Let’s Talk About…Camps!

DESCRIPTION:

AAC summer camps are becoming more and more common across the U.S., giving
AAC users the same opportunities and benefits that their typical peers enjoy. These benefits include
improving AAC usage and interpersonal skills, forming life-long friendships, taking risks in a safe environment
and meeting mentors. Options include family camps, day camps and independents. All offer opportunities
for children who use AAC to spend time with other individuals who communicate in similar ways and have
many shared experiences. Families and the professionals who spend time at AAC camps also benefit from
these experiences. In this webinar, participants will hear from two adult AAC users who will share their own
experiences as campers and mentors, a speech-language pathologist whose professional career was greatly
impacted by her work at an AAC camp and a parent who will share how attending a family AAC camp shaped
her understanding of communication and helped forge life-long friendships.

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS:

Hannah Foley, B.A. is an Assistive Technology (AT) Specialist concentrating in augmentative and alternative
communication (AAC). She focuses on AAC training and implementation to facilitate collaboration and
effective implementation of AAC among all members of support teams of individuals with complex
communication needs. Beyond her daily work, Hannah provides national-level consultation on AAC-related
topics. In her current role as the Support and Implementation Specialist at Forbes AAC, Hannah delivers
clinical support to optimize the implementation of AAC systems.

Michael Fondacaro has been using a communication device since he was 5, and uses a wheelchair to get
around. He has an Associates Degree in Business from Bergen Community College. He is the founder of Beyond
the Chair, in which he gives motivational speeches about disability awareness and how people similar to him
would like to be treated. He also talks about what he does in his life despite his disability. His experience
with AAC camps is vast, as he attended Camp Chatterbox for 12 years with his family, 4 years as an
independent camper and mentor, and 2 years as a guest speaker.

Tina H. Moreno, MA, CCC-SLP, ATP is a speech-language pathologist who specializes in augmentative and
alternative communication (AAC). She serves UCP of Cleveland’s LeafBridge Alternative Education Program
where all students have complex communication needs and significant disabilities. She also manages her
private practice, Voices4all LLC, in Avon, Ohio. She is co-founder and co-director of Camp ALEC, a nationally
recognized summer literacy camp for children with significant disabilities who use AAC. Tina brings to the
field her personal experiences as the mother of an AAC user. Her 24-year-old son, Mateo, has used AAC as his
primary mode of communication since the age of 4.

Alison Pentland, M.A., CCC-SLP-L, is a speech-language pathologist and AAC specialist in California, where
she serves a wide population of people in the field of AAC. After a summer as a student clinician at the Bridge
School’s Building Bridges Camp and Training Institute, she worked as staff at the camp over the next couple
years. She currently teaches at San Jose State University and provides AAC assessment, intervention, and
consultation for clients throughout the region. At the the Diagnostic Center of Northern California, Alison
trains and coaches educators and school-based SLPs in the area of AAC. She also serves on various committees
and is USSAAC’s Director of Public Information.

MODERATED BY: Amy Goldman

PLEASE NOTE: Only the first 150 attendees to log into
the webinar will be guaranteed spots.

SLPs who are USSAAC/ISAAC members may have their participation in this webinar reported for ASHA CEUs at no charge. Non-members must pay a $25 reporting fee.

This course is offered for 0.1 ASHA CEUs (Introductory level; Professional area)

PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO:

1. Name 2 outcomes for AAC users who attend camp.
2. Describe the impact of AAC camp on families.
3. Name 2 ways that working at an AAC camp can influence a professional working in the field of
   AAC.

TIME ORDERED AGENDA:

• 5 minutes: Introduction of Speakers, USSAAC and topic
• 10 minutes: The benefits of family AAC camps
• 10 minutes: Opportunities to find mentors and be mentors
• 10 minutes: The impact of camp on the family
• 10 minutes: The impact of working at a camp as a professional
• 5 minutes: Q & A

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) CEUs in speech-language pathology and
audiology are awarded by the ASHA CE Registry upon receipt of the CEU Participant Form from the ASHA
Approved CE Provider, USSAAC. ASHA CEUs are provided to full registrations. This program is offered for
.1 ASHA CEUs (Introductory Level, Professional Area)

ASHA Disclosures:

• Speaker
  • Financial:
    • Mill Matthew has no financial disclosures to report
  • Non-financial:
    • Michael Fondacaro and Hannah Foley have no nonfinancial disclosures to report
    • Tina Moreno is a USSAAC Board Member and Director/Founder of Camp Alec.
    • Alison Pentland is a USSAAC Board Member.
• Moderator
  • Financial:
    • Amy Goldman has no financial disclosures to report
  • Non-financial
    • Amy Goldman is the Past-President of USSAAC

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Contact Us: membership@ussaac.org

Join Us: USSAAC.org/membership

USSAAC EDUCATION COMMITTEE:

Betsy Caporale, Richard Hurtig, Sharon Redmon, Wendy Quach