ICA holds an annual conference at which hundreds of research papers are presented and over 2,000 scholars from all over the world participate.

[2] The ICA's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is reflected in its support for culturally-situated communication scholarship, which addresses complex global challenges and advances social justice agendas.

[5] The ICA plays a crucial role in addressing the theory crisis in communication research by providing a platform for the analysis and development of diverse theoretical frameworks and strategies of theorizing.

The association restructured into divisions to allow members to find and interact with colleagues who shared similar research interests, among the widely diverse disciplines of communication study.

An interest group appoints its own officers, is allocated conference sessions, and is represented in the Board of Directors, but does not have voting rights.

An interest group enrolling at least 1 percent of the members of ICA for at least two consecutive years may apply to become a "Division".

[7] ICA sponsors a large annual conference for its members to present research representing the latest advances in the field of communication.

ICA fellows include Charles Berger, Jennings Bryant, Patrice Buzzanell, Robert T. Craig, Brenda Dervin, Nicole Ellison, Lawrence Grossberg, Klaus Krippendorff, Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Sonia Livingstone, Joseph Walther, Patti Valkenburg, and Bruce Bimber.