Introduction to the Forum by the National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons With Severe Disabilities: Historical Perspectives and Future Directions

The National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons With Severe Disabilities (NJC) was established in 1986 by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and what was then The Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps (now, TASH).The two organizations brought together representatives from related fields of speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and special education to form an interdisciplinary group to focus on research, policy, and practice, leading to improved educational opportunities for persons with severe