Once Upon Story AAC Therapy Camp is a weekend camp experience for non-speaking or severely speech impaired children from the ages of 5 -15 who functionally use augmentative communication (AAC) strategies and tools to communicate. The camp sponsored by ICANTM Talk Clinics of the AAC Institute. Once Upon a Story gives children the opportunity to interact with other children using AAC systems while increasing their ability to communicate and enhancing their language and literacy skills through functional activities.
The mission of the Once Upon a Story AAC Therapy Camp is to help children become more competent users of their AAC system, train parents and educators to facilitate language and communication at home and at school and provide a fun environment for campers and families to interact and learn.
This year’s theme, Once Upon a Story, will provide the framework for all therapeutic activities. Camp will begin with an evening cruise encompassing a tour of Pittsburgh. Three weekend sessions will include large and small group activities that are designed to increase communicative competence, knowledge of core vocabulary and literacy skills through fun and functional activities. Our day will consist of opportunities for campers to communicate with staff and peers for a variety of reasons. Since this year’s theme is centered around literacy, students will have the opportunity to narrate books, participate in reading stories and write their own memory book about our Friday night tour of Pittsburgh. There will be opportunities for our campers to meet adults who use AAC systems on both days.
There will also be three breakout sessions for parents and educators while campers and staff are engage in learning activities!
