This year marks the 40th anniversary of the National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons With Severe Disabilities (NJC). This unique effort is made up of eight organizations, including ASHA, who work together to advocate for individuals with significant communication support needs.

A new forum in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (AJSLP) highlights significant progress that the NJC has helped bring about in both research and practice. See below to learn more about the forum—guest edited by Joe Reichle and Krista Wilkinson—and future directions for this important work!

Learn More About the Forum

In the introduction to the forum, Barton-Hulsey and Sevcik discuss the articles, each written by members of the NJC. They explain, “The forum aims to foster a deeper understanding of the critical issues affecting people with severe disabilities” (Barton-Hulsey & Sevcik, 2026, p. 2). The authors describe the ways in which the forum can help practitioners understand how to support the communication needs of people with severe disabilities.

Next, Barton-Hulsey and colleagues look at a history of the terminology used to describe the individuals whom the NJC represents. The authors highlight the importance of language when advocating for people with severe disabilities, many of whom are often overlooked.

Romski and colleagues also reflect on the past 40 years, discussing the individuals with intellectual disabilities and the development of the NJC. The authors highlight important steps while acknowledging the work that still needs to be done.

The forum ends with an article by Bruce and colleagues on the recently revised Communication Bill of Rights (CBoR). The authors show how we can use the CBoR to develop and improve programs and to advocate for the rights of individuals with severe disabilities.

Thank You for the Important Work You Do

In their introduction, Barton-Hulsey and Sevcik note that “People with severe disabilities deserve dignity and respect within their homes, schools, and communities,” p. 2). We hope that this forum helps you start the year by reflecting on why you do this important work—to protect the communication rights of individuals with severe disabilities.

We’d like to thank Drs. Reichle and Wilkinson as well as the authors for their work bringing this forum to AJSLP’s readers. To hear more about the forum from the guest editors, watch the video below! You can read the entire forum in the latest issue of AJSLP or explore the individual articles under the “Explore the Forum” section below.

Check back next week for another brand new forum, this time focusing on trauma-informed care in children. We hope that you’ll join us next week to learn more about this important topic.

Explore the Forum

Barton-Hulsey, A., Erickson, K., Sevcik, R. A., Romski, M., & Paul, D. (2025). Current challenges and future directions with terminology: The impact of ableism and identity. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 35(1), 3–13. https://doi.org/10.1044/2025_AJSLP-24-00536

Barton-Hulsey, A., & Sevcik, R. A. (2025). Introduction to the forum by the National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons With Severe Disabilities: Historical perspectives and future directions. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 35(1), 1–2. https://doi.org/10.1044/2025_AJSLP-25-00497

Bruce, S. M., Lyons, V., & Chen, Y. (2025). Applying the Communication Bill of Rights to enact principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 35(1), 29–39. https://doi.org/10.1044/2025_AJSLP-24-00442

Romski, M., Sevcik, R. A., Barton-Hulsey, A., & Paul, D. (2025). More than six decades of growth and development: Communication rights and needs for children and adults with severe disabilities. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 35(1), 14–28. https://doi.org/10.1044/2025_AJSLP-24-00548