Lived Experiences of Speech-Language Pathology Students With Disabilities in Their Clinical Training

Area of Science:

• Speech-Language Pathology Education
• Disability Studies in Higher Education

Background:

• Increasing enrollment of students with disabilities in speech-language pathology (SLP) programs.
• Limited existing research on the clinical education experiences of these students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the lived experiences of current and former SLP students with disabilities during their clinical training.
• To gain insight into the challenges and successes encountered in SLP clinical education.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study employing thematic analysis of 20 participant interviews.
• Data analysis followed the framework by Braun and Clarke (2022).
• Member checking was used to validate identified themes with participants.

Main Results:

• Three overarching themes emerged: lived experience of disability, faculty roles, and systemic factors.
• Subthemes included student burden, proactive self-advocacy, valuing disabled identity, supportive faculty, program gatekeeping, and perceived discrimination.
• Findings indicate a spectrum of experiences, both positive and negative, at individual, programmatic, and systemic levels.

Conclusions:

• Clinical education experiences for students with disabilities in speech-language pathology are diverse.
• Systemic, programmatic, and individual factors significantly influence these experiences.
• Further research and support are needed to ensure equitable clinical training for all SLP students.