JCPSLP Vol 18 No 3 2016

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JCPSLP Volume 18, Number 3 2016 105
Creating sustainable services: Minority world SLPs in majority world contexts
Speech-language
pathology offers countless
opportunities for those
who are interested in working
beyond geographical borders,
across cultures, to understand
and help address the needs of
individuals with communication
and swallowing difficulties at an
international level. For me, the
opportunity first arose during
my undergraduate studies, via a
self-guided study tour with two
student colleagues through Nepal,
Bangladesh, and India. At the
time, these were often described
as “developing” or “emerging”
countries, terms that are now
commonly replaced by “majority
world” which captures the
proportion of the world’s people
represented, and contrasts with the relatively small proportion living in “minority
world” (otherwise described as “developed”) countries. Our goal was to learn from
experts in community-based rehabilitation who were working on the ground in
villages, towns, and cities in the countries we visited to deliver timely, appropriate,
and effective support to persons with developmental and acquired disability. How I
wish we had available to us at the time the wealth of information presented in this
issue of JCPSLP focused on minority world speech-language pathologists working
in majority world contexts.
This issue is guest edited by Bea Staley and Suzanne C. Hopf, who have brought
together an outstanding group of local and international authors to advance
understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with international work
and collaboration. The issue is infused with personal reflections and insightful advice,
both of which are critical to minority world SLPs working ethically and effectively
in majority world contexts, and also discusses implications for all SLPs aiming to
initiate and sustain mutually beneficial and rewarding partnerships, wherever these
partnerships occur. A common theme across articles is the importance of “change”
as a multidirectional process that leaves all people and parties in better positions as
a result of the work together, for the benefit of one another.
In reflecting on this issue, which is the last under my editorship, as well as the
work of the journal more broadly, the same theme emerges. The JCPSLP is a place
where clinicians, researchers, and other members of the community come together
to share knowledge, critical and clinical insights, and novel ideas to move our field
forward. The journal works because authors, reviewers, members of the editorial
committee, and the publication team understand the magnitude of “change” that
can occur when the right information is given to the right people, at the right time;
and generously volunteer their knowledge and skills to make it happen. I would like
to sincerely thank all of those who contribute to the journal in this way, and extend
my very best wishes to Dr Leigha Dark who will now take over as editor.
From the editor
David Trembath
105 From the editor
106 Special issue: A diverse global network of
speech-language pathologists – Bea Staley
and Suzanne C. Hopf
108 Building collaboration: A participatory
research initiative with Vietnam’s first
speech-language pathologists – Marie
Atherton, Bronwyn Davidson, and
Lindy McAllister
116 Sustainable partnerships for
communication disability rehabilitation in
majority world countries: A message from
the inside – Karen Wylie, Clement
Amponsah, Josephine Ohenewa Bampoe,
and Nana Akua Owusu
121 Professional and personal benefits of
volunteering: Perspectives of International
clinical educators of Vietnamese speech-
language pathology students in Vietnam
– Lindy McAllister, Sue Woodward, and
Srivalli Nagarajan
126 Development of the Vietnamese Speech
Assessment – Ben Pha. m, Sharynne
McLeod, and Xuan Thi Thanh Le
131 Practice innovations from the emerging
speech-language pathology profession
in Vietnam: Vignettes illustrating
indigenised and sustainable approaches
– Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dung, Le Khanh Dien,
Christine Sheard, Le Thi Thanh Xuan, Trà
Thanh Tâm, Hoàng Văn Quyên, Le Thi Dao,
and Lindy McAllister
137 Building speech-language pathology
capacity and colleagues across
continents – Abbie Olszewski and
Erica Frank
139 Applying theories of cultural
competence to speech-language
pathology practice in east Africa –
Helen Barrett
145 Ethical conversations: “I can’t believe you
want to leave at lunch time” – A reflection
on how narrative ethics may inform ethical
practice in cross-cultural and majority-world
contexts – Helen Smith
148 Webwords 56: Minority-world SLPs/SLTs in
majority-world contexts –
Caroline Bowen
151 Resource reviews
Contents