Course Description

Program Description For individuals struggling with communicative disorders, it takes a good listener equipped with effective skills and training to help them achieve their communication goals. Communicative disorders assistants, under the guidance of speech-language pathologists and audiologists, help implement effective treatment plans that will assist people of all ages to communicate more effectively. This graduate certificate program is designed for students with previous education and/or relevant experience. Communicative disorders assistants (CDAs), under the guidance of qualified speech-language pathologists and/or audiologists, play a variety of roles including providing speech and language therapy to children and adults in addition to carrying out speech/language screenings and hearing screenings and assessments. Durham College’s program, which is recognized by the Communicative Disorders Assistant Association of Canada (CDAAC), will enable you to obtain the knowledge, skills, confidence and credentials needed to deliver a wide range of communication services to clients of all ages with speech, language and/or hearing disorders. A thorough understanding of physiological and functional speech/language and hearing disorders and the development of essential programming skills and communication intervention techniques is fundamental as we prepare you for a rewarding career in the field of communicative disorders and teach you the most current and effective therapy techniques. Our faculty members are dedicated speech-language pathologists, audiologists and CDAs with many years of clinical experience in communicative disorders. They foster student learning through: Classroom-based and online learning Clinical observations before placement begins Technology-assisted learning Dynamic guest speakers Practical lab activities Specialized workshops and field trips You will practice your skills in our dedicated CDA classroom, clinical resource library and speech-language/AAC and audiology lab, which is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and clinical resources that allows students to hone their clinical and professional skills. Students gain practical experience during the academic year with the opportunity to participate in our DC Kids Speech and Language Clinic and Hearing Screening Clinic. The program includes two clinical field placements in the second semester, totaling over 500 hours, often leading to full-time positions after graduation. Career options: Applied behavioural therapist Audiometric technician Communicative disorders assistant Infant hearing co-ordinator Infant hearing technician Rehabilitation facilitator Research officer Speech language therapy assistant

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