The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association designates May as "National Speech-Language-Hearing Month!" This is the time of year for Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) and Audiologists to educate their communities about communication disorders and the fields of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.

The need for a professional to deal with disorders of speech was identified in the 1920's; however,"speech correctionists" were not introduced to the schools until the 1950's. Similarly, the field of audiology emerged in the 1940s to help soldiers returning from World War II with noise-induced hearing loss. In the beginning, speech correctionists dealt with articulation, but over the years, the field has grown to include voice, fluency, language, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), accent reduction, acquistion, and oral-motor evaulations and therapies.

These four terms are often used interchangeably, but can mean different things. In the 1950's, a person would receive a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Correction. This certificate was given until the mid-eighties when the requirements for the teaching certificate changed.

Today, speech-language pathologist is the preferred term. An SLP must obtain a master's degree from an acreddited program and complete approximately 375 clinical hours in diagnostics and intervention.

The masters program for Speech-Language Pathology is unique in that it combines science, education, medicine, and psychology. Most graduate programs require 40-60 graduate credits, in addition to several clinical internships.

SLPs may also obtain two additional certificates: The Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) and a state license. The CCCs are issued when the SLP completes master's degree and 375 hours of supervised clinical hours in communication disorders and therapy, receives a passing score on the Praxis exam, and completes a Clinical Fellowship Year. State license requirements vary. To maintain their licenses, SLPs must complete continuing education requirements.

An SLP can take on many roles. SLPs can study a specialized area or continue their education to the doctoral level. Here is a general overview of the roles an SLP can serve: