Closing The Gap

Autonomy, self-determination, dignity of risk, and harm reduction for AAC users

Presented by Cole Sorensen and Donnie TC Denome

Autonomy, self-determination, dignity of risk (the right to take risks and make mistakes), and harm reduction are often denied to AAC users, but are fundamental human rights. This session will also discuss the role of trauma in communication interventions and how autonomy, self-determination, dignity of risk, and harm reduction can ameliorate trauma. This session will explore the importance of these rights, how AAC users can exercise them, and the role of professionals and supporters in implementing these rights.

When and where: October 23, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Plaza 3

Imagine the power of AAC to support inclusive learning

Presented by Rachael

AAC solutions are now so affordable and accessible that many schools use universal communication tools throughout the school building and playground. Schools can enrich learning environments to be even more inclusive of diverse learning styles by supporting various methods to represent language and concepts. AAC graphic symbols can be a rich source of visual support to students with a broad range of barriers to communication and learning, such as English Language Learners or students with attention or executive functioning challenges. Join this discussion as we consider how AAC can support classroom management, literacy, and vocabulary instruction, as well as support teaching content areas of the curriculum. Think beyond core vocabulary boards, and join this session to consider AAC as a classroom-wide tool to support learning!

When and where: October 23, 11:20 AM - 12:20 PM | Plaza 3

Experience how AAC can turbocharge inclusion of all students

Presented by David and Erin

AAC has traditionally been seen primarily as a speech prosthetic. This session explores some recent Proloquo features that turn AAC into a powerful thinking and learning tool. Join this interactive session to experience how AAC can turbocharge teaching, learning, and formative assessment for students of all abilities and ages. We will start by exploring current teaching practices, including their benefits and limitations. Next, we will explore how Proloquo can be used to reduce lesson planning time and facilitate following the students’ lead to boost learning. We will look at teaching and exploring concepts, sorting, grouping, numeracy, mind-maps, and more, building foundational skills and beyond. There will be plenty of opportunities to actively participate and first-hand experience what the classroom of the future can look like!

When and where: October 23, 12:40 PM – 1:40 PM | Plaza 3

Ditch the therapy script: Using AAC for dynamic & engaging language learning

Presented by Rachael

Speech-language pathologists are skilled at teaching and scaffolding language skills. Join this discussion and explore how to embed AAC as a tool not only to support expressive communication, but as a dynamic tool for teaching receptive language, word meaning, grammatical language, sentence complexity, and more.

We will demonstrate how AAC provides a visual thinking tool for learners with various language learning needs - from early communicators to those working on more sophisticated language concepts. Rather than creating materials ahead of time, we will talk about how SLPs can use features within Proloquo to adapt a lesson on the spot.

Ditch the therapy script, join this dynamic session, and think about AAC in a whole new way!

When and where: October 23, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Plaza 3

How to better support AAC in the classroom: Tap into teacher motivations

Presented by Rosalinde, Rachael, and David

Successful AAC implementation in schools hinges on effective collaboration between SLPs and teachers. How can SLPs best support teachers? What challenges do teachers face? What makes them feel successful? How can teachers build confidence in AAC?

In this hands-on session, we invite SLPs to step into the shoes of teachers. In small groups, we will discuss, explore, and visualize the goals and motivations of teachers as they relate to learning and using AAC. Next, we invite attendees to reflect on their own goals, needs, and motivations when implementing AAC. Finally, these insights and understandings will be translated into concrete ideas to better support teachers on their AAC journey. We will also discuss how these insights can help SLPs more effectively achieve their own goals.

When and where: October 23, 3:20 PM - 4:20 PM | Plaza 3

Vocabulary instruction for students learning AAC: Practical tools and strategies

Presented by Erin and Maureen Donnelly

A rich, expanding vocabulary is the goal for all students, including those who use AAC, since vocabulary is the anchor for comprehending and constructing texts and engaging with the world. When supporting students who use AAC, we must ask three questions: what words should we teach, how should we organize them, and how do we help learners integrate and retain knowledge? This session will outline and articulate the challenges, opportunities, and evidence-based practices that support vocabulary development and will demonstrate how pairing a robust AAC system with comprehensive literacy instruction drives growth and confidence for all.

When and where: October 24, 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | Plaza 3

LiterAACy sessions: Creating a format where literacy is Taught and AAC is used

Presented by Tina

Learn how to effectively teach literacy to students with complex communication needs and significant disabilities. Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or professional, you'll learn to apply the principles of comprehensive literacy with the intentional use of AAC using a simple framework that makes literacy teaching more accessible. You’ll acquire practical strategies for teaching shared reading, writing, vocabulary, alphabet, and phonics.

We'll provide valuable resources to engage your students, including visual support tools and multi-modal approaches to enhance language and literacy skills. See examples from successful literAACy sessions, applicable both online and in-person across various settings. You’ll also get to hear feedback from parents of students who participated in these sessions. Join us to empower your teaching and make a significant impact on your students' success.

When and where: October 24, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Plaza 3

Writing good objectives and tracking progress for students with complex needs

Presented by Erin and Rachael

Our most emergent students can pose the biggest challenge to classroom teams. These students are often learning language through AAC. They need support to comprehend spoken language, develop expressive language, and make progress in the earliest aspects of literacy. They often make progress in small increments, so we need assessment tools that capture those smallest gains. This session is for anyone who is looking for a practical starting place to develop meaningful IEP goals and track student progress. We will explore simple classroom-based tools to help you: chart where your student is on their language and literacy journey; document observable progress; and plan instruction to move them forward. Participants will leave with practical strategies and teacher-friendly tools to support your student's success.

When and where: October 24, 11:20 AM - 12:20 PM | Plaza 3

We still want it all: Ensuring access to vocabulary to help adult AAC users achieve greater social inclusion

Presented by Donnie Denome

People who use AAC face significant disparities in social inclusion, particularly as they become adults. This session will explore vocabulary transition-age youth and adults who use AAC need to be successful in different life domains, such as relationships, employment, and community inclusion and how they are granted or denied this vocabulary. This presentation will discuss the importance of vocabulary for socially valued adult roles and explore how today’s AAC systems meet, or fail to meet, the vocabulary needs of people who use AAC as they become adults and age through life.

When and where: October 24, 12:40 PM - 1:40 PM | Plaza 3

Challenging today’s AAC modeling practice: 5 practical lessons from early language development and motherese

Presented by David and Erin

Aided language input, or modeling, has become the go-to intervention for teaching AAC. Communication partners are generally encouraged to adopt several modeling strategies, including emphasizing core words, modeling only key words, attributing meaning, verbal referencing, and modeling a slightly longer message than the user can produce. The goal is to replicate how speaking children learn language through receptive input. However, modeling AAC is difficult and most communication partners end up modeling very little. In this session, we will question whether many common modeling strategies align with the receptive input received by speaking children. We will propose a practical alternative modeling approach that is based in the study of “motherese”, early language development, and the cognitive and developmental needs of both communication partners and AAC users.

When and where: October 24, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Plaza 3

Maximize participation in decisions and transition planning for students learning AAC

Presented by Erin

There has never been a better time in history to support students with developmental disabilities or complex communication needs to participate in the big decisions about their own lives. This hands-on session will introduce educators and families to cutting-edge new assistive technologies and strategies to support the participation of all students in a range of decisions. Educators and families of any student with developmental or intellectual disabilities, of any age, will leave with new tools and ideas about how to maximize every student's voice in their own planning.

When and where: October 24, 3:20 PM - 4:20 PM | Plaza 3