DACUM, an acronym for Developing A Curriculum, is a standardized curriculum development process used primarily in community colleges across the United States. DACUM results provide a valid national database that can: (1) further justify the study of speech communication in most academic curricula; and (2) help define the nature of the basic speech communication course. This paper examines DACUM results across, rather than within, curricula. Seventy-five DACUM charts constructed by one state's DACUM Resource Center between 1985 and 1989 were analyzed; 90% included speech communication competencies. Further analysis of DACUM data can demonstrate the necessity of communication study and can identify essential communication competencies. Contains 14 references and 2 tables of data. (Author/RS)