Course curriculum

  • 1

    Course content

    • PowerPoint

    • AAC Candidacy Determination

    • From Candidate to User: Determining Deaf-Friendly AAC that Supports Client-Specific Communication

    • Quiz

    • Evaluation

    • Continuing Education Credits

Course information

Course description: This presentation will discuss the “Determining Candidacy for an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Device” resource and how to match candidates to the most supportive AAC application. The resource was created by three American Sign Language (ASL) -fluent speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with extensive experience working at schools for the Deaf. This screening tool can help broadly determine whether a signing Deaf child is a candidate for an AAC device. Many Deaf children who communicate using ASL are also encouraged to use AAC devices when they are not candidates, and likely would not benefit from them. This tool can help providers minimize those occurrences. Once the individual is identified as a candidate, what are the next steps? The participants will then learn about different Deaf-Friendly AAC features in a variety of applications. They will also further understand the app trialing process, and how to navigate the journey of selecting an app that best fits the communicator while continuing to support the individual's signing.

Agenda:

5 minutes: Introduction 

25 minutes: Explaining the “Determining Candidacy for an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Device” resource 

20 minutes: Deaf-Friendly AAC features within various applications 

45 minutes: Feature matching applications to an individual, the trialing process, and case studies. 


Learner outcomes:

Participants will be able to:

  1. Explain how to navigate the “AAC Candidacy Resource”

  2. State the different Deaf-friendly AAC features in a variety of applications

  3. Navigate how to select which application best suits the communicator

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.

Speaker disclosures

Financial disclosures: Quinn is receiving royalties for this course.

Nonfinancial disclosures: Quinn is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

Content disclosure: This presentation will discuss the AAC Candidacy Determination resource 

Continuing Education

This course is offered for 0.15 ASHA CEUs.