ASHA Strategic Plan

Issue A

Fourth Quarter (Final) Progress Report
October - December 2007

Facilitating Team Leader: Margaret Rogers, Chief Staff Officer for Research and Technology

Issue A—A high quality basic, applied, and efficacy research base in communication sciences and disorders, related fields of study, and related functions for the discipline and professions is essential to provide evidence-based clinical practice and quality clinical services.

Outcome 1: Increased knowledge of the availability and use of treatment efficacy and other research and the principles of evidence-based practices to provide clinical services in communication sciences and disorders in the United States.

Strategies

1. By December 31, 2007, the Director of the National Center for Evidence-Based Practice (N-CEP) will have participated in two face-to-face meetings of the Advisory Committee on Evidence-Based Practice. The meetings will address development of levels-of-evidence systems for diagnostic and for qualitative studies, as well as development of curriculum resources for the teaching of evidence-based practice in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) graduate programs. [Completed]
2. By December 31, 2007, the Director of N-CEP in collaboration with the Academic Affairs team will have developed the first draft of a set of curriculum resources related to evidence-based practice for dissemination to academic programs in CSD. [Completed]
3. By December 31, 2007, the Director of N-CEP will have promoted the availability of evidence-based practice information on the ASHA Web site and in other documents via ASHA communication vehicles. [Completed]
4. By December 31, 2007, the Clinical Issues in Speech-Language Pathology team and the National Joint Committee on the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities will plan a conference related to evidence-based practices related to serving individuals with severe communication disabilities, pending NIH funding. [Completed]
5. By December 31, 2007, the ASHA Professional Development unit and the Scientific and Professional Education Board (SPEB) will have developed continuing education/professional development activities related to evidence-based practices and the evidence base for clinical interventions discussed. [Completed]

Outcome 2: Increased funding for basic/applied/efficacy/evidence-based research.

Strategies

1. By October 1, 2007, the Director of N-CEP and N-CEP’s Clinical Trials Project Manager in collaboration with the Communication Sciences and Disorders Research Group, the Research and Scientific Affairs Committee, and SPEB, will have convened a meeting to support the development of applications for funding of research in clinical areas identified as ASHA priorities. [Completed]
2. By December 31, 2007, the Governmental Relations and Public Policy (GRPP) staff, pending the availability of identified ASHA research priorities, will have developed a plan to secure funding for high-priority research needs in the area of CSD. [Carry-Over to 2008]

Outcome 3: Increased applied/efficacy research and evidence-based clinical practice in all areas of communication sciences and disorders, including literacy, communication wellness, and prevention.

Strategies

1. By December 31, 2007, the Director of N-CEP will have updated and maintained a Web forum for connecting researchers and clinicians interested in collaborative research projects. [Completed]
2. By December 31, 2007, the Director of N-CEP will have updated, maintained, and promoted the ASHA Web site’s searchable registry of evidence-based practice guidelines and systematic reviews related to CSD. [Completed]
3. By December 31, 2007, the Director and staff of N-CEP will have completed six Evidence-Based Systematic Reviews. [Carry-Over to 2008]

Outcome 4: Increased interaction and communication with researchers in communication sciences and disorders from other countries.

Strategy

• By December 31, 2007, the Director of N-CEP will have participated in the colloquia of the Campbell Collaboration and Cochrane Collaboration. The Campbell Colloquium is the major global evidence-based practice meeting related to schools issues, while the Cochrane Colloquium is the major evidence-based practice meeting related to health care issues. [Eliminated]

There are 11 strategies in the Evidence-Based Practices work plan. Following is the status for the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th quarters.