Speech-Language Pathology and IDEA: Evaluation and Eligibility for Speech-Language Impairment

Speech-Language Pathology and IDEA: Evaluation and Eligibility for Speech-Language Impairment is a practical, evidence-based guide to help clinical and school-based speech-language pathologists make legally sound, educationally relevant decisions about evaluation and eligibility. 

Grounded in federal regulations and case law, this book explains IDEA in clear, unambiguous language to support compliance knowledge, improve caseload and workload management, and ultimately improve student outcomes. Case studies illustrate everyday scenarios, including multilingual learners, screening outcomes, and scope-of-practice questions, helping SLPs confidently translate legal expectations into practice. A glossary of acronyms provides a quick reference to specialized terminology commonly used in special education policy and documentation.

Readers learn not only what the law requires but how to apply it. From Child Find and consent procedures to evaluation timelines, technically sound assessment practices, and defensible eligibility determinations, this text guides SLPs through the complex intersection of federal law, clinical judgment, and educational impact while also supporting IEP development, intervention planning, and progress monitoring.

Integrated tools within the text and companion website support immediate application, including parent and teacher handouts, non-standardized assessment tools, eligibility and evaluation rubrics, developmental continua, and links to online resources. These materials help SLPs explain results to teams, document adverse educational impact, support IEP development, and ensure IDEA-aligned decision-making.

By situating practice within the broader legal and educational landscape, this comprehensive resource demonstrates how federal and state regulations, funding structures, and accountability systems shape services, while connecting speech-language development to literacy, educational standards, and long-term academic outcomes for students with speech-language impairments. 

Key Features

• Clear guidance for IDEA-compliant evaluations, eligibility decisions, and legal interpretation of federal regulations and case law
• Practical tools for writing measurable, standards-aligned IEP goals
• Strategies for collaboration with teachers, families, and multidisciplinary teams
• Support for culturally and linguistically responsive referral, assessment and intervention
• Realistic case scenarios that present opportunities to apply defensible clinical reasoning
• Glossary of acronyms for quick reference to special education terminology
• Ready-to-use clinical resources, including handouts, non-standardized assessment tools, rubrics, developmental continua, and curated links to validated free online tools

PluralPlus Online Ancillaries

Handouts, Assessment Tools and Rubrics, Forms / Documents, Links to Related Resources