Where is the Penis? Preparing AAC Users to Advocate for Personal and Body Safety

Presenter(s)

Event Details

Topic:

augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)

Format:

lecture

Subject Level:

intermediate

Age Span:

infant / toddler
preschool
kindergarten - grade 6
grades 7-12
adult

Target Audience:

AT specialist
autism specialist
consultant
deaf / hard of hearing
educator
family member / caregiver
healthcare administration
K-12 administration
occupational therapist
paraprofessional
physical therapist
special educator
speech language pathologist
teacher of the visually impaired
university professor / personnel
vision impairment specialist

Professional Development Credits

IACET CEUs:

.01 CEU

ACVREP CEs:

1 CE

Presentation Length: 1 hour

Location:

Atrium 4

Description:

Are you preparing AAC users to protect themselves? By providing and using consistent and respectful language and interactions, we can promote personal and body safety for AAC users. Individuals who use AAC are disproportionately prone to abuse… yet, the language needed to support personal and body safety is not consistent across all robust symbol-based AAC systems. This session will allow attendees to understand the importance of using real words for ALL body parts and provide a framework for a curriculum to teach these body parts in everyday routines and in the context of safety education. Vocabulary customization needs and topics to address in safety education will be highlighted; for example, communicators must have the ability to state their name, identify trusted adults, and report potential problems. The AAC system users’ safety is the responsibility of individuals who are programming or designing the systems. The relevance of teaching body parts in a gender-neutral way will be discussed and instructional materials for teaching private part identification will be provided. Instructional topics including who can see and touch private parts, ways to say no, and how to discuss comfortable versus uncomfortable situations and touches. The importance of teaching surprises versus secrets and how this relates to body safety and grooming will be outlined. Understanding grooming and grooming behaviors will be highlighted in order to help prevent sexual abuse. As AAC users’ operational competence grows, it is essential that instruction includes issues related to digital literacy, cyber safety and social-media etiquette. The ability to identify cyber bullying and sexting will be covered along with ways to express rejection of unwanted behaviors and advocate for oneself. Attendees will observe several examples of core vocabulary being used to describe positive safety interventions. This sensitive topic is rarely considered but is crucial to prepare AAC users for self-advocacy.

Learning Outcomes:

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

• Explain the role of AAC as as a tool to promote and teach personal and body safety to individuals with disabilities.

• Name three device system customizations required for AAC users to self-advocate.

• Identify and provide two examples of grooming behaviors commonly exhibited by those who engage in sexual abuse.

Disclosures:

I receive a salary WIHD as the Assistive Technology department and Speech Department clinical coordinator. I receive salary from a Spoonful of Sugar for practice in New York. I produce keyguards and AAC focused items and sell them through an ETSY store.
Lauren is the owner/operator of Engaging AAC Solutions, LLC and receives compensation as such provides customized professional development trainings on topics in speech and language, augmentative and alternative communication, assistive technology, and special education as a contractor through her company Engaging AAC Solutions, LLC. Compensation through fees and covered travel expenses is provided by a variety of companies, organizations, and educational institutions. Lauren is an adjunct professor in assistive technology (AT) and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, PA.