(Rockville, MD - April 6, 2016) - The Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) recently received the maximum 5-year renewal of recognition from the U.S. Department of Education (ED).
The ED recognition enables CAA-accredited programs to establish eligibility to participate in certain federal programs authorized under the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA), Section III, and the U.S. Public Health Service Act.
The renewal reaffirms that the CAA, a semiautonomous body within the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), operates in compliance with the Higher Education Act and accepted best practices within the accrediting community.
The CAA is the only accrediting body for programs in audiology and speech-language pathology that is recognized by both the ED and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
As of February 2016, 248 master's programs in speech-language pathology and 73 clinical doctoral programs in audiology were CAA-accredited. Another 20 new programs—two in audiology and 18 in speech-language pathology—held candidate (or pre-accreditation) status.
"ASHA's accreditation program has been recognized by ED since 1967," ASHA 2016 President Jaynee Handelsman, PhD, CCC-A, says. "In fact, its long history dates as far back as the early 1960s when the first accreditation standards were developed."
Handelsman adds: "Through the CAA's work, we continue to help ensure that academic programs graduate students who are fully prepared to provide effective professional services as audiologists and speech-language pathologists."
According to CAA Chair Mikael D. Z. Kimelman, PhD, CCC-SLP, the "ED's recognition process provides the CAA with an opportunity for self-evaluation of our accreditation program and processes."
"An important part of our self-study comes from peer review and dialogue with stakeholders in the higher education community," Kimelman explains. "Our accreditation program is strengthened by the ED's rigorous review process, which makes it valuable to us and the programs we serve."
About the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
The CAA formulates standards for the accreditation of graduate education programs that provide entry-level professional preparation in audiology and/or speech-language pathology; evaluates programs that voluntarily apply for accreditation; grants certificates and recognizes those programs deemed to have fulfilled requirements for accreditation; maintains a registry of holders of such certificates; and prepares and furnishes to appropriate persons and agencies lists of accredited programs. Although it is part of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the CAA operates autonomously when it carries out its accreditation tasks.
About the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
ASHA is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for 186,000 members and affiliates who are audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology support personnel; and students. Audiologists specialize in preventing and assessing hearing and balance disorders as well as providing audiologic treatment, including hearing aids. Speech-language pathologists identify, assess, and treat speech and language problems, including swallowing disorders. www.asha.org
