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Speech-language Services
What is a Speech-Language Pathologist?
A Speech-Language Pathologist is a licensed, certified health professional who: evaluates, plans intervention programs and provides remediation through therapy for communication disorders.
On campus, the role is defined as the communication specialist providing services that include: collaboration with parents, teachers and other professionals, comprehensive evaluation and report writing, case management, and intervention and remediation of communication disorders for identified students.
Speech Information
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Communication Disorders
The ability to communicate successfully occurs along a continuum.
- Language: A language impairment is defined as the delayed or disordered acquisition, comprehension or expression of language. Differences from normal language which have an impact on educational/developmental progress on pragmatic, semantic, syntactic and/or morphological functioning are considered as well as social/emotional and vocational functioning.
- Articulation: An articulation impairment is defined as a speech abnormality which is characterized by omission or incorrect production of speech sounds due to faulty placement, timing, direction, pressure, speed or integration of the articulators. Speech sound production, phonological development, overall intelligibility, and impact on educational/developmental progress and social/emotional and vocational functioning is considered.
- Fluency: A fluency impairment is defined as a disturbance to the normal fluency and timing of speech, characterized by one or more of the following: (a) sound and syllable repetitions, (b) sound prolongations, (c) blocks and/or (d) excess tension in the speech musculature. Associated non-vocal behaviors are also considered as well as the impact of the fluency impairment on the educational/developmental progress and social/emotional and vocational functioning of the student.
- Voice: A voice impairment is defined as any deviation in pitch, intensity, quality or other basic vocal attribute which interferes with communication, draws unfavorable attention, adversely affects the speaker or listener and is inappropriate to the age or gender of the individual.
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How Speech-Language Pathologist’s Maintain Certification
PO Box 12057Austin, TX 78711
(800) 803-9202 [in state only]
(512) 463-6599
Fax: (512) 463-9468
Relay Texas-TDD: (800) 735-2989Adopts rules to regulate the qualifications and practice of Speech-Language Pathologists, Audiologists, and related professionals licensed in Texas. -
Professional Resources on Communication Disorders
Texas Speech-Language and Hearing Association
2025 M Street NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
(512) 452-4836
FAX (512) 452-5255
Professional and scientific association concerned with human communication and its disorders and is comprised of speech-language pathologists, audiologists, associates, and students.
Rockville, Maryland 20852
(301) 897-5700
Professional and scientific association for more than 100,000 speech-language pathologists; audiologists; and speech, language, and hearing scientists in the United States and internationally concerned with communication behaviors and disorders.