Online ISSN: 2325-7466
2006
Triannual
National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET)
United States

Articles

Another Form of Our Clinical Work: Exploring the Collaborative Experiences of School-based Speech-language Pathologists

Imani O. Evans, Christine M. Spence, LaRon A. Scott, Wendy J. Rodgers, Rachel W. Bowman, Meagan Dayton
  • Imani O. Evans (Author) Department of Speech-Language Pathology, Thomas Jefferson University image/svg+xml
  • Christine M. Spence (Author) Department of Counseling and Special Education, Virginia Commonwealth University image/svg+xml
  • LaRon A. Scott (Author) Department of Curriculum, Instruction, & Special Education, University of Virginia image/svg+xml
  • Wendy J. Rodgers (Author) Department of Counseling and Special Education, Virginia Commonwealth University image/svg+xml
  • Rachel W. Bowman (Author) College of Education, University of Mary Washington image/svg+xml
  • Meagan Dayton (Author) Department of Counseling and Special Education, Virginia Commonwealth University image/svg+xml
Abstract
A qualitative focus group design was utilized to investigate the collaborative experiences of SLPs as members of K-12 special education teams in U.S. public schools. The authors sought to explore how one describes their collaborative experiences as similar or different given an individual’s sociocultural identity and background. The participants were 12 school-based SLPs from differing sociocultural backgrounds, including age, geographic location, and racial identity. A semi-structured interview protocol was used to guide participants’ discussion around their perceptions of collaboration, factors impacting their ability to collaborate, and recommendations to improve collaboration. This study's findings suggest that SLPs perceive school-based collaboration as highly variable and complex and that many factors impact collaborative outcomes. Preliminary findings also illustrate the need to consider the role an SLP’s identity plays in their school-based collaborative perceptions and interactions. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Keywords
Collaboration, SLPs, Schools, Special education

Additional Metadata

Funding
{"en":"This research was funded through PRISE, an Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) funded program."}
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How to Cite
Evans, I. O., Spence, C. M., Scott, L. A., Rodgers, W. J., Bowman, R. W., & Dayton, M. (2026). Another Form of Our Clinical Work: Exploring the Collaborative Experiences of School-based Speech-language Pathologists. Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, 21(2), 33-46. https://www.aasep.org/article/view/641
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Vol. 21 No. 2 (2026): Spring/Summer 2026

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