What is Speech Teletherapy?
A Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) is a healthcare professional who helps to diagnose, assess and treat students who have speech, language, and communication disorders.
Historically, SLPs were required to meet with their students in person to provide their services. However, thanks to advancements in telecommunication technology, SLPs are now able to work with students through online video sessions in a process known as online speech therapy or speech teletherapy.
How Does Speech Teletherapy Work?
Speech teletherapy works very similarly to traditional speech therapy. However, rather than meeting in person, SLPs meet and work with their students via online video conference. Therefore, in speech teletherapy, both the SLP and the student can attend the session from a setting that is most comfortable to them.
Aside from the SLP and student being in different locations, speech teletherapy sessions are largely similar to traditional speech therapy sessions. In speech teletherapy, SLPs work with students to:
- Evaluate students’ language abilities
- Administer diagnostic assessments
- Develop detailed intervention strategies
- Create Individualized Education Plans (IEPs)
- Track student development
- Enhance student communication abilities
- Utilize virtual and online therapy resources
- Assess the impact of treatments
Benefits of Remote SLP Jobs
Remote SLP jobs come with a wide range of benefits for both the therapist and their students. These benefits include:
- More opportunities for administering sessions
- Provide services to more students in need
- Attend sessions from the comfort of your home or office
- Spend less time traveling to and from schools to meet with students
- Leverage digital tools and virtual activities
- Greater job flexibility
Overall, remote SLPs have greater control over where and when they work. This not only helps to create a better work-life balance but also enables SLPs to work with and help more students across the country.
Challenges of Remote SLP Jobs
While remote SLP jobs provide extensive benefits to therapists, they can also bring unique challenges. For example, for some, the transition from an in-person role to a remote SLP job can take some getting used to.
Another common challenge includes technical difficulties between the therapist and the student. Such difficulties can lead to interruptions, which can sometimes mean that sessions aren’t as productive as intended. Furthermore, remote SLPs can sometimes find it difficult to maintain an effective workspace when administering therapy sessions remotely.
Finally, remote SLPs need to be licensed in both the state in which they reside and the states where they practice. For SLPs with students across the country, keeping up with licensure requirements can prove challenging.
What Qualifications Do You Need to Work in Speech Teletherapy?
Remote SLPs need to have both a bachelor’s and master’s degree, and they need to be licensed in the state they reside and the state where they practice. If an SLP practices in multiple states, they must then be licensed in each of those states. In addition, some states and school districts require the SLP to be certified by the board of education in addition to their state license.
How Much do Teletherapy SLPs Make?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for SLPs in any setting in the United States is $84,140. The lowest 10 percent earn less than $56,370, while the highest 10 percent earn more than $126,680.
If a remote SLP job sounds like the right opportunity for you, explore our wide selection of SLP teletherapy jobs and find a job that enables you to help students who don’t have access to the critical services they need.