# How to Install the Speech-Language Pathologist Claude Plugin (Cowork & Code)
> Step-by-step installation guide for the Speech-Language Pathologist Claude plugin from The AI Career Lab — works in both Claude Cowork (chat) and Claude Code (terminal). What you get, how to install, and your first run.
**Author:** [Alex Lowe](https://theaicareerlab.com/about) — Founder, The AI Career Lab
**Published:** 2026-04-08
**Updated:** 2026-09-22
**Last reviewed:** 2026-09-22
**Canonical URL:** https://theaicareerlab.com/blog/how-to-install-speech-language-pathologist-claude-plugin
**Profession:** slp
**Category:** how-to
**Tags:** slp, Claude Cowork, Claude Code, plugin install, 2026
---> **Don't want to install anything?** You don't have to. The [free web tools for speech-language pathologists](/professions/speech-language-pathologist) on The AI Career Lab give you the same kind of pre-built workflows in your browser — five runs a day on a free account, no terminal, no install. [Create a free account](/sign-up) if you'd rather skip straight to the tools.

The Speech-Language Pathologist Claude plugin from The AI Career Lab is the fastest way to turn Claude into a speech-language pathologist-aware co-worker. It bundles 4 pre-built slash commands and 2 skills that already know what speech-language pathologists actually do — so you stop writing prompts from scratch every time you need a routine document.

**The plugin works in both runtimes Claude offers:**

- **Claude Cowork** — Claude's agent workspace in the Claude desktop app. The easiest path: no terminal, no command lines. Requires a paid Claude plan (Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise) to access plugins.
- **Claude Code** — the terminal CLI for power users and developers. Requires Node.js + npm, and a paid Claude plan (Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise) or Anthropic API credits.

This guide walks through the install in five minutes for whichever runtime you prefer. No coding background required either way.

## What this plugin gives you

A normal Claude session is a blank chat window. You type what you want, Claude responds. That works, but it puts the burden of prompt engineering on you, and the output quality varies based on how much detail you remember to include.

A plugin replaces that loop with **slash commands** — pre-built shortcuts that already contain the structure, formatting rules, and professional conventions for a specific task. Instead of remembering how to ask for a speech-language pathologist-style document, you type one command and answer the questions Claude asks.

In this plugin you get:

- `/iep-goal` — runs the iep goal workflow with the right structure pre-loaded
- `/progress-report` — runs the progress report workflow with the right structure pre-loaded
- `/therapy-material` — runs the therapy material workflow with the right structure pre-loaded
- `/therapy-note` — runs the therapy note workflow with the right structure pre-loaded

## Which runtime should you use?

**Use Claude Cowork if:**
- You already use claude.ai for chat work
- You prefer a graphical interface to a terminal
- You don't want to set up Node.js or npm
- You have a paid Claude plan (Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise)

**Use Claude Code if:**
- You're already comfortable in a terminal
- You want to use Claude alongside other developer tools
- You'd rather pay per use than subscribe — Claude Code also runs on an Anthropic API key with pay-as-you-go billing (it is not free either way: it needs a Pro/Max/Team plan or API credits)
- You want the option to script and automate workflows around the plugin

The plugin commands and skills are identical across both runtimes. The choice is purely about which interface fits your workflow — Cowork is a browser-based chat with clickable plugin installs, Claude Code is a terminal CLI with slash-command installs.

## Path A: Install in Claude Cowork (easiest, no command lines)

> **Cowork is becoming part of the main Claude app.** On September 16, 2026 Anthropic announced it is merging Cowork into the main Claude app, rolling out to Pro and Max first. The **Customize → Plugins** install path below is the same either way. [What changed](/blog/what-is-claude-docs-cowork-merged-2026).

Claude Cowork is entirely UI-based. You don't type any slash commands to install plugins — you click.

1. Open the **Claude desktop app** and sign in. Plugin install happens in the desktop app.
2. Make sure you're on a paid plan (Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise). The plugin marketplace is gated to paid plans.
3. Click **Customize** in the left sidebar, open the **Plugins** tab, then click **Add ▾** → **Add marketplace** → **Add from a repository**.
4. In the modal, paste this into the URL field:

   ```
   alexclowe/awesome-claude-cowork-plugins
   ```

5. Leave **Sync automatically** on so you get our updates, then click **Sync**. Claude pulls the marketplace catalog from the public [alexclowe/awesome-claude-cowork-plugins](https://github.com/alexclowe/awesome-claude-cowork-plugins) repo.
6. With **Discover** selected, find the **Speech-Language Pathologist** plugin (listed as \"by awesome-claude-cowork-plugins\") and click **Add**.

That's it. The commands and skills are now available in your Cowork chats. No terminal, no Node.js, no slash commands to type.

## Path B: Install in Claude Code (terminal CLI, two commands)

Claude Code is the terminal CLI for Claude. It needs a paid Claude plan (Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise) or Anthropic API credits, plus a one-time setup if you've never used it before.

### One-time Claude Code setup

1. **Install Claude Code.** Open a terminal and run:

   ```
   npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
   ```

   If you don't have `npm`, install [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/) first (download the LTS version, run the installer).

2. **Sign in once.** Run `claude` in your terminal and follow the sign-in flow.

### Install the plugin

Inside Claude Code, run these two commands:

```
/plugin marketplace add alexclowe/awesome-claude-cowork-plugins
/plugin install speech-language-pathologist@awesome-claude-cowork-plugins
```

The first command registers the marketplace catalog; the second installs the Speech-Language Pathologist plugin by name from it. You only need to run `marketplace add` once — after that, installing additional plugins from the same marketplace is a single `install` command.

To verify, type `/help` and you should see the new commands listed alongside Claude Code's built-ins.

## Your first command

After install, try the most common command in this plugin to verify everything is working:

```
/iep-goal
```

When you run it, Claude will ask you for the context it needs (speech-language pathologist-specific details about the task at hand) and produce a structured draft. The whole point is that you don't have to remember how to prompt — the plugin already knows the format the speech-language pathologist job needs.

If you've ever found yourself re-typing the same kind of prompt over and over to get a iep goal, that's what this command is replacing.

## First 5 documents to try after install

Once the plugin is installed, these are the workflows worth running this week — each one maps to a real document you produce regularly. The plugin handles them as slash commands; each also has a web-based counterpart on the AI Career Lab site if you'd rather test in the browser before committing to the plugin install.

1. **Measurable IEP goal from de-identified inputs** — `/iep-goal` in the plugin, or [/tools/slp-iep-goal](/tools/slp-iep-goal) on the web.
2. **Routine progress report** — `/progress-report` in the plugin, or [/tools/slp-progress-report](/tools/slp-progress-report) on the web.
3. **Therapy material for goal area** — `/therapy-material` in the plugin, or [/tools/slp-therapy-material](/tools/slp-therapy-material) on the web.
4. **Routine session note** — `/therapy-note` in the plugin, or [/tools/slp-therapy-note](/tools/slp-therapy-note) on the web.
5. **Cross-sibling** — for many practitioners, this workflow pairs with an adjacent profession: see the [OT installer (clinical sibling)](/blog/how-to-install-occupational-therapist-claude-plugin).

## Skills you get for free

This plugin also includes Claude Skills that activate automatically when you're working on relevant tasks — no command required, no extra prompting:

- **Educational Documentation** — activates automatically when relevant context appears
- **Speech Language Pathology** — activates automatically when relevant context appears

Skills are the part of the plugin that makes Claude *feel* like a co-worker who already knows your job. The first time one auto-activates while you're working on something else, you'll understand the difference between using Claude generically and using Claude as a speech-language pathologist.

## Where to go from here

Once the plugin is installed and you've run your first command, the next thing to do is set up Claude as a real co-worker — not just a one-off command runner. That means giving it your professional context, your house style, and the documents it should reference.

- **[Claude Cowork playbook for speech-language pathologists](/resources/claude-cowork-speech-language-pathologist)** — the full setup guide for using Claude as your daily speech-language pathologist co-worker. This is the document that turns the plugin from a shortcut into an actual workflow.
- **[Free web tools for speech-language pathologists](/professions/speech-language-pathologist)** — the same kind of pre-built workflows in your browser, no install required. Useful when you're at a workstation that doesn't have Claude Cowork or Claude Code set up.
- **[Best AI Tools for Speech-Language Pathologists in 2026](/blog/best-ai-tools-for-speech-language-pathologists-2026)** — the broader landscape of AI tools that make sense for speech-language pathologists, including the on-site tools and the affiliate platforms we recommend.
- **[Weekly AI Digest for speech-language pathologists](/newsletter)** — curated AI updates relevant to your work, every week.

## Common issues

**I don't see the "Add marketplace" option in Claude Cowork.** You need to be on a paid plan (Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise). Plugin install is gated to paid plans in Cowork. Claude Code needs a paid plan (or API credits) too, so on the Free plan you'll need to upgrade to install plugins. The free browser tools at theaicareerlab.com/tools work on a free account.

**The marketplace sync failed in Claude Cowork.** Double-check the URL field has exactly `alexclowe/awesome-claude-cowork-plugins` — a GitHub `owner/repo` format, no `https://`, no trailing slash. Click Sync again.

**The Claude Code marketplace add command failed.** Make sure Claude Code is updated to the latest version (`npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code` will update it). The plugin marketplace feature is built into recent versions; older versions don't have it.

**The slash commands aren't showing up after install.** Start a new chat (Cowork) or type `/help` (Claude Code). If you see the built-in commands but not the new ones, the install didn't complete — re-run the install and watch for error output.

**I want to use this without installing anything.** Use the [free web tools](/professions/speech-language-pathologist) instead. They run the same kinds of workflows in your browser without any install or paid plan.

## Ready to try it without installing

If neither install path is appealing for a first try, the [free web tools for speech-language pathologists](/professions/speech-language-pathologist) give you the same kind of pre-built workflows in your browser — five runs a day on a free account.

[Create your free AI Career Lab account](/sign-up) and try the speech-language pathologist tools today. No credit card required.

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*This article is general guidance for licensed speech-language pathologists. It is not medical, legal, educational, or billing advice. ASHA standards, state practice acts, IDEA requirements, and payer criteria govern actual SLP practice and documentation.*
---

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