This course is offered for .15 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate Level). ASHA CEUs are only awarded to those persons who are valid members of the ASHA Registry.
When trialing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices it is important to follow a systematic process to identify appropriate tools. During this course participants will be introduced to the feature matching process, will review the components necessary to complete an AAC device trial, and will learn how to apply data in order to report results leading to specific recommendations.

Outcomes:

• 1. Describe the feature matching process used to identify appropriate Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices to trial.
• 2. Discuss the 4 components necessary to complete an AAC trial.
• 3. Explain how data gathered through the AAC trial process results in specific recommendations.

Who Should Attend: This session is geared towards speech language pathologists who plan and implement Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device trials for students.

Satisfactory completion requirements:

• Attendance is based on your signature in and out of the session. Failure to provide a signature in and out will result in no credit. Virtual attendance is taken via the Zoom Chat.
• Participants are expected to attend the entire session and complete an exit ticket to earn credit.
• Participants must complete an electronic course evaluation within two weeks of the session date to be sent a certificate.
• Accommodations, questions and complaints can be directed to: professionallearning@truenorth804.org

Cost Information: Participation fees for this course offering are included in the overall membership for the Speech and Language / Augmentative and Alternative Communication Support Professionals, Professional Learning Community. The participation fee for attendance in this Professional Learning Community is $800 and includes all materials and content. These fees will be billed directly to the school district that employs the participant after the Professional Learning Community is complete. Individuals are asked to not bring payment to the session.

Cancellation and Refund Information: There is no cancellation fee, though we ask for advance notice to open the spot for another person. TrueNorth reserves the right to cancel any session due to low enrollment. TrueNorth does not charge prior to the start of the offered session. If an individual attends the first day of a learning series but is unable to attend the remaining sessions, the school district that employs the participant is able to designate an alternate person. It is up to the individual no longer attending the program to give their replacement the information learned in the first session.

About the Presenters: Megan Brown is a licensed speech-language pathologist and a member of the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) who currently works as the Itinerant Speech-Language Pathology Coordinator and as an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Coach in the District Services Department at TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804 in Highland Park, Illinois. Megan assists teams in obtaining and implementing a wide variety of AAC supports for complex communicators across the lifespan. She enjoys collaborating with students, families, and school communities to encourage communication across the day.
Susan Foster is a licensed speech-language pathologist and a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) who currently works as an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Coach and the Integrated-Assistive Technology Coordinator in the Integrated-Assistive Technology Services Department at TrueNorth. Susan has been a member of the Integrated-Assistive Technology Services Department since 2006 and has enjoyed assisting classroom teams in creating successful communication environments for individuals with complex communication needs as well as assisting teams in assessing and planning intervention for individuals from early childhood through transition age who may benefit from augmentative and alternative communication.
Financial Disclosure: Susan Foster is an employee of TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804 and receives a salary.
Non-Financial Disclosure: Susan Foster has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Financial Disclosure: Megan Brown is an employee of TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804 and receives a salary.
Non-Financial Disclosure: Megan Brown has no relevant non-financial relationships.

*Member Districts include:

Northbrook 27, Northbrook 28, Sunset Ridge 29, Glenview/Northbrook 30, West Northfield 31, Glenview 34, Glencoe 35, Winnetka 36, Kenilworth 38, Lake Bluff 65, Lake Forest 67, Bannockburn 106, Deerfield 109, North Shore 112, Township HS 113, Lake Forest 115, New Trier 203, Glenbrook 225.

Have a question? Check out the Professional Learning FAQs or contact professionallearning@truenorth804.org.