Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
II-b). Therefore, as professionals SLPs are expected to refer when appropriate to ensure
that clients are being provided with high-quality service. Another rule indicates that life-
long learning is required to maintain and enhance professional competence. Gaining
knowledge and skills related to the highest quality of professional care in AT training and
experience may become challenging. Continuing education and specialty certification are
methods to document life-long learning. When in doubt about the ability to maximize an
individual's potential, to err on the side of holding paramount the welfare of the persons
served professionally is advised (Principle of Ethics I).
14.1.1 Assistive Technology Teams and the SLP
Collaborative teaming has been a widely acknowledged and accepted approach to con-
ducting AT assessments (Swengel and Marquette 1997; Cook and Hussey 2002). The
concepts of multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary teams imply that
several related clinical, rehabilitational, and educational service personnel are included on
AT teams. AT team members, in addition to the SLP, may include families, therapists, edu-
cators, counselors, psychologists, rehabilitation specialists, engineers, vendors, and manu-
facturers as well as the individual central to the team (Hill et al. 1998). Consequently, AT
teams have many overlapping and shared roles and responsibilities, making coordination
and responsibility of services challenging (Lieber et al. 1997).
Establishing a collaborative team culture is essential to developing effective AT teams
(Bodine and Melonis 2005). A principle to establishing effective team management and col-
laboration is that the knowledge and skills of various team members are honored, yet the
responsibility in assessing and implementing the AT plan is shared (Haines and Robertson
2005). Whether the team follows a multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, or transdisciplinary
model, each member is aware of each others' role and responsibilities. Therefore, identi-
fying the role of the SLP along with the roles of the other members on the team becomes
essential to optimizing the performance and outcomes for an individual using AT.
SLPs bring specific knowledge and skills about the oral and written communication
and listening and reading skills of the individual under consideration. Although these
domains overlap with the knowledge and skills of other AT team members, the com-
petence or expertise of addressing these cognitive-linguistic domains and functional
communication of an individual is critical to the Matching Persons and Technology
(MPT) process (Hill and Scherer 2008). Consequently, successful collaborative teaming
is dependent on team members having regular opportunities to share their expertise,
identify common goals, build plans of support, and determine responsibilities (Hunt
et al. 2004).
The expected roles of SLPs working with individuals who rely on augmentative and
alternative communication (AAC) apply to the responsibilities of SLPs on AT teams
(ASHA 2004b):
• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the individual who requires AT;
• Provide assessment and documentation of AT methods, components, and strate-
gies evaluated and selected;
• Evaluate the effectiveness and usefulness of the chosen AT;
• Develop and implement intervention plans;
• Advocate for increased responsiveness and funding needs; and
• Coordinate and collaborate AT services that optimize performance and outcomes;
