Special Collection Highlights ASHA’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Since the development of ASHA’s Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) in 1969, the Association has worked to demonstrate its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The latest Special Collection from the ASHA Journals highlights some of the most recent articles in the ASHA Journals related to DEI, along with links to ASHA’s top resources on DEI.

Topics and Forums in DEI

Articles in the special collection look at the present and future communication sciences and disorders (CSD) workforce, focusing on DEI in higher education and clinical practice. “DEI in Higher Education” focuses on barriers that students in higher education CSD programs may face—and how students, faculty, and staff can address and dismantle such barriers. Articles in “DEI in Clinical Practice” highlight bilingual supports for clinicians as well as the role that clinicians’ diverse backgrounds can play in their career path and in the care that they provide.

The collection also highlights published and upcoming forums exploring DEI in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (AJSLP) and Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups. These four forums cover the topics of using a holistic review for graduate admissions, increasing diversity in ASHA’s workforce, mental health and well-being in higher education, and supporting diversity in communication sciences and disorders (CSD).

Additional DEI Resources

The ASHA Leader Live and the ASHA Voices podcast are great resources to turn to if you’d like to learn more about the work of ASHA members striving for DEI. The articles in this Special Collection showcase personal reflections about racial and health care disparities and how ASHA members can do their part to create a more culturally responsive membership.

Finally, the Special Collection contains links to the ASHA Practice Portal and Evidence Maps on topics central to DEI. These topics include bilingual service delivery, cultural competence, and voice services for transgender and gender diverse populations.

We hope that this Special Collection can provide enough resources to start a conversation on the complex role of race and culture within the professions. Due to the evolving conversation around this topic, we’ll be adding to this special collection regularly, so make sure to check back!