2026V - Teaching Emergency Responders How to Respond Alternatively

Despite the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 stating that people with disabilities should have access to their communities, a critical component has often been overlooked – the training of emergency first responders on how to communicate with people who have complex communication needs. Two speech/language pathologists will demonstrate how they have trained nearly 2,000 emergency first responders. The presentation will cover the curriculum presented to the first responders (via lecture, videos, and the use of small group activities with role-playing scenarios) they have used since starting their method of training in 2017. They will share their website where materials are free to be downloaded for the participant’s use to continue the trainings across the country.