The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA)

Established in 1969, the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) is part of the ASHA National Office. This office addresses cultural and linguistic diversity issues related to professionals and persons with communication disorders and differences. It does this by:

• developing opportunities for students and ASHA members to keep pace with the knowledge, skills and technologies required for multicultural literacy in communication disorders and differences;
• promoting quality service provision in our increasingly pluralistic American society;
• ensuring full participation of all professionals and students in Association life; and
• serving as a catalyst for infusing multicultural issues throughout the operations of the Association.

Through the teams of Multicultural Education and Multicultural Resource Services OMA carries out its mission by:

• tracking needs relative to historically underrepresented, bilingual, and other culturally diverse populations (age, gender, sexual orientation); and persons with disabilities;
• tracking access to service culturally and linguistically diverse populations;
• disseminating and developing materials, products, education programs, and activities;
• providing expert information and technical assistance on policies and procedures;
• providing information on current events relative to multicultural issues;
• working on ASHA's Strategic Plan;
• monitoring status and needs of students from culturally and linguistically diverse populations;
• consulting on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA);
• coordinating activities of the Multicultural Infusion Training Program; and
• identifying resources for the infusion of multicultural/multilingual issues in CSD curricula.