Changes Are Coming in Subject Code Terminology

Watch for changes to the ASHA CE Subject Codes, particularly in the topic areas of DEI and Hearing. Details follow in the subsections below.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

The DEI Professional Development Requirement for the 2020 Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Certification Standards takes effect for ASHA Members with a January 1, 2023 – January 1, 2025 interval. Based on that requirement, ASHA CE needed to explore options for aligning and supporting the Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology’s (CFCC’s) definition of “DEI” to make it easier for providers and participants to understand what topics meet the new requirement. Information about Ethics and Supervision requirements already resides within our current Subject Codes. Remember that although ASHA stipulates this specific requirement, each state has its own guidelines and requirements that need to be met for licensure—and the two do not always align.

ASHA CE conducted a comparison of the CFCC requirements and the current ASHA CE Subject Codes and also consulted with stakeholders. Based on the results of this comparison and those conversations, ASHA CE will be changing the Subject Codes to include how DEI is addressed in areas such as (a) evolving and lifelong learning, (b) self-evaluation and self-critique, and (c) professional interactions outside of service delivery.

These changes will be reflected in two current Subject Codes: (1) Subject Code for Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Education, Training, Service Delivery, and Public Policy – 7030 and (2) Service Delivery Associated With Speech, Language, Hearing, and Related Disorders – 7010. Examples of the changes include changing the title of the 7030 Subject Code to “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Education, Training, Service Delivery, and Public Policy” and moving the terminology for inclusive practices and accommodations/adaptations from the 7010 Subject Code to the updated and renamed 7030 Subject Code. These changes will be reflected in the CE Provider Portal (Registration section) on July 1. As you register courses with this content, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with these changes and use the new 7030 Subject Code, which has been renamed to “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Education, Training, Service Delivery, and Public Policy.”

Hearing Related

Recently, ASHA CE reviewed various ASHA webpages to ensure that hearing-related language reflected current accepted terminology. ASHA CE engaged in a conversation with Regina Zappi, Associate Director, Audiology Professional Practices, and Adena Dacy, Associate Director, Health Care Services. They explained that ASHA seeks to use clear, consistent terminology representing the diversity and viewpoints of our members, consumers, and collaborators while recognizing cultural sensitivity and the contexts in which different terms are used.

In resources on hearing-related topics, variations in terminology may reflect a variety of contexts—including hearing levels, ages of onset and identification, etiologies, languages and communication modalities, educational and professional backgrounds, cultural identities or perspectives, and the timeframes in which a resource was originally created. ASHA’s intent is to describe people and hearing-related concepts in resources using consistent, respectful, and culturally sensitive terminology. However, specific language may be necessary to clearly convey audiologic assessment results and diagnoses. Also, certain terminology in the law and in clinical documentation or conversations may not reflect terminology used by some individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Given this shift in focus toward what people can do rather than what they can’t do, these professionals recommend that we avoid terminology such as “hearing impaired” or “hearing impairment” with the following exceptions:

• unless referring to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) disability category
• unless using a payer term used for reimbursement purposes,
• unless an individual self-identifies in this manner

With new guidance in place, ASHA updated the CE Subject Code webpage for Audiology Assessment – 5010, removing the term hearing impaired and replacing it with hearing loss. Check out the new guidance on ASHA’s webpage, Hearing-Related Topics: Terminology Guidance.

As ASHA continues to implement new guidance, we encourage you to work with presenters and learners. Consider sharing this information with them—and incorporating it into your professional and personal communications and interactions.