Survey on the services to be provided by speech language and hearing professionals, personnel, and allied professionals in India

Abstract

Introduction: It is essential that the scope of practice of any profession be defined so as to prevent malpractice. This applies to the field of speech and hearing also. This scope of practice should commensurate with the educational qualification of the individuals. Hence, the present study aimed to obtain the views of life members of the Indian Speech and Hearing Association (ISHA) on the services that can be provided by speech and hearing professionals, personnel, and allied professionals in India having different levels of education. Materials and Methods: Using a 28-item checklist, an e-survey was conducted to obtain the views of ISHA life members regarding services that can be provided by speech and hearing professionals and personnel and allied professionals in India. Results: The majority of the participants were of the view that speech and hearing personnel cannot carryout most activities independently. In addition, many indicated that speech and hearing professionals with a master’s degree onward can independently carryout clinical, research, student training, and administrative activities related to the field. They suggested restrictions on the services that can be provided by those having a bachelor’s degree and those having a degree in the special education. Conclusion: The results clearly delineate the services that can be carried out by speech and hearing personnel, professionals with varied levels of education, and by special educators. Incorporating this information in the scope of practice for those with specific levels of education may help in reducing malpractice in India in the field of speech and hearing.