For 35 years, Super Duper Publications has been providing educational resources for a diverse range of audiences—school teachers, therapists, parents, and students—from all over the world. Co-founded in 1986 by Sharon Webber, a speech-language pathologist (SLP), it is a company that strives to create materials that are relevant for the SLP clientele such as children with special needs. They offer printed and digital materials, which are useful for various areas of communication such as articulation, augmentative and alternative communication, language, and social behavior. Super Duper Publications offers services congruent with the needs of SLPs, the major stakeholders of the Philippine Association of Speech Pathologists (PASP). Thus, perhaps we can say a collaboration between PASP and Super Duper Publications has always been a matter of when and not if.

The collaboration was prompted by the social media interaction of Super Duper Publications with one of PASP’s Facebook posts. This post, published last July 19, 2021, was an announcement about the organization’s most recent convention, Emerging Together. The organization viewed this as an opportunity to form a new partnership. With this, Kenneth Dizon, PASP’s Chairperson for Convention, reached out to Super Duper Publications on Facebook. This started the line of communication with Colleen McGrath, the Sales and Marketing Coordinator of Super Duper Publications. Other PASP officers involved in this collaboration include Mike Valdez and Susie Pascual, who were both present in the meeting with Super Duper Publications last August 20, 2021. Outcomes of the collaboration were the discount code given to PASP members and a free two-week trial of Super Duper’s Digital Library (i.e., September 25, 2021 to October 9, 2021).

PASP’s collaboration with Super Duper Publications aims to address Filipino SLPs’ access to therapy materials. Even before the pandemic, the products of Super Duper Publications were already being widely used by SLPs across the country. SLPs who engage in private clinical practice make use of these resources to provide services to their clientele. Although the materials are not contextualized to the Filipino population, they can be useful for developing the speech and language skills of children, including building of vocabulary concepts and improvement of comprehension. With the COVID-19 pandemic, telepractice has become a standard model of service delivery to safeguard the health of SLP practitioners and their clients. The consequent demand for accessible assessment and therapy materials increased, heightening the importance of the products made by companies such as Super Duper Publications. The collaboration between PASP and Super Duper Publications came at a perfect time, as the access to quality materials from Super Duper’s digital library may benefit both SLPs engaged in telepractice and those who have begun providing in-person therapy services.

PASP officers were delighted to work with Super Duper Publications. Their initial discussion with the organization made the officers realize the many possibilities that the partnership may bring, including how Super Duper could be tapped for PASP’s future projects. Mike Valdez asked if Super Duper Publications engaged in similar collaborations with other national organizations in order to gain insights regarding mutual obligations that each end could potentially fulfill. Both organizations share the same passion for providing for the needs of SLP practitioners and clients. While Super Duper Publications fulfills its mandate by developing educational and therapy materials for children with speech and language delays, developmental or learning disabilities, and autism, PASP realizes its vision by ensuring the quality of SLP services and enhancing the excellence and professional responsibility of SLPs in the Philippines. In general, as a PASP officer, Mike Valdez described the dealings with Super Duper Publications as a pleasant experience as they would initiate conversations, check up on the organization, and would offer help if it is needed.

Support from Super Duper for various PASP events and activities can draw PASP members to engage more in the organization’s projects and programs. According to Mike Valdez, the conversation with Super Duper included exploring the possibility of contextualizing assessment and therapy materials for Filipino clients. This involves the creation of resources that are based on Filipino norms, experiences, languages, and culture, allowing SLP practitioners to better provide effective services, addressing needs that are uniquely Filipino. The contextualized service delivery leads to the development of speech and language that is more meaningful, relevant, and useful in the various environments where Filipino clients live and the interactions in which they participate.

Collaborations between organizations are crucial as they propel the formation of linkages and networks. PASP should always connect and interact with its stakeholders, says Valdez. PASP’s partnership with Super Duper Publications is an important step in developing a continuing relationship. Other organizations such as Operation Smile, Smile Train, and Gruppo Hearing all reach out to PASP for manpower during their projects since they cater to populations that SLPs work with. Reciprocally, they support and sponsor projects, events, and conventions mobilized and established by PASP. Maintaining these linkages fosters a mutual awareness of one another’s needs and opens up points for collaboration. One such collaboration could be the development of Filipino-centric or Southeast Asia-specific materials with Super Duper Publications.

Moving forward, PASP plans to coordinate collaborations that aim to address the needs of SLPs, particularly in the context of teletherapy. As services are, at present, mainly provided through virtual means, Boom Cards and other companies that Filipino SLPs access or use could be further explored. Similarly, PASP could look into small businesses owned by local creators, SLPs, or educators. This could give them opportunities to promote their services and establish their name in the field.

Written by:

Ana Sophia F. David, Maria Blanquita M. Salvador, Regina Ariane DR Tayag, Kristine A. Villena