Advocacy

Advocacy—derived from the Latin word voce, meaning “voice”—is the practice of supporting or recommending something publicly. An advocate argues or pleads for the cause of another. Within the disability rights movement, advocacy is a powerful tool to advance social justice. The discipline of communication sciences and disorders (CSD) includes the professions of audiology and Speech–Language pathology. Advocacy is identified within the scope of practice of both audiologists and Speech–Language pathologists (SLPs), whose roles include providing clinical services, education, administration, and research. This entry presents a history of advocacy in the field of CSD along with examples of current targeted advocacy. It also discusses different types of advocacy, including personal, grassroots, and institutional advocacy.