Augmentative Communication Evaluations:  A "Toolkit" Approach

This educational session will assist in organizing and systematizing the AAC evaluation process. Participants will be able to put together their own low-cost, efficient communication toolkit, both using what they already have and identifying additional tools to obtain. In order to do this, they will leave with a list of toolkit items from various vendors, a list of communication software/free manufacturers resources used to emulate a variety of devices, and website resources/clinical tools to enhance their communication evaluations.

Presenter:

Debby McBride, Speech Pathologist/AAC Specialist, AAC TechConnect

Debby McBride, MS., CCC-SLP, has worked in most areas of augmentative communication over the past 20+  years, and as a speech pathologist over the past 30 years. Her broad and unique perspective comes from being a clinician an outpatient hospital setting, in schools, rehabilitation centers, and residential settings. Currently, she is working clinically in an outpatient clinic at Boulder Community Hospital in Boulder, CO. doing augmentative communication. This clinical work is nicely complemented by her past experience as a manufacturer's representative (for AAC devices), and also as a multi-line distributor for her own company.  Currently, her new company, AAC TechConnect, develops clinical tools, available on-line at her website, www.aacTechConnect.com . Recently, her company, AAC TechConnect, has been taken on as a project with AAC-RERC, and her products have been features in Advance and in Augmentative Communication News.  She is an experienced presenter, having presented at numerous educational sessions at national, regional, and local conferences and workshops. 
 

Lisa Bardach, Speech Pathologist, Communicating Solutions, LLC 

Lisa G. Bardach, MS, CCC-SLP is a certified Speech-Language Pathologist with over 17 years of experience providing neurogenic rehabilitation to adult and pediatric clients. She is in private practice specializing in evaluation and treatment for individuals requiring augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).  Ms. Bardach is an adjunct faculty member of the University at Buffalo, where she has presented workshops in the area of alternative access to SGDs. She has authored multiple professional presentations on AAC on local and national levels, in addition to several publications and has served on ASHA's Medicare Implementation Team.