Your Complete Guide to Getting Started in SLP Telepractice

Written by Sarah Keller, Last Updated: November 20, 2025

When we sat down to interview Alyssa Conger, M.S. CCC-SLP, we couldn’t help but be impressed with all she’s accomplished since her graduate school days ten years ago. She has worked in the public school system, holds licenses to practice in three states (Tennessee, Idaho, and California), and is currently an independent contractor at Cookeville Regional Medical Rehab Center. And get this: she has even stepped up to serve as acting president of her local professional association, the Tennessee Association of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists (TAASLP).

As she rattled off her storied background and long list of accomplishments, she mentioned that, in addition to her public school experience, she has also worked in the exciting world of telepractice. The shortage of SLPs around the country continues growing more acute amid rising demand for services, particularly in remote and lower-income parts of the country, notorious for being medically underserved. What Ohio discovered in 2011 through pioneering research, COVID proved on a massive scale: telepractice works. According to ASHA surveys, 11% of SLPs reported using telepractice and 14% delivered services from home. Adoption rates have likely increased significantly following the widespread shift to remote services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Getting started in telepractice comes down to three primary steps: understanding multi-state licensing requirements, setting up HIPAA-compliant technology, and connecting with telepractice companies or building an independent practice.

Why Telepractice Works for SLPs and Clients

A generation ago, special educators in the state of Ohio faced a big problem: with an exploding population of school-age children suffering from Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and corresponding issues of Speech, there were not enough qualified SLPs in the state to provide adequate treatment in every school district. In the depths of the global financial crisis, finding more money to hire additional SLPs was unlikely, nor was it clear if there were enough SLPs available to fill the shortage in the first place.

A new trend rising in other states caught the eye of the Ohio Master’s Network Initiatives in Education (OMNIE): SLPs providing fully engaged therapy sessions via live streaming. OMNIE launched a pilot program to evaluate the effectiveness of remote therapy. Two groups of children were offered treatment in two stages, one beginning with four months of conventional speech therapy, and the other with four months of videoconference therapy.

At the end of the study, the SLPs found that the video-based therapy was just as effective as face-to-face sessions. With that discovery, Ohio joined the ranks of states that allow telepractice for SLP services, and by 2011, the program had expanded from serving 30 children to 190.

This remarkable ability to virtually travel through time and space to deliver services is more critical than ever. It isn’t just clients that benefit from using everyday technology to improve access to therapy. One of the most significant factors impacting SLPs’ job prospects is the ability to relocate for better opportunities. Telepractice essentially acts as a relocation vehicle, bringing clients to you that you would not otherwise be able to work with. The days of uprooting your whole life to chase your career aspirations could very well be a distant memory.

As the Ohio experiment suggested, telepractice can dramatically expand the presence of a limited number of SLPs. In more remote and rural areas of the country where it would be economically impractical to either post or send a traveling SLP, patients now have access to SLP services via telepractice at a much lower cost. And with increased bandwidth to private homes, patients who had previously struggled to find time to visit clinics for face-to-face therapy can now see their SLP regularly.

The ability to schedule more patients without accounting for travel time or delays makes the SLP’s day in telepractice more efficient. So does keeping a consistent office space, instead of having to adapt to whatever local accommodations are available at the locations they travel to. Training aids and materials are always right at hand, in familiar places. Many telepractice SLPs deliver therapy right from their own homes, which is another advantage.

In many cases, the computer serves not just as the medium for live video sessions, but as an adjunct to the treatment itself. SLPs can use built-in whiteboard, recording, and screensharing features to expand on their treatment capabilities. For example, patients can be asked to draw or write on the screen as an alternative way of communicating when they have difficulty forming a particular word. The ability to record and playback video allows SLPs to review and demonstrate speaking techniques in detail, walk patients through a review of their own performance, and offer coaching in real time.

How Telepractice Service Delivery Works

ASHA, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, calls such services telepractice, but it’s part of a larger trend in medicine known as telemedicine. In the digital age, it’s simply more practical for service providers across specialties to diagnose, consult, and deliver certain types of treatment via streaming teleconferencing services.

Telepractice services can be offered synchronously or asynchronously. SLPs might choose one method over the other depending on the type of therapy being delivered. For example, when they need to hear and receive audio feedback in real time, they would choose a synchronous service. Suppose the treatment required a homework assignment, which could be reviewed and graded at any time. In that case, they might select an asynchronous service, making it more convenient for both the patient and themselves.

Like regular therapy, telepractice can be offered to groups as well as to individuals. Standard videoconferencing setups allow SLPs to teach a regular classroom with special education students or patients who share similar issues.

An ASHA survey found that most SLPs offering telepractice services use them in conjunction with traditional face-to-face therapy sessions. Many SLPs felt that conducting some of the preliminary sessions face-to-face helped build rapport with patients. At the same time, counseling and follow-up services via telepractice were easier and just as effective as on-site services.

The same survey found a surprising range of conditions in which telepractice treatment was being used. Research shows telepractice effectively treats ASD, aphasia, articulation disorders, dysphagia, and motor speech disorders. Many SLPs report that preliminary in-person sessions help build rapport, while telepractice effectively handles counseling and follow-up.

Step 1: Understanding Multi-State Licensing Requirements

“Speech-language pathologists can work with patients in any state across the country from the comfort of home as long as they are licensed in the state in which the client lives. I know speech-language pathologists who have licenses in multiple states exactly for this reason.”

Alyssa Conger, M.S. CCC-SLP

Telepractice is quickly gaining in popularity and is therefore regulated by many state licensing and compliance laws. The bottom line is that, even if you’re delivering your services entirely online, you’ll be subject to all applicable licensing laws where your clients are located. It’s not nearly as scary as it might sound. The solution is to maintain a license in good standing in each state where your clients reside.

To make the process as painless as possible, ASHA provides a resource on state licensing for SLPs providing services across multiple states via telepractice.

Telepractice is a relatively new way of delivering speech-language therapy services, and providers are still developing the best tools and techniques for its use. ASHA outlines strict standards for telepractice service delivery and has been working to help both providers and regulators find appropriate ways to categorize the practice.

According to recent surveys, approximately 20 states have laws governing speech-language pathology that explicitly allow telepractice services, though this number continues to grow as regulations evolve. The issue of providing services across state lines requires special reciprocity agreements for licensing, many of which have yet to be fully worked out. For federally employed SLPs, such as those working for the Department of Defense or the Veterans Administration, a special exemption has been granted to allow telepractice across state lines.

The Interstate Compact for Speech-Language Pathologists is scheduled to launch in September 2025, pending full implementation across participating states. This compact will revolutionize multi-state practice by allowing SLPs to practice in multiple states with one license through reciprocity agreements, dramatically simplifying the licensing process for telepractice providers working with clients across state lines.

Step 2: Technology Setup and Equipment

For many years, telepractice was something of a buzzword in the therapeutic community. Still, it’s now a well-established method for delivering therapeutic services to patients anywhere in the world, and is certainly anything but a fad. Telepractice essentially eliminates interruptions in ongoing therapy and the potential setbacks in progress that can result when patients either can’t make time for an appointment or can’t make it because the clinic is just too far away.

But with telepractice, clients can use any of the many popular video conferencing platforms to participate in regular therapy sessions. For many working parents trying to juggle therapy with work and all of life’s other obligations, making it down to the clinic once a week wouldn’t be possible.

Naturally, SLPs entering telepractice will need to equip themselves with reliable technology tools to maximize connectivity with clients and minimize technical hiccups that might disrupt the momentum of a therapy session.

TheraPlatform, one of the leading HIPAA-compliant teletherapy platforms in the business, recommends the following equipment:

• Web camera featuring 15 FPS (frames per second) capture rate (built-in or separate)
• Headset with attached microphone (analog or USB)
• High-speed internet connection (150 kbps minimum)
• HIPAA-compliant video conferencing software platform

Choose platforms based on HIPAA compliance first, then consider features such as recording, screen sharing, and whiteboard tools. Many telepractice employers provide platforms and training, so you don’t have to navigate the technology landscape alone.

Step 3: Finding Telepractice Positions

Often, even though SLPs have the education, experience, state license(s), and technological capabilities to begin telepracticing, they’re unsure of how to bag their first job, or, for those going independent, how to start establishing a client base. Luckily, there is no shortage of companies specializing in physical therapy that are constantly on the lookout for talented SLPs to join their growing teams. Our favorites:

DotCom Therapy is highly interested in Teletherapy SLPs that are rock stars in their area of specialization because they offer clients services that are broken down into specialized categories, including:

• Articulation
• AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication)
• SPELL-Links
• Accent Modification
• Early Invention
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Voice Therapy
• Fluency/Stuttering
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Language Therapy
• Stroke Rehabilitation

Along with the freedom to work from home, DotCom Therapy also offers telepracticing SLPs flexible scheduling, employment benefits, mentorship programs and support, multidisciplinary collaboration, and W-2 employment status.

VocoVision is the perfect fit for telepracticing SLPs passionate about working with children. The company uses online and mobile applications to connect therapists and educators to children located in public and charter schools, virtual classrooms, personal residences, and wherever else they may need help. As an employer, VocoVision is interested in SLPs who can offer assessment and treatment in:

• Articulations and Phonology
• Childhood Apraxia of Speech
• Language Impairments
• Literacy and Written Language
• Fluency (Stuttering)
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
• Autism Spectrum Disorders

We loved that VocoVision’s job board lets SLPs search by keywords, state preferences, and job titles. The company also refreshes its job board weekly so that seekers can stay up to date on new opportunities. And if you can’t find any jobs in your area, you can contact VocoVision, and they’ll make a concerted effort to find one for you.

PresenceLearning taps a team of around 800 licensed clinical professionals who use secure, live online video sessions, along with resources such as extensive therapy activities, and is supplemented by meticulous monitoring and recording tools. All licensed SLPs hired by PresenceLeaprogress-monitoringrand ees, their ASHA CCCs, and at least two years of work experience in a school setting. The ability to conduct assessments in the following categories will be an advantage:

• Articulation/Phonology
• Full Language Battery
• Bilingual Language Battery
• Pragmatic Language
• Fluency
• Early Childhood

Instead of providing a user-friendly job board, PresenceLearning requires applicants to complete a 5-part application form that includes contact information, qualifications, specialty details, availability, and a resume section.

Global Teletherapy is another telepractice company that exclusively caters to the online speech needs of children. Although all employers must provide their own technology equipment, Teletherapy also offers training, along with activities and toys designed to enhance client sessions. When searching for job candidates, Global Teletherapy typically seeks SLPs who can commit to at least 5 hours per week. Two weeks of experience, with at least some knowledge in the field of pediatrics, is likewise a must.

Global Teletherapy’s job center is pretty straightforward. After simply clicking a job listing, SLPs are asked to submit their resume and cover letter and answer a few short questions regarding licensure, experience, and availability. Speech is a Subsidiary company of Abington Speech Pathology Services, which has maintained a stellar reputation for over 15 years, delivering multifaceted speech rehabilitation to individuals, children, adult clients, schools, and organizations. The company attracts SLP new hires by offering ongoing mentoring, comprehensive training, and a software application architecture that promotes high-resolution content sharing.

Instead of featuring a job board, RemoteSpeech asks job candidates to provide general information, including contact details, population specialization (child/adult/both), and state licenses.

TinyEYE Therapy Services is a telepractice company whose primary goal is to reduce the caseloads of schools facing SLP shortages. So if you have work experience in the school system, TinyEYE Therapy Services might be the ideal place to start your telepractice career. To make your job easier, the company provides customized activities, recorded sessions, mentoring services, integrated scheduling, and automated reporting services. Once hired, you’re even assigned your very own Primary Support Leader to help you navigate the company’s online platform.

eLuma comprises over 80 team members across 25 states who provide telepractice services to students from PreK through high school. Boasting tech support, 401(k) plans, PTO, health and life insurance, and W-2 status for its employees, the company proves it’s a lucrative option for SLPs seeking stable positions. After submitting a brief online application through its website, you can sit back and relax as the company locates the best placement for you.

Navigating Common Challenges

Telepractice continues evolving as providers develop best practices. Understanding common obstacles helps you prepare effective solutions. Despite the various obstacles, the success of telemedicine and speech therapy telepractice speaks for itself. From our current vantage point, SLPs can be sure that the trend toward remote service delivery will only accelerate.

Some SLPs report that practice can help them stay on the same page with teachers or caregivers who work closely with patients every day. Since they may not participate in the sessions, extra effort is needed to connect with them to discuss treatment plans and progress. Unlike in-person settings, where SLPs interact daily with caregivers and teachers, telepractice requires intentional communication strategies to ensure consistent treatment plans and progress monitoring.

Other obstacles also complicate telepractice delivery. In a face-to-face session, for example, if a patient with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) tries to wander off, the SLP can physically corral them, blocking the door and refocusing them on the task at hand. But if the same patient decides to wander away from the video monitor, the SLP has little recourse but to continue the session. In such cases, it may be necessary to have an aide, parent, or teacher accompany the patient during the telepractice session or to adapt activities for shorter attention spans.

Technology issues also continue to intrude, though they have tended to improve as the state of the art in telepresence has become more widely available. Improvements in network stability and speed have also been a boon to telepractice providers. Most technical problems now stem from client-side internet rather than platform limitations.

Today’s SLP is likely to incorporate at least some aspects of telepractice. In the years to come, an increasing number of SLPs may be employed exclusively to provide telepractice services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sarah Keller

Sarah M. Keller, MS, CCC-SLP, is a licensed speech-language pathologist with 15 years of experience in pediatric clinics and university training programs. She earned her master’s in speech-language pathology from a CAHPS-accredited program in the Midwest and supervised clinical practicums for online and hybrid SLP cohorts. Sarah now advises students on graduate school applications, clinical fellowships, and state licensure. She lives in Colorado with her family and golden retriever.

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