Table of Contents
The ASHA Board of Directors approved a resolution in October 2023 to create a model education plan (MEP) for the academic training of speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs) to support ASHA’s Strategic Objective #4: Enhance service delivery across the continuum of care to increase value and access to services.
Participants in the development of the MEP included the following individuals:
The group included ASHA-certified assistants, SLPA educators, and supervisors. The diverse group represented a variety of geographic locations and practice settings. The MEP development was facilitated by ASHA’s consultant—Professional Testing, Inc.—which has been ASHA’s partner for the development of several key Assistant Certification Program deliverables.
ASHA has identified critical shortages of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in all regions of the country, particularly in school settings. Utilizing assistant services can provide essential support in the delivery of clinical services.
This document is intended to provide voluntary guidelines for the development of programs with the minimum recommendations in the education and training of SLPAs at the associate and bachelor’s degree levels. It will also serve as a voluntary calibration tool for existing programs.
The group reviewed course sequences for academic programs, practicum requirements, state regulations, and the following ASHA documents:
Disclaimer: This document does not supersede academic policies, federal legislation, or state regulations regarding the education and training of SLPAs and speech-language pathology support personnel.
The ASHA Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Model Education Plan establishes minimum recommendations for academic education and training to prepare an SLPA for entry-level practice. The recommendations cover the following specific topics:
The SLPA can earn either an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree. These programs are detailed in greater depth in the subsections below.
An SLPA associate degree program should include a minimum of 60 credit hours—or a minimum determined by the accredited institution. General education requirements are determined at the community/technical college level. ASHA recommends that the following course content be incorporated into an SLPA associate degree program.
An academic program whose end credential is an associate degree may have different course titles for the content area. Such titles are not required to match, word for word, the listings below.
The course content area can stand alone as an individual academic course or can be incorporated into multiple courses. It is recommended that no more than two content areas be combined into a single course to ensure appropriate depth and breadth and to achieve fundamental knowledge of the subject matter across the lifespan. It is also recommended that the course content address culturally responsive practices and (b) responsibilities for practitioners who use multiple languages.
The course content for an SLPA associate degree program may include but is not limited to the topic areas and descriptions below:
The supervised clinical experience for an SLPA associate degree program should include a minimum of 80 direct clinical contact hours and 20 indirect clinical contact hours under the supervision of an ASHA-certified SLP. The supervising SLP must have completed a minimum of 9 months of full-time clinical experience post certification and must have earned at least 2 hours of professional development in clinical instruction/supervision or supervision by an equivalently credentialed SLP.
All clinical contact hours must be completed in accordance with the program policies, state regulations, and ASHA’s Scope of Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant.
For direct student/client contact hours, it is recommended that students receive a minimum of 50% real-time supervision. For indirect clinical contact hours, the level of supervision can be determined by the SLP clinical educator and the academic institution.
Clinical simulation and guided observation may be included in the program but should not be included in the 80 direct clinical contact hours or 20 indirect clinical contact hours.
Direct Clinical Contact Hours for an SLPA Associate Degree Program (80 Hours)
Examples of direct clinical contact may include the following activities performed by the SLPA student clinician under the direction and supervision of the supervising SLP per the Scope of Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant—and, potentially, state regulations:
Indirect Clinical Contact Hours for an SLPA Associate Degree Program (20 Hours)
Examples of indirect clinical contact may include the following activities performed by the SLPA student clinician under the direction and supervision of the supervising SLP:
Successful completion of a clinical experience should prepare the SLPA associate degree graduate to carry out the following tasks:
An SLPA bachelor’s degree program should include at least 120 credit hours—or another such minimum as established by the accredited institution. General education requirements are determined at the university level. ASHA recommends that the following course content be incorporated into the SLPA bachelor’s degree program.
An academic program whose end credential is an SLPA bachelor’s degree may have different course titles for the content area. Such titles are not required to match, word for word, the listings below.
The course content area can stand alone as an individual academic course or can be incorporated into multiple courses. It is recommended that no more than two content areas be combined into a single course to ensure appropriate depth and breadth and to achieve fundamental knowledge of the subject matter across the lifespan. It is also recommended that the course content address (a) culturally responsive practices and (b) responsibilities for practitioners who use multiple languages.
The course content for an SLPA bachelor’s degree program may include but is not limited to the topic areas and descriptions below:
The supervised clinical experience for an SLPA bachelor’s degree program should include a minimum of 80 direct clinical contact hours and 20 indirect clinical contact hours under the supervision of an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist (SLP). The supervising SLP must have completed a minimum of 9 months of full-time clinical experience post certification and must have earned at least 2 hours of professional development in clinical instruction/supervision or supervision by an equivalently credentialed SLP.
All clinical contact must be completed in accordance with the program policies, state regulations, and ASHA’s Scope of Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant.
For direct student/client contact hours, it is recommended that students receive a minimum of 50% real-time supervision. For indirect clinical contact hours, the level of supervision can be determined by the SLP clinical educator and the academic institution.
Clinical simulation and guided observation may be included in the program but should not be included in the 80 direct clinical contact hours or 20 indirect clinical contact hours.
Direct Clinical Contact Hours for an SLPA Bachelor’s Degree Program (80 Hours)
Examples of direct clinical contact may include the following activities performed by the SLPA student clinician under the direction and supervision of the supervising SLP per the Scope of Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant and, potentially, state regulations:
Indirect Clinical Contact Hours for an SLPA Bachelor’s Degree Program (20 Hours)
Examples of indirect clinical contact may include the following activities performed by the SLPA student clinician under the direction and supervision of the supervising SLP:
Successful completion of a clinical experience should prepare the SLPA bachelor’s degree graduate to carry out the following tasks:
Utilizing the recommendations in the ASHA Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Model Education Plan will prepare graduates to enter the profession as SLPAs having had the appropriate (entry-level) knowledge and skills to provide clinical services under the supervision of an ASHA-certified SLP.
This preparation will include: