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(Approved by the Board of IALP on August 10, 1995)
Part A: Preface
1. Background
1.1. At its meeting in Germany in August 1992, the Education Committee (Logopedics) of the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP) agreed to take steps towards preparing international guidelines for the initial education of logopedists.
1.2. A first draft of guidelines was prepared and discussed by the Education Committee (Logopedics), three national Professional Bodies and other associations and individuals. A second draft was presented at a conference organised by the Education Committee (Logopedics) at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, in July 1993; it was discussed in detail by 28 people from 16 different countries who attended the conference following advertisement of the event in 'IALP News' in Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica. A third draft incorporated comments made by these participants, and was endorsed by the Education Committee (Logopedics) for circulation through 'IALP News' (January-February 1994) and further consultation world-wide. A fourth draft was discussed at a symposium at the 1995 IALP Congress in Cairo, and a final draft was approved by the Board of IALP on August 10, 1995 for dissemination as a definitive statement.
1.3. The aim of this exercise is to establish guidelines for the initial education of logopedists, which will in due course facilitate the international movement of personnel and ideas. It is hoped that, through the preparation of competent and innovative practitioners, these guidelines will help in:
(a) the maintenance of good service to people with communication disorders in countries where this is already well established;
(b) the improvement of service to people with communication disorders in countries where such a service is developing;
(c) the setting up of new programmes for the initial professional education of logopedists, where such programmes do not currently exist.
1.4. In respect of (c) above, it should be noted that these guidelines refer only to the education of logopedists (or their equivalent in other terminologies) as defined in `Appendix B' of this document. The IALP recognises that some countries (particularly those which are seriously underresourced) may choose to train people whose work includes helping the communication-- disordered through alternative or additional routes than by setting up logopedics programmes of the type illustrated here. The guidelines have been...