We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Education

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

How Do I Become a Communicative Disorders Assistant?

By Whitney Leigh White
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 3,520
Share

If you decide to become a communicative disorders assistant, most times, you will be referred to as a CDA. This type of career role is mainly found in Canada, and there are strict guidelines to which you must adhere to become this type of assistant, including completing an approved degree program, which usually lasts for one year or 3 semesters. There are only seven schools in Canada through which you can complete the degree program that will qualify you to become part of the Communicative Disorders Assistant Association of Canada (CDAAC). Receiving field placement orders and obtaining on-the-job training is also an important part of the educational requirements that you must complete to become a communicative disorders assistant.

Even though it only takes a short amount of time to become a communicative disorders assistant, the knowledge that you learn during your school program is vital in being able to perform your job duties in a successful manner. During your education, hearing and speech-language screening information is learned, as well as how to prepare therapy materials, perform actual speech therapy, and more. You also learn how to work effectively alongside speech-language pathologists or audiologists, as their supervision is required in order for you to perform services as a CDA.

During the field placement portion of your education, you will receive on-the-job training. Hearing aid manufacturers, community health units, and audiology clinics are just a few of the places that you may obtain this training. While working in one of these institutions, you will be exclusively educated about a number of different communication areas.

If you want to become part of the CDAAC, then you will have to complete an approved degree program from an accredited college. These programs are found in the following Canadian provinces: Ontario, Oshawa, British Columbia, and Alberta. Keep in mind that, even if you were trained as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist in a different country, you must still complete an approved degree program in order to obtain full benefits from a CDAAC membership. If you do not wish to complete an approved degree program, an affiliate membership can be obtained. An affiliate membership does have its drawbacks, however, including not being able to include “Registered CDAAC” on a resume when applying for jobs.

You will also find it very beneficial to become part of the CDAAC because it can provide you with a list of available CDA job positions. There are even some employers that will not consider hiring you unless you are part of the association. The CDAAC’s website provides a number of different resources that CDAs find helpful, but keep in mind that members of the CDAAC are the only people who have access to all portions of the website.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/how-do-i-become-a-communicative-disorders-assistant.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.