In this training we are exploring how to talk so students will listen and how to listen so students will talk- AAC Style! Partner training and coaching are the current evidenced based trend in enhancing autonomous communication development in people who use AAC to communicate. We are discussing very specific strategies that WE can use to encourage our students to communicate with us (speaking AND non-speaking students)! We are concentrating on helping build confidence and eagerness to communicate in all of our students!

Key AAC Partner Strategies

You've heard about Core Words in AAC, but what does that really mean? Is it a really cute book that repeats the word 'go' on every page? Is it a poster of 36 symbols we use to decorate our classroom walls? We are exploring the meaning of core vocabulary words, why we teach with them, and how we can begin to immerse our students in a school that 'speaks' their language. This session is designed to help speech-language pathologists, special education teachers, and other professionals serving students in self-contained special education classrooms as you get started providing access to communication opportunities throughout the school day. Vicki is sharing her research-informed fringe and core vocabulary lists of over 600 words and lesson planning tools and resources. As a special bonus, we are including one month's worth of printable resources from our DTA Schools, All Year Core &amp; More program.

Intro to the Core Word Classroom

This session will discuss the AAC related skills a student needs to develop independent communicative competence. We consider evaluation techniques using a protocol developed to assess specific AAC skills in naturalistic, interactive and personally motivating activities. The resulting understanding of an individual's AAC skills and competence will assist professionals in selecting and customizing AAC solutions to best meet their individual's needs.

Assessing Individual AAC Skills in Schools

It's bedtime on the East Coast and time for a story. This is the story of 3 students, all non-speaking and with a variety of sensory and physical challenges. We're telling a tale of finding the 'just right' augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) fit for students who are emergent communicators. Our children don't have a means to express themselves symbolically. They don't consistently respond to our attempts to interact with them. We aren't sure what they see and how they can control their bodies. We don't know what they understand. We aren't even invited into their classroom at first because they are considered by some to be too low functioning for AAC. This course examines a process for evaluating the communication skills and needs of emergent communicators. From interviews with parents and teachers to hands-on evaluation techniques and equipment trials, we will explore communication needs, assessment of sensory responses and motivations, motor skills, communication skills, and expressive language. We will discuss several assessment tools including the Home Talk Program, Every Move Counts-3, The Communication Matrix, Communication Sampling and Analysis, The Dynamic AAC Skills Assessment. The role of standardized testing will be considered as we define the skills of our early developing communicators.

Vicki Clarke

SLP

Dynamic Therapy Associates, Inc./ DTA Schools

A Message from Vicki

Key AAC Partner Strategies

$10

Certification | 1hr

Intro to the Core Word Classroom

$15

Certification | 1hr

Assessing Individual AAC Skills in Schools

$15

Certification | 1hr

Goldilocks and the AAC Evaluation: Finding the Right Fit for Emergent Communicators

$15

Certification | 1hr