Augmentative and Alternative Communication

2024V - Supporting Communication Partners to Model AAC: Development of a Mobile Training

ON-DEMAND

Format: 1-Hour Seminar (Virtual)

Audience: Students, International Affiliates, Public/Consumers, Researchers, Related Professionals, Assistants, Early Career Professionals (under 5 years)

Keywords: AAC, Communication partner training

Presenting Author(s)

Emily Laubscher

Penn State University

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Author Only (Not Presenting)(s)

Lauramarie Pope

Penn State University
Savanna Brittlebank-Douglas

Pennsylvania State University
Janice Light

Penn State University
David McNaughton

Penn State University
Christine Holyfield

University of Arkansas
Erik Jakobs

Penn State University
Tara Zimmerman

Misericordia University
Olivia Pfaff

Penn State University
Jessica Gormley, PhD, CCC-SLP

Assistant Professor
University of Nebraska Medical Center - Munroe-Meyer Institute
Tara McCarty

Penn State University

Communication partners often lack adequate training in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). One important partner skill is provision of aided AAC modeling; it is essential that partners are offered effective trainings in this skill. Unfortunately, current approaches to partner training in AAC are often inefficient, ineffective, and expensive. This presentation will describe the importance of partner training and the use of a freely available app to create a training in aided AAC modeling. It will describe how key steps to provide aided AAC modeling were identified and how the app was used to teach these steps by incorporating evidence-based instructional approaches (e.g., checklist of steps, strategy instruction, video modeling). Examples of the training and preliminary research results will be presented.

Learning Objectives:

Describe at least one benefit of using aided AAC modeling
Discuss two benefits of using mobile trainings for teaching AAC procedures to communication partners
Describe at least two components of effective trainings in AAC procedures