SLP Nerdcast

SLP Nerdcast


Optimizing AAC Implementation in Schools: Barriers and Solutions

December 13, 2021

Get .1 ASHA CEU here

Episode Summary

Does the daunting task of delivering AAC services in your district have you “all up in a wad”?. Un-wad, keep calm, and tune in this week as a dynamic AAC-SLP leader, Vicki Clarke, walks us through the process of acknowledging and breaking down access and opportunity barriers to AAC service delivery in the school setting. Vicki offers a great combination of straight talk, humor, and expert guidance to help you and your team widen your focus to all stakeholders and environments so that you may offer wrap-around style services that extend beyond the shiny promises of the AAC tech alone. Learn about who to talk to and what to say as your entire school works together to adjust knowledge, skills, and attitudes for the sake of student success. Don’t work in the schools? You’ll still learn volumes from Vicki’s decades of experience putting frameworks and support programs in place that help educators, therapists, parents and other partners gain the positive perspective and confidence they need to help the most complex of communicators.

Learn more about Vicki here.

Course Accommodations

The transcript for this course is provided below. You can also email us at ceu@slpnerdcast.com

Learning Outcomes

Listeners will be able to identify the 2 primary categories of barriers to AAC implementation in schools as defined by Beukelman & Mirenda’s Participation Model

Listeners will be able to Identify 3 specific barriers faced in their setting. 

Listeners will be able to Identify 3 solutions to explore to address barriers present in their setting

References

Beukelman, D. R., & Mirenda, P. (2013). Augmentative and alternative communication: Supporting children and adults with complex communication needs. Paul H. Brookes.

Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2010). Made to stick: Why some ideas survive and others die. Random House.

Kent-Walsh, J., & Mcnaughton, D. (2005). Communication Partner Instruction in AAC: Present Practices and Future Directions. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 21(3), 195-204. doi:10.1080/07434610400006646

Senner, J. E., & Baud, M. R. (2016). The Use of an Eight-Step Instructional Model to Train School Staff in Partner-Augmented Input. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 38(2), 89-95. doi:10.1177/1525740116651251

Soto, G. (1997). Special education teacher attitudes toward AAC: Preliminary survey. Augmentative and Alternative Communication,13(3), 186-197. doi:10.1080/07434619712331278008

Online Resources

Praactical AAC: https://praacticalaac.org/

The SETT Framework by Dr. Joy Zabala: https://www.joyzabala.com/

Speaker Disclosures:

Vicki Clarke financial disclosures: Vicki is a co-owner of Dynamic Therapy Associates and DTA Schools, AACchicks AT Teachers Pay Teacher, Xceptional Education Leader, and is a paid speaker at state and national venues. Vicki Clarke non-financial disclosures: Vicki has non-financial working relationships with SGD manufacturers, AAC app developers and materials developers for students with special needs including News-2-You, Tobii Dynavox, PRC Saltillo, Control Bionics, Forbes Rehab Services, Ablenet, Eye Tech and AhVAZ. Vicki consults pro bono for various speech generating device manufactures, app developers (educational, AAC and speech pathology related).

Kate Grandbois financial disclosures: Kate is the owner / founder of Grandbois Therapy + Consulting, LLC and co-founder of SLP Nerdcast.  Kate Grandbois non-financial disclosures: Kate is a member of ASHA, SIG 12, and serves on the AAC Advisory Group for Massachusetts Advocates for Children. She is also a member of the Berkshire Association for Behavior Analysis and Therapy (BABAT), MassABA, the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) and the corresponding Speech Pathology and Applied Behavior Analysis SIG. 

Amy Wonkka financial disclosures: Amy is an employee of a public school system and co-founder for SLP Nerdcast. Amy Wonkka non-financial disclosures: Amy is a member of ASHA, SIG 12, and serves on the AAC Advisory Group for Massachusetts Advocates for Children.

Course Disclosure - Financial and In-Kind

Funding for this course was provided by one of our Corporate Sponsors, Medtravelers.

Time Ordered Agenda:

15 minutes: Introduction, Disclaimers and Disclosures

25 minutes: Descriptions of primary categories of barriers to AAC implementation in schools as defined by Beukelman & Mirenda’s Participation Model

15 minutes: Descriptions of barriers faced in their setting

10 minutes: Descriptions of solutions to explore to address barriers present in their setting

5 minutes: Summary and Closing

Disclaimer

The contents of this episode are not meant to replace clinical advice.  SLP Nerdcast, its hosts and guests do not represent or endorse specific products or procedures mentioned during our episodes unless otherwise stated.  We are NOT PhDs, but we do research our material.  We do our best to provide a thorough review and fair representation of each topic that we tackle.  That being said, it is always likely that there is an article we’ve missed, or another perspective that isn’t shared.  If you have something to add to the conversation, please email us! Wed love to hear from you!

__

SLP Nerdcast is a podcast for busy SLPs and teachers who need ASHA continuing education credits, CMHs, or professional development. We do the reading so you don’t have to! Leave us a review if you feel so inclined!

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at info@slpnerdcast.com anytime! You can find our complaint policy here. You can also:

Follow us on instagram

Follow us on facebook

We are thrilled to be listed in the Top 25 SLP Podcasts!

Thank you FeedSpot!