AAC Institute Update!
*** The AAC Institute is a 501c3 not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to the most effective communication for people who rely on AAC (augmentative and alternative communication). One service of the AAC Institute is to provide periodic announcements of interest to those involved in the field of AAC. Approximate average frequency of messages is one per one to two months. If you wish to be removed from the AAC Institute announcement list, simply reply with a message to that effect. ***
This update has eight (8) items. Please forward to others with an interest in AAC. Others can register for email updates at the AAC Institute web site.
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1) Katrina Disaster and the AAC Community
Some people who use AAC were among those in the path of Hurricane Katrina. In
a 6 September message from the USSAAC Executive Committee and Board of Directors,
USSAAC has pledged to provide the leadership to coordinate and implement a relief
plan for the AAC community. The USSAAC
web site is expected to reflect this effort by the end of this
week. If you need or can offer money, items, services, housing, employment,
etc., please visit the site.
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2) Closing The Gap Preconference Workshops
Closing The Gap Preconference Workshops will be held October 18-19 in Bloomington,
MN. They are being offered for ASHA CEUs: up to 1.4, intermediate level, professional
area. CEUs are offered without charge.* For additional information, visit the
Closing The Gap web site at http://www.closingthegap.com.
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3) Closing The Gap Conference
Closing The Gap Conference will be held October 19-22 in Bloomington, MN. The
conference is being offered for ASHA CEUs: up to 2.0, intermediate level, professional
area. CEUs are offered without charge.* For additional information, visit the
Closing The Gap web site at http://www.closingthegap.com.
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4) University and Research Directory
Welcome back to the new academic year, at least those in the northern hemisphere!
This is a friendly reminder that it may be time to consider any updates to your
entry in the University and Research Directory if you are responsible to teaching
an AAC university course to conducting research related to AAC. If you are a
NEW instructor or researcher, please visit the site to see if your university
is listed, and then create an entry if you don’t find information about
the AAC activity happening in your department.
ISAAC (International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication)
and AAC Institute have collaborated on the development of the University and
Research Directory. This international directory includes contact and content
information on universities and other organizations engaged in AAC research.
Searches of the directory can be based on selected search criteria in the areas
of topic, measurement and research methodology, and participants.
The University and Research Directory can be accessed through the web sites
of both organizations: www.isaac-online.org
and www.aacinstitute.org.
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5) 2005 AACI Symposium on AAC Evidence-Based Practice
The Third International Symposium on AAC Evidence-Based Practice was held on
August 4 at the University of Pittsburgh with 70 participants contributing to
the discussions on how to honor the values and expectations of individuals who
rely on AAC and family members as a component of EBP. We are very grateful to
the hospitality extended by the University of Pittsburgh, especially to our
attendees from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
A “thank you” goes out to all our Corporate Sponsors for helping
to make this event a success with special appreciation to AbleNet,
Attainment, and Elsevier for providing items
for the raffle. Please look for an announcement about the Fourth International
Symposium on EBP to be held again at the University of Pittsburgh
in 2006.
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6) 2005 Pittsburgh Employment Conference (PEC)
The 2005 PEC is being characterized as the best ever. Around (300) people participated,
including many individuals using AAC systems, 27 of whom were at the podium
presenting, moderating sessions, and participating in panel discussions. PEC
is generally considered to be the largest gathering in the world of people who
use AAC. Mark your calendars for the next PEC planned for early August 2007.
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7) ASHA AAC Conference
The topic of the 7th annual conference of the ASHA division on AAC is "Evidence
Based Practice and Augmentative & Alternative Communication". It is
scheduled for January 27-29, 2006 in San Antonio, TX. For additional information,
contact Richard Lytton, M.A., CCC-SLP, 302-651-5621 or rlytton@nemours.org.
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8) 2005 Corporate Sponsors
Many organizations, including AAC manufacturers, advocacy organizations and
publishers, are providing support to the AAC Institute. Gold level sponsors
include Prentke Romich Company and Semantic Compaction Systems. Silver level
sponsors include The ALS Association, Elsevier, and Mayer-Johnson, Inc. For
a complete list of corporate sponsors, including links to their web sites, click
on the "Corporate Sponsors"
link on the AAC Institute home
page.
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*
An annual ASHA CE Registry fee is required to register ASHA CEUs. ASHA CE Registry fees are paid by the participant directly to the ASHA National Office. The annual ASHA CE Registry fee allows registration of an unlimited number of ASHA CEUs for the calendar year. Contact the ASHA CE staff at 800-498-2071 ext. 4219 for CE Registry fee subscription information.
