ASHA-PAHO Collaboration: Addressing Communication Disorders Across Three Countries

Abstract

This article will focus on the work, challenges, and experiences of three American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Ad Hoc Committees that are collaborating in a project between ASHA and the Pan American Health Organization/Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), known as the ASHA-PAHO/WHO project. Their charge, to provide technical assistance on educational initiatives and the delivery of high quality speech- language-pathology/audiology services in three of PAHO's priority countries in Latin America, El Salvador, Honduras and Guyana, is being addressed by ASHA professionals as they share their participation in the implementation phase in these three countries.

Collaborative Approaches to the Support of People with Disabilities: The Underserved and Unserved

“…The new phonoaudiology program opened in January 2017 with 37 students enrolled. This program includes classrooms, laboratories, clinical facilities, and a learning center with communication technology equipment [20]. The new program received technical assistance on curriculum development, consultation on the basic equipment required in the rehabilitation clinics, and information on state of the art assessment.…”

“…Faculty in Guyana expressed a desire to collaborate in developing the curriculum and determining the needs of the audiology component [20]. A committee was developed to review and make recommendations.…”

“…In 2013, ASHA joined the PAHO to create a collaboration (ASHA-PAHO) to address communication disabilities in countries that expressed the need for technical cooperation: El Salvador, Honduras, and Guyana. This collaboration was established as the ASHA-PAHO/WHO project [20]. …”