Tuesday, October 20, 2026
8:00 am - 3:30 pm
Workshop Summary:
There is a growing trend of increasing needs in our schools. Our students are coming in with more significant communication needs, and these needs are becoming increasingly complex. As professionals we need to be experts in ALL levels of communication support. We need the skills to support students on single message speech generating devices, and we need to be experts in training teachers and staff to implement high tech devices. We also need to know everything in between! This workshop will focus on the full spectrum of AAC. Everything from low- tech core boards and single message speech generating devices all the way up to ipad apps and eye gaze communication devices. We will also touch on everything else you need to know (mounting, switches, scanning, partner assisted scanning, cause and effect, symbol hierarchy, etc.) Finally, we will spend time learning implementation strategies to increase student success with communication devices. You will go home with a full breadth of device knowledge and the skills to train staff on device implementation.
Professional Development Credits:
IACET CEUs: 0.65
ACVREP CEs: 6.5
Learning Outcomes:
Learners will be able to describe and design the full spectrum of AAC devices from low to high tech options.
Learners will be able to differentiate and feature match student skills to common communication devices
Learners will be able to train students’ educational teams in strategies for initial teaching and ongoing support of communication devices.
Presenter(s)
Registration Options:
| Description | Workshop Fee | Register |
|---|---|---|
| 3-Day Conference Registration: (Workshop included at no additional cost with 3-day conference registration) | $0 | |
| Tuesday-Only Workshop Registration | $375 | Workshop Only Registration |
Learn more About this Workshop
Presenter-provided Abstract:
There is a growing trend of increasing needs in our schools. Our students are coming in with more significant communication needs, and these needs are becoming increasingly complex. As professionals we need to be experts in ALL levels of communication support. We need the skills to support students on single message speech generating devices, and we need to be experts in training teachers and staff to implement high tech devices. We also need to know everything in between! This session will focus on the full spectrum of AAC. Everything from low- tech core boards and single message speech generating devices all the way up to ipad apps and eye gaze communication devices. We will also touch on everything else you need to know (mounting, switches, scanning, partner assisted scanning, cause and effect, symbol hierarchy, etc.) Finally, we will spend time learning implementation strategies to increase student success with communication devices. Teachers, support staff, Paraeducators, and especially Parents are all important team members in supporting device use. This presentation focuses on 5 main strategies to increase student learning/use of devices.
1. Model, Model Model, (Aided Language Stimulation), Adults must model the vocabulary/pictures on the device, but they also need to model situations in which that vocabulary can be used.
2. React and Respond - We need to keep a strong cause-effect relationship with the device and communication. We don’t want students just playing with the device alone, we want someone to respond to each time the device is selected to reinforce the concept that the device is communication.
3. Create communicative opportunities - We want to create controlled and structured opportunities for the student to ask for help or gain someone’s attention. Sabotage :)
4. Make it Functional - Focus on functional words/phrases first. MY Turn and Go Away are more powerful and functional than the days of the week.
5. Know the Device - we must use our students' words as we speak to them (aided language stimulation) and we need to know what's available on the device so that we can ask the right questions.
The last key strategy is ensuring the adults truly know the communication device; Adults must know the device in order to model its language and use. The presenter will provide key examples in teaching the organization of TouchChat, TD Motor Plan, and LAMP. YES, this training will shine a light on LAMP. The presenter has specific strategies in explaining LAMP to staff and parents. If you are looking for a new way to explain LAMP or any of your other common devices, come learn how to train the trainers and teach the teachers. You will go home with a full breadth of device knowledge and the skills to train staff on device implementation.