicate time to listening attentively to clients’ lived experiences, thereby fostering deeper understanding and connection. A key aspect of connecting with patients…
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