Date: 09/20/2024 Time: 9:00-12:00 Location: internet Type: Webinar
Description
This 3-hour course is designed for speech-language pathologists, special educators, and other professionals working with individuals who use or need augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. The course will focus on AAC implementation skills that are critical, yet often missed or misunderstood. Learn how to support every communicator’s connection with their important people through a heightened understanding of how neurodiversity and physical or medical complexity impacts the development of communication. Understand your own cultural and disability biases to better serve all children. Learn partner strategies that nurture each AAC users’ autonomy and self-expression. Join presenter Brenda Del Monte as she shares practical AAC implementation strategies, encourages reevaluation of assumptions, and creates an inclusive environment where all communicators capitalize on strengths and interests and develop skills that reflect their potential.
Learning Objectives
- Describe two positive outcomes for AAC learners when the professionals and others support them PRESUME that EVERY individual has the potential to learn to communicate.
- List two evidence-based strategies you plan to try with your selected population (a. neurodiversity/autism or b. complex bodies/medically-fragile) to foster development of autonomous communication.
- Identify two newly-learned printable resources that can be used to guide and enhance collaboration with communication partners of AAC users.
Presenters
Brenda Del Monte, MA, SLP-CCC
Brenda Del Monte has been working as a therapist for over 18 years. Brenda received her undergraduate degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of Washington and her Masters in Speech-Language Pathology at Western Washington University. She has worked with children and adults with multiple disabilities since 2003. Brenda owns Technically Speaking, PLLC, a company that serves those who use AAC. As an expert in AAC, Brenda contracts with Advanced Therapy Solutions to evaluate, train and treat those with multiple disabilities and complex medical conditions.
Brenda serves as a practice scholar research mentor at Northern Arizona University’s OTD program. Brenda has taught courses for Central Washington University, Arizona State University Speech-Language Pathology SLP Master’s Program and Northern Arizona University Occupational Doctoral students.
Contact
Email Sue Wright at the SETC office
Zoom Link
Clock hours for this webinar and others in this series are available from ESD105 for a small fee. The following Professional Development Enroller link provides more information about clock hours: https://www.pdenroller.org/cwu/catalog/event/174651