Student-Centered AAC Design and Intervention, Part 1: Practical, Collaborative Approaches for Learners with Visual Impairments and Additional Disabilities

Presented by Megan Mogan, MS-CCC-SLP and Christopher Russell, MS. Ed., TVI

This one-hour webinar is the first in a two-part series that considers the unique needs of early communicators with visual impairment and additional disabilities (including deaf-blindness) when designing Augmentative-Alternative Communication (AAC) Systems.

Factors surrounding vocabulary selection and organization, visual and tactile symbol adaptation, and use of multiple systems will be considered in the context of a collaborative, team-based approach to AAC. Specific approaches for students with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) will also be discussed.

Check out Student-Centered AAC Design and Intervention, Part 2 »

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Learning Goals and Objectives

Upon completion of the session, participants will be able to:

Identify common challenges that may limit AAC System use for students who are early communicators with Visual Impairment, including deaf-blindness.
Increase awareness of best practices in collaborative teaming.
Summarize considerations specific to a VI Early Communicator when designing student-centered AAC Systems in the following areas:
- Using Multiple AAC Systems
- Adapting and Organizing Communication Symbols
Introduce approaches for the implementation of AAC across the school day within simple, functional routines and exchanges.

PRESENTER SUMMARY:
Megan Moganis a Speech-Language Pathologist at the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and Blind – Tucson Campus. She specializes in working with students who are blind and visually impaired with additional disabilities, including deaf-blindness.

Chris Russell is the Project Coordinator for the New York Deaf-Blind Collaborative, and has experience as a classroom teacher and Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI) working with children who have visual impairments and additional disabilities including deaf-blindness. Chris specializes in severe and multiple disabilities including deaf-blindness, curriculum adaptations for children with visual impairments and additional disabilities, and instructional strategies supporting communication development for children with pre-symbolic communication.