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From: Rick
Date: 17 Oct 2008
Time: 13:39:24 -0500
Remote Name: 128.252.173.213
Hi, Great paper. Are Speech therapist licensed in Japan like how Speech therapist (SLPs) are licensed in the USA? ex. Need MA/MS and clinical training. How is stuttering treatment diff. in Japan, and what about the public perception of stuttering and treatment of severe stutterers? Is there discrimination in Japan? Thanks!
****** ANSWER FROM MR. ITO - As far as Japanese speech therapy training
programs are
concerned mostly students with BAs are trained in two-year's
technical school programs or undergraduate programs, which offer
the same level of training as that of graduate programs in
speech therapy. Some technical schools offer three-four year
programs targeting high school graduates. In either case,
to become speech therapists students must be credited by
the government.
Most people in Japan do not know about or understand stuttering,
but there is not much obvious discrimination. A movie about
interactions between a teacher who stutters severely and his
students starred by a famous actor will be released soon. In
addition, Japanese national TV station will feature our self-
help activities and our group members on one of their programs.
We regard this as our mission to spread correct information
on stuttering.