Welcome to the National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities (NJC) pages hosted by one of our member organizations, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. We hope the information found here will be useful and will help you understand a little more about NJC.

The purpose of the NJC is to promote research, demonstration, and educational efforts, including both inservice and preservice, directed to helping persons with severe disabilities communicate effectively.

The NJC provides the following resources:

Recommended Philosophy, Assessment, Goal-Setting, Intervention, Knowledge and Skills

• Guidelines for Meeting the Communication Needs of Persons With Severe Disabilities
• Communication Bill of Rights

Clarify Eligibility Issues

• Access to Communication Services and Supports: Concerns Regarding the Application of Restrictive "Eligibility" Policies

Find Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Communication Services and Supports for Individuals With Severe Disabilities: FAQs

Assess Team-Based Programs

• Communication Supports Checklist for Programs Serving Individuals with Severe Disabilities

Recent NJC Presentations

Members of the NJC made the following presentations to disseminate information about NJC documents and resources.

• Communication Services for Individuals with Severe Disabilities: Current "Best Practices" [PDF]
• Evidence-Based Communication Interventions for Persons with Severe Disabilities Poster [PDF]
• Evidence-Based Communication Interventions for Persons with Severe Disabilities Handout [PDF]
• Resources for Teams Serving Individuals with Severe Disabilities [PDF]