Social Gaming: The Intersection Between Functional Communication and Adaptive Gaming for Pediatric Clients

Presenter(s)

Event Details

Topic:

augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)

Format:

lecture

Subject Level:

intermediate

Age Span:

preschool
kindergarten - grade 6
grades 7-12

Target Audience:

AT specialist

occupational therapist

speech language pathologist

Professional Development Credits

IACET CEUs:

.01 CEU

ACVREP CEs:

1 CE

Presentation Length: 1 hour

Location:

Plaza 5

Description:

After attending this presentation, attendees will learn about an exciting style of group therapy focusing on functional communication using video gaming as a fun, motivating, and rewarding activity. The ”Game n’ Gab” group brings a multidisciplinary approach between speech and occupational therapies blending communication and access. Attendees will learn how adaptive gaming, with advances in access methods and inclusivity, enables play for expanded populations with disabilities. Attendees will see how gaming, once accessible, can be used as a powerful method for engagement and motivation leading to increased collaborative and communicative efforts between group members. Participants will see data and outcomes related to groups offered over the course of 2025, and will receive insight on how to incorporate principles and methods outlined in their own settings.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Describe applications of adaptive gaming within the context of occupational and speech therapy groups.

• Describe benefits of utilization of gaming as an activity to promote functional communication training.

• Describe introductory principles of leisure occupation access for training of functional communication for clients using speech generating devices.