Communication disorders associated with immigrants, refugees and ethnic minorities

The Multilingual and Multicultural Affairs Committee (MMAC) of the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics organized a Composium in Bremen, Germany to improve professionals’ awareness of the needs of immigrants, refugees, and ethnic minorities. Around the globe, numbers of people belonging to these groups are growing. Latest estimates suggest that there may be over 65 million people around the world who have left their original home country to search for better opportunities for themselves and their families. Many of these individuals have special needs that require speech, language, or medical support. Within certain countries, there are also individuals who live in marginalized communities and require support that addresses the absence of essential services. During the Composium in Bremen, professionals were targeting pain points shaping themselves around these topics in order to discuss solutions and models to address the needs of immigrants and refugees regardless of their whereabouts. The articles in this special issue of 'Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica' are based on presentations from the Composium by MMAC members. These papers provide speech-language pathologists, educators, and other practitioners with up to date methods to empower their daily work among immigrants.