The American Board of Audiology (ABA) is beginning work on two new initiatives and is seeking support from the audiology community to bring these to fruition. Following the great success of the ABA's recent launch of a specialty certification in cochlear implantation developed under the able leadership of Patricia Chute and Cheryl DeConde Johnson, ABA is working towards its second specialty certification program. A survey of members of the American Academy of Audiology revealed 78 % of responding audiologists believed pediatric audiology had progressed to the point that it should be considered a specialty area. ABA Board member, Jim Beauchamp, and a committee of nationally recognized pediatric audiologists, are working to make this specialty certification a reality.
The second of ABA's current initiatives is based upon the growing recognition that a new national audiology examination is needed to reflect audiology's emergence as a doctorate-level health-care profession. This examination, designed to better test future audiologists' application of newly learned and developed clinical skills, will be marketed to states for the examination of new applicants for licensure in audiology.
The ABA is not new to the process of examination development and is aware of the costs that will be accrued with these two projects. ABA will be working with a testing industry consultant to develop the requisite job analysis, help prepare needed examination questions, and construct a valid test along with implementation of subsequent processes for test delivery, item scoring and results reporting, all of which will be integral to the success of a new national examination.
John Greer Clark, Ph.D., ABA Chair, says, "This is a time for all audiologists to help make a difference in their chosen profession as we continue down the road to autonomy. The ABA is looking for rank and file audiologists to contribute toward making the new national examination and the pediatric specialty certification program a reality." Toward this end, ABA is working with the American Academy of Audiology Foundation (AAAF) in a fundraising campaign aimed at interested individuals and organizations in support of these initiatives. The ABA alliance with AAAF in their fundraising efforts makes all personal donations 100% tax deductible. To donate toward the development of a new national examination in audiology you may send your check to:
The American Academy of Audiology Foundation (AAAF)To ensure that donations go to one of these ABA initiatives, donors are requested to enclose a note indicating that the donation is restricted to the ABA and the percentage of the donation that should go to the national examination or the pediatric specialty certification. A similar notation should be made on the check.
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