Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Communication Sciences and Disorders
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
2014
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Faculty
Faculty
Andi Toliver-Smith, Ph.D. ( She/Her/Hers)
Associate Professor & Graduate Program Director
Department/Office
- Communication Sciences & Disorders
School/College
- School of Communications
- Graduate School
Biography
Andi Toliver-Smith, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Howard University, and serves as the Program Director for the department. She obtained her Doctor of Philosophy in the field of communication sciences and disorders with an emphasis in cultural and linguistic diversity, along with a secondary interest in audiology from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, her MS in Speech-Language Pathology from "The Mecca" Howard University, and her BS in Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Arkansas Little Rock. She has worked with a variety of populations with speech and language disorders as well as with Deaf/Hard of Hearing clients who require Aural Rehabilitation. Dr. Toliver-Smith also shares her expertise with the ASHA-PAHO/WHO Guyana Collaboration Project. Her areas of expertise include: Deaf Culture, Aural Rehabilitation Multicultural Concerns, Culturally Responsive Practice, Accent-Dialect Modification, , Teaching Pedagogy, and Professional Issues.
She has worked as a professor for the past 9 years and as a speech-language pathologist for 20 years. As a high-school speech-language pathologist, Toliver-Smith has worked for Baltimore City Public School System and for Prince George’s County Public School System in suburban Washington, DC). She is licensed and certified in four states: District of Columbia, Missouri, Arkansas, and Maryland.
Education & Expertise
Education
Master of Science (M.S.)
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Howard University
2008
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Audiology & Speech Pathology
University of Arkansas Little Rock
2005
Academics
Academics
Tests and Measurements - COSD 367/557
Bases of Audiology (Virtual) - COSD 367/545
Speech and Hearing Science - COSD 262/544
Teaching Methods - COSD
Doctoral Seminar on Learning Disabilities
Research
Research
Funding
Wilder, T., Zapata, M., and Toliver-Smith, A., Project SPEECH: Speech Pathologists Endorsing Equity and Cultural Humility , US Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) 84.325M Grant at Howard University (Submitted December 2024 – _Not Funded)
Atcherson, S., Toliver-Smith, A., Henry, M. Deaf American Sign Language Users: Hearing Aids and Accessibility. College of Health Professions SEED Grant at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; June 2022 (Funded - $3310.00)
Attraction and Retention of BIPOC Students in CSD. Translational Research Institute-Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Mini-grant at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; December 2021 (Not Funded)
Publications and Presentations
Publications and Presentations
Navigating Academia The Ultimate Set-Up
Navigating Academia The Ultimate Set-Up: I knew it was a set up, because it was too easy! in Sharing the Legacy and Narrative Leadership Experiences of Black Women in Education
This chapter illustrates the academic journey of a Black woman in the field of communication sciences and disorders. Dr. Andi Toliver-Smith started her journey at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) and transferred to a Predominately White Institution (PWI). She was encouraged by her instructors to continue her education and to obtain her PhD in the field. When seeking out a master's program, she experienced microaggressions for the first time when visiting universities. She completed her master's degree at an HBCU and her PhD at her former PWI university. Her experiences compelled her to develop a support group for BIPOC students. She realized that it was imperative to keep the students in the program in order to expand the field. However, there has been little support for the BIPOC faculty. These experiences led Dr. Toliver-Smith to the forefront of the movement to expand the field of CSD through attraction and retention of BIPOC students and faculty. She has also noted responsibility for faculty of color to maintain a presence in higher education settings.
The NBASLH: Breaking Down Barriers and Uplifting Aspiring Clinicians
The NBASLH: Breaking Down Barriers and Uplifting Aspiring Clinicians
More than 35 years ago, the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing (NBASLH) began offering a review course to help minority students in communication sciences and disorders prepare for the national examination. Today, the NBASLH course continues to help aspiring clinicians of color, not just with rigorous preparation, but with the opportunity to see themselves reflected in the professions.
Teaching Queer Concepts to Graduate Students in Communication Sciences and Disorders
There is a growing body of literature informing pedagogical content and strategies of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the education of speech-language pathologists. However, little discussion has included content related to LGBTQ+ people, even though LGBTQ+ people exist across all racial/ethnic groups. This article seeks to fill that void and provide instructors of speech-language pathology with practical information to educate their graduate students. The discussion uses a critical epistemology and invokes theoretical models, such as Queer/Quare theory, DisCrit, the Minority Stress Model, the Ethics of Care, and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. Information is organized according to developing graduate students' awareness, knowledge, and skills and challenges instructors to modify current course content to disrupt systemic oppression.
Sociopolitical Implications to Consider When Working With the LGBTQIA+ Community
Sociopolitical Implications to Consider When Working With the LGBTQIA+ Community in Critical Perspectives on Social Justice in Speech-Language Pathology (pp. 18-38)
The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the sociopolitical landscape of gender and sexuality in order to assist speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in dismantling systems of oppression for LGBTQIA+ people. An overview of principles and best practices in working with LGBTQIA+ people is provided. The chapter defines terms related to LGBTQIA+ culture and practical recommendations for how to practice in ways that challenge culturally-constructed, oppressive gender and sexuality stereotypes and communicate affirmation and support to individuals of all genders and sexualities.
Investigating Black ASL: A Systematic Review
Investigating Black ASL: A Systematic Review
The authors reviewed the literature regarding linguistic variations seen in American Sign Language. These variations are influenced by region and culture. Features of spoken languages have also influenced sign languages as they intersected, e.g., Black ASL has been influenced by African American English. A literature review was conducted to investigate the existence of Black ASL and to document empirical studies on this topic. The included articles were (a) published between 1970 and 2012 in scholarly journals, (b) included a hypothesis, (c) described the participants, and (d) described the research design. Seven articles met the inclusion criteria. All seven addressed differences between Black ASL and mainstream ASL. Only a few research articles meeting the review criteria were revealed. This suggests that empirical research regarding linguistic variation in ASL is a field of study in its infancy and that continued exploration of this topic is needed.