Course curriculum

  • 1

    Course content

    • PowerPoint

    • AAC Candidacy and Device Selection for DHH Students

    • Quiz

    • Evaluation

    • Continuing Education Credits

Course information

Course description: This presentation will consist of case study examples to discuss the complete process of determining candidacy for Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) devices for Deaf and hard of hearing children as well as deciding which program may best fit that particular child. The presenters will take real case studies and walk you through steps from the beginning to deciding specific AAC programming as necessary. This presentation will utilize Language First resources, “AAC Candidacy Determination” and “AAC Feature Matching Resource for DHH Students.”

Agenda:

5 minutes: Introduction into AAC with the DHH population 

20 minutes: AAC Candidacy 

20 minutes: AAC Feature Matching 

60 minutes: Case studies, walk through of determining candidacy and then feature matching devices to determine best AAC device for that particular case


Learner outcomes:

Participants will be able to:

  1. Identify when a Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) student is and is not a candidate for AAC 

  2. State 3 factors that should be considered when determining candidacy for AAC devices 

  3. List 4 potential high-tech AAC devices that have Deaf-friendly features that may be appropriate for DHH children

Instructor(s)

Quinn Kelly

Quinn Kelly is a Speech-Language Pathologist at a school for the Deaf in New York. She received her B.A in Linguistics with a concentration in American Sign Language from Montclair State University in 2017, and her M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Mercy College in 2020. During her graduate work, she conducted research on "Interprofessional Training for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)." Her research focused on the importance of a team approach when implementing AAC systems. Since graduating, she has continued her efforts to raise awareness about assistive technology within community programs. She recently began serving her school as the AAC specialist, servicing students ages three to twenty-one. She currently resides in New Jersey.

Caryssa McCool-Valent

Caryssa is a speech language pathologist (SLP) in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. She received her bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences and master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from Duquesne University. She currently works at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf as the elementary school SLP. Caryssa has a passion for working with d/Deaf and hard of hearing children and loves the ability to provide speech and language therapy in a variety of communication modalities.

Speaker disclosures:

Financial disclosures: Quinn and Caryssa are each receiving royalties for this course. 

Nonfinancial disclosures: The presenters have no relevant nonfinancial disclosures.

Content disclosure: The presenters reference Language First resources in this presentation.

Continuing Education

This course is offered for 0.15 ASHA CEUs.
This course is offered for 0.15 RID CEUs.