Speech and Language Pathologist

**Position**: Speech and Language Pathologist (Augmentative and Alternative Communication Assignment) (Temporary contract)

**Reports to**: Senior Manager and Clinical Lead - Speech Language and Hearing Services

Job Purpose

Uses specialized knowledge and skills to systematically identify barriers for students who have communication needs to determine if AAC support is beneficial and, if so, appropriate system. Works in classrooms collaborating with educators, providing intervention coaching, and works as part of a multidisciplinary team assessing, consulting, and programming for a broad range of students who require AAC support. SLPs design and deliver workshops for parents and education staff, participate in meetings, and provide student specific programming for the home and classroom in relation to AAC systems.

**Accountabilities**:
**ASSESS STUDENTS AND INTERPRET RESULTS**: Independently execute individualized AAC assessment for low-and high-tech systems, assess students and interpret results specific AAC and AAC-related tools, and interpreting outcomes to parents, educational staff, and outside agencies. Collaborate in a multi-disciplinary assessment approach with educators, members of the special education team and outside agencies.

**PLAN, ORGANIZE AND IMPLEMENT INTERVENTIONS**: Plan, organize and implement interventions communication through AAC systems in accordance with CASLPO standards, including modeling and coaching in-class interventions to build educator capacity for growing student skills, providing follow-up with respect to coaching strategies, evaluating student success and determining next steps, modeling, implementing, and extending the specialized communication strategies which have been recommended by outside agencies, engaging parents and guardians to implement identified communication goals, in the home or community, managing, organizing, and adjusting daily and weekly schedules, and collecting feedback to inform and evaluate effectiveness of interventions and make revisions as required.

**DOCUMENT AND COLLECT DATA**: Complete accurate clinical records according to professional college standards by completing detailed contact notes within a contemporary time frame using an electronic record collection system, developing formal assessment reports, progress reports, consultation notes, writing and sharing recommendations for an action plan which aligns with curriculum expectations, annually submitting a required compliance report to CASLPO to maintain registration status, and completing a daily speech and language specific statistics form to track student and system involvement of SLPs.

**ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE**: Acquire knowledge to keep current with evidence-based practice within an educational setting and a constantly changing student population by attending and participating in Ministry of Education curriculum input and information sharing meetings, attending conferences, attending and participating in board level meetings, collaborating with teacher and instructional facilitator leads within DDSB, reading current evidence-based research and case studies, participating in study groups within the speech and language profession and across professional groups within education, partnering with universities for student mentorship, clinical education and research, and attending workshops and lectures from specialists in the SLP field.

**COLLABORATE WITH OUTSIDE AGENCIES**: Collaborate with outside agencies to meet student needs, including meeting and planning with community partners to develop policies regarding seamless, coherent service provision across organizations, communicating with outside agencies to ensure that intervention strategies are integrated into a classroom context,, and making referrals to agencies for intensive supports not provided by the DDSB.

**Knowledge and Skills**:
Specialized training and experience in high
- and low-tech AAC clinics or service delivery models to support students in an educational setting

Prior experience in coaching-based intervention settings is an asset

Ability to use a variety of technological platforms including Microsoft and Google

Knowledge of evidence based clinical practices in the field of Speech-Language Pathology

Knowledge of current CASLPO standards and requirements of SLPs, including CASLPO’s Clinical Reasoning Tool

Knowledge of Board policies and procedures (e.g. Health and safety, cultural competency and meeting needs of diverse populations)

Strong communication skills (e.g., oral/written, communication, conflict resolution)

Comfortable presenting to adults

Organizational, prioritization and time management skills

Ability to work effectively with various internal and external stakeholders

**Education**:
Completion of a Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology or a combination of education, training and experience deemed to be equivalent by CASLPO

Current CASLPO registration.

Valid Ontario driver's license