Webinars

This presentation will explore practical strategies that can be implemented immediately
to equip children and adults with Complex Communication Needs (CCN) to actively participate in meaningful
activities and relationships through practical and effective communication. This includes building on personal
strengths to enable individuals to acquire Social Communication skills that allow them to access valued natural
consequences as well as mutually valued interpersonal interactions. It has generally been found that, though
children with disabilities may have access to well-founded programs and services, they are often ill-equipped as
they enter adulthood to effectively participate as valued members of their communities. The presenters will
review foundational social and communication skills so that all team members at any stage of intervention can
determine and target skills necessary for building social competence. This presentation will conclude with
resources for participants to implement the information presented and to provide therapy supports and materials.

The transition from adolescence to young adulthood is an important life passage for everyone. This webinar will
examine policy, supports and systems in place for individuals who use augmentative and alternative
communication (AAC) when they are in school. Likewise, policy, systems and supports available to young adults
who use AAC after leaving the school system will be examined. Many adults who use AAC have successfully
navigated their transition from adolescence – proof can be found in the increasing presence of augmented speaker
voices across all domains of the AAC field and beyond. Still, it is widely known that this transition from
adolescence to adulthood can be challenging for many, for a variety of reasons. Considerations, strategies, and
approaches specific to supporting successful transitions to young adulthood in the context of AAC will be
highlighted.

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