Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 505 - PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMISSION › Chapter 505-3 - EDUCATOR PREPARATION RULES › Rule 505-3-.71 - Speech and Language Pathology Program

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through
			 June 27, 2024
(1)
Purpose.
This rule states field-specific content standards for
			 approving programs that prepare individuals as speech and language pathologists
			 who provide related educational support or direct intervention for all students
			 whose individual education program indicates instructional needs in the area of
			 communication disorders. This rule supplements requirements in GaPSC Rule
			 505-3-.01 REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS
			 FOR APPROVING EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROVIDERS AND EDUCATOR PREPARATION
			 PROGRAMS.
(2)
Requirements.
(a) The minimum
			 preparation for a renewable professional certificate is at the master's degree
			 level in Speech and Language Pathology. A non-renewable certificate may be
			 issued in some circumstances as outlined in GaPSC Certification Rule
			 505-2-.148 SPEECH AND LANGUAGE
			 PATHOLOGY; and
(b) To receive
			 approval for an initial preparation program at the master's level, a GaPSC
			 approved educator preparation provider shall offer a preparation program
			 described in program planning forms, catalogs, and syllabi addressing the
			 following standards for the preparation of speech language pathologists
			 published in 2020 by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
			 Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.
1. The program shall prepare candidates who
			 know the principles of biological sciences, physical sciences, statistics, and
			 the social/behavioral sciences;
2.
			 The program shall prepare candidates who know basic human communication and
			 swallowing processes, including the appropriate biological, neurological,
			 acoustic, psychological, developmental, and linguistic and cultural bases. The
			 program shall prepare candidates with the ability to integrate information
			 pertaining to normal and abnormal human development across the lifespan;
			 and
3. The program shall prepare
			 candidates who know communication and swallowing disorders and differences,
			 including the appropriate etiologies, characteristics,
			 anatomical/physiological, acoustic, psychological, developmental, and
			 linguistic and cultural correlates in the following areas:
(i) Articulation;
(ii) Fluency;
(iii) Voice and resonance, including
			 respiration and phonation;
(iv)
			 Receptive and expressive language (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics,
			 pragmatics, pre-linguistic communication and paralinguistic communication) in
			 speaking, listening, reading, writing;
(v) Hearing, including the impact on speech
			 and language;
(vi) Swallowing
			 (oral, pharyngeal, esophageal, and related functions, including oral function
			 for feeding, orofacial myology);
(vii) Cognitive aspects of communication
			 (attention, memory, sequencing, problem-solving, executive
			 functioning);
(viii) Social aspects
			 of communication (including challenging behavior, ineffective social skills,
			 and lack of communication opportunities); and
(ix) Augmentative and alternative
			 communication modalities.
4. The program shall prepare candidates who
			 possess knowledge of the principles and methods of prevention, assessment, and
			 intervention for people with communication and swallowing disorders, including
			 consideration of anatomical/physiological, development, and linguistic and
			 cultural correlates;
5. The program
			 shall prepare candidates who know standards of ethical conduct;
6. The program shall prepare candidates with
			 skills in oral and written or other forms of communication sufficient for entry
			 into professional practice;
7. The
			 program shall prepare candidates who know processes used in research and of the
			 integration of research principles into evidence-based clinical
			 practice;
8. The program shall
			 prepare candidates who demonstrate knowledge of contemporary professional
			 issues;
9. The program shall
			 prepare candidates who demonstrate knowledge of entry level and advanced
			 certifications, licensure, and other relevant professional credentials, as well
			 as local, state, and national regulations and policies relevant to professional
			 practice.
10. The program must
			 include experiences in breadth and depth to achieve the following skills
			 outcomes:
(i) Evaluation:
(I) Conduct screening and prevention
			 procedures (including prevention activities);
(II) Collect case history information and
			 integrate information from clients/patients, family, caregivers, teachers, and
			 relevant others, including other professionals;
(III) Select and administer appropriate
			 evaluation procedures, such as behavioral observations, non-standardized and
			 standardized tests, and instrumental procedures;
(IV) Adapt evaluation procedures to meet
			 client/patient needs;
(V)
			 Interpret, integrate, and synthesize all information to develop diagnoses, and
			 make appropriate recommendations for intervention;
(VI) Complete administrative and reporting
			 functions necessary to support evaluation; and
(VII) Refer clients/patients for appropriate
			 services.
(ii)
			 Intervention:
(I) Develop setting-appropriate
			 intervention plans with measurable and achievable goals that meet
			 clients'/patients' needs. Collaborate with clients/patients and relevant others
			 in the planning process;
(II)
			 Implement intervention plans (involve clients/patients and relevant others in
			 the intervention process);
(III)
			 Select or develop and use appropriate materials and instrumentation for
			 prevention and intervention;
(IV)
			 Measure and evaluate clients'/patients' performance and progress;
(V) Modify intervention plans, strategies,
			 materials, or instrumentation as appropriate to meet the needs of clients/
			 patients;
(VI) Complete
			 administrative and reporting functions necessary to support intervention;
			 and
(VII) Identify and refer
			 clients/ patients for services as appropriate.
(iii) Interaction:
(I) Communicate effectively, recognizing the
			 needs, values, preferred mode of communication, and cultural/ linguistic
			 background of the client/ patient, family, caregivers, and relevant
			 others;
(II) Collaborate with other
			 professionals in case management;
(III) Provide effective guidance and coaching
			 to colleagues who are supporting the speech language program;
(IV) Provide counseling regarding
			 communication and swallowing disorders to clients/ patients, family caregivers,
			 and relevant others; and
(V) Adhere
			 to the ASHA Code of Ethics and behave professionally.
(c) The program shall
			 include a minimum of 400 clock hours of supervised clinical experience in the
			 practice of speech-language pathology, including twenty-five hours in clinical
			 observations and 375 hours in direct client/ patient contact.
(d) At least 325 of the 400 clock hours must
			 be completed while the applicant is engaged in graduate study in a program
			 accredited in speech-language pathology by the Council on Academic
			 Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.