Many speech-language pathologists (SLPs) provide services at one location. However, there are times and circumstances in which an SLP may work at several locations. We refer to these SLPs as itinerant since they travel from place to place. Itinerant SLPs typically have scheduled days for providing services at a location (e.g., Monday and Wednesday at the preschool and Tuesday and Thursday at the high school). Itinerant SLPs may also travel to multiple sites within a single day. Reasons for itinerant services may include a shortage of SLPs, budget concerns, or caseload size.

Itinerant SLPs travel between sites to meet the speech and language needs of all children on their caseloads. Oftentimes, these therapists travel from school to school so that a child may receive services at his/her home school. In the school there is usually a designated therapy area such as a resource room or meeting room. Itinerant SLPs can also provide services in a child’s home. Reasons for this may be that a child is ill and cannot leave the home—or, the child may be home-schooled. During summer break, a child in extended school year services may receive services from an itinerant SLP. These services may take place at a neutral location such as a library or day care.

SLPs are not the only professionals who provide itinerant services. Some examples of related disciplines with itinerant services are adaptive physical education, assistive technology, blind and visually impaired, Deaf and hard of hearing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and special education. These itinerant educators play a big part in meeting the needs of all children with disabilities. Itinerant educators may collaborate and work together when providing services to children, or they may see the children in one-on-one sessions.