A communicative disorders assistant (CDA) performs

hearing Hearing, or auditory perception, is the ability to perceive sounds In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psycholog ...

and speech-language screenings, prepares therapy materials, implements

speech therapy Speech is a human vocal communication using language. Each language uses phonetic combinations of vowel and consonant sounds that form the sound of its words (that is, all English words sound different from all French words, even if they are th ...

, reports on therapy outcomes, performs routine maintenance on clinical equipment, and works with speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and

audiologist Audiology (from Latin , "to hear"; and from Greek , ''-logia'') is a branch of science that studies hearing, balance, and related disorders. Audiologists treat those with hearing loss and proactively prevent related damage. By employing various ...

s to adjust therapy goals. While CDAs cannot perform assessments or set therapy goals, they are a vital part of the therapy team. CDAs are supervised by and work in conjunction with SLPs and audiologists. While anyone working under the supervision of a speech-language pathologist or audiologist may be considered to be Supportive Personnel, Communicative Disorder Assistants receive their title after being specifically trained and educated in various communicative issues as well as completing field placements in various communication areas (such as

fluency Fluency (also called volubility and eloquency) is the property of a person or of a system that delivers information quickly and with expertise. Language use Language fluency is one of a variety of terms used to characterize or measure a person ...

, articulation,

augmentative and alternative communication Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) encompasses the communication methods used to supplement or replace speech or writing for those with impairments in the production or comprehension of spoken or written language. AAC is used by t ...

, and aural rehabilitation) at various institution types. These may include, but are not limited to school boards,

hearing aid A hearing aid is a device designed to improve hearing by making sound audible to a person with hearing loss. Hearing aids are classified as medical devices in most countries, and regulated by the respective regulations. Small audio amplifiers su ...

manufacturers, acute care hospitals, treatment centres, long-term care facilities, community health units, private agencies, augmentative communication companies and audiology clinics.

Canadian regulation

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, Communicative Disorder Assistants are not regulated, although the Audiologists and Speech-language Pathologists who supervise them typically are regulated under the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO) or the

Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists Speech-Language & Audiology Canada (SAC), formerly known as the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists (CASLPA), is a national organization supporting and representing speech-language pathologists, audiologists and c ...

(CASLPA). The training, supervision, and

use Use may refer to: * Use (law), an obligation on a person to whom property has been conveyed * Use (liturgy), a special form of Roman Catholic ritual adopted for use in a particular diocese * Use–mention distinction, the distinction between using ...

of CDAs is specified within these organizations. The Communicative Disorders Assistant Association of Canada (CDAAC) recognizes for membership only students or graduates of approved Communicative Disorders Assistant programs within Canada (those that include coursework in all areas of

communication Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inquir ...

and prepare students to work with clients of any age).

References

FAQ page from CDAAC

External links

*Communicative Disorders Assistant Association of Canada
CDAAC
Allied health professions