In an ever-changing global landscape, it is pertinent that audiologists and speech-language pathologists “account for the complexity and diversity of healthcare contexts” (as stated in the second article by Pillay and Pillay). Pressing concerns related to advancing technology (artificial intelligence and machine learning), culturally responsive practice, and rapid climate change are all trending societal conversations. This SIG 17 self-study explores creative solutions to pressing global issues that impact the field of audiology and speech-language pathology. Topics presented include key ethical concerns regarding hearing aids with machine learning, a novel culturally responsive framework for contextualized clinical reasoning, and the impact of climate change on communication and swallowing disorders.

Learning Outcomes 
You will be able to:

• describe the three human data interaction principles applicable to confidentiality and privacy and how it relates to machine learning technology in hearing aids
• analyze the applicability of the contextualized clinical reasoning framework to your current clinical setting
• describe the nature of climate change and identify its effects specifically on communication and swallowing disorders

Articles in This Course

1. Using Nominal Group Technique to Identify Key Ethical Concerns Regarding Hearing Aids With Machine Learning by Alida Naudé and Juan Bornman, published in SIG 17, Volume 6, Issue 6, December 17, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_PERSP-21-00126 
2. Syncing Our Global Thinking: A Framework for Contextualized Clinical Reasoning by Thiani Pillay and Mershen Pillay, published in SIG 17, Volume 6, Issue 5, October 20, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_PERSP-21-00054 
3. Communication and Swallowing Disorders: The Effects of Climate Change by Sue Sherratt, published in SIG 17, Volume 7, Issue 1, February 11, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_PERSP-21-00186 

Author Information

Disclosures:

• Alida Naudé and Juan Bornman have no relevant financial or nonfinancial interests to disclose. 
• Mershen Pillay is an editorial board member of Perspectives of the ASHA SIGs, SIG 8: Audiology and Public Health and has no relevant financial interests to disclose. Thiani Pillay has no relevant financial or nonfinancial interests to disclose.  
• Sue Sherratt has no relevant financial or nonfinancial interests to disclose. 

Assessment Type

Self-assessment—Think about what you learned and report on the Completion Form how you will use your new knowledge.

To earn continuing education credit, you must complete the learning assessment by 11:59 p.m. ET on the end date below.

Program History and CE Information

Start date: September 29, 2022
End date: September 29, 2027 

This course is offered for 0.25 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate level, Professional area).
Subject code 7030 
Counts toward PD requirement for ASHA certification maintenance for Content Area 2. Read more about professional development requirements for certification maintenance.