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 eleven (11) 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) RESNA Conference
The annual RESNA conference is next
month (June 22-26) in Atlanta, Georgia . RESNA has many sessions on assistive
technology and augmentative communication. The conference program includes workshops,
technical sessions, and poster session tracks on research, practice, and policy.
Check out the RESNA Annual Conference information at http://www.resna.org.
ASHA CEUs are available to attendees through the AAC Institute at no cost.*
Please, stop by the AAC Institute exhibit in the RESNA exhibit hall to obtain
your ASHA CEU packet.
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2) Fourth International Symposium on
AAC Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)
This Fourth Symposium will be held on September 15 & 16, 2006 and hosted
by the University of Pittsburgh. This year’s theme is on AAC Preferred
Practice Patterns and EBP. The Charge to the Symposium is being given by Colin
Portnuff, an individual with ALS who relies on an AAC system. Individuals who
rely on AAC and family members are involved in the various sessions including
Snoopi Botten, David Chapple, Jennifer Lowe, and Robin Hurd. Presentations and
concurrent sessions have been arranged for families and consumers, clinical
practitioners, researchers, and university faculty teaching AAC courses. The
agenda and registration form are at http://www.aacinstitute.org/Resources/Symposium/2006/symposiumannouncement.html.
ASHA CEUs are available to attendees through the AAC Institute at no cost.*
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3) ISAAC Conference
The biennial conference of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative
Communication (ISAAC) will be held in Dusseldorf, Germany from July 29 to August
5, 2006. For additional information visit the ISAAC web site at http://www.isaac-online.org.
Please stop by the AAC Institute exhibit.
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4) University and Research Directory
If you are involved in university or research activity that is not represented
in this joint project between ISAAC and the AAC Institute, please consider completing
the process before the ISAAC Conference. The following session at the conference
will be presenting information about this resource: University and Research
Directory for AAC Activity by K. Hill, R. Koul, L. Lloyd, & F. Loncke. At
the conference, please talk with any of the authors about this resource.
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5) State of the Science: Assistive Technology
Devices
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Friday, May 26, 2006
This workshop provides participants with an overview of current research findings
in the area of assistive technology devices. Katya Hill, Ph.D. from the University
of Pittsburgh will be presenting on "A Global Perspective on AAC Research."
To register visit www.herlpitt.org.
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6) ALS Survey Respondents Recruitment
Kari Blaesing of Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas is conducting
a research project investigating the provision of augmentative and alternative
communication (AAC) equipment for individuals with ALS. Primarily, the study
is concerned with the critical issue of timeliness of acquisition of AAC equipment.
People with ALS are invited to complete a survey. Please contact:
Kari Blaesing, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Associate Professor
blaek@lake.ollusa.edu
210-431-3938, ext. 2400
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7) Bent
Mick Joyce, who uses AAC, offers 53 pages of powerful, pungent poetry with an
icy-hot, cutting edge style and sweet and sour delights.
Cost: $12.75 plus .45 Cents state tax. Purchase directly from the author by
check. Further Information: e-mail ezgo.joyce@tds.net
Mick Joyce,
4 North Allen St.
Madison, Wisconsin 53705
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8) Wheelchair camping
The camping season is here. Blue Sky Designs has developed a tent that accommodates
people who use wheelchairs. For more information, visit: http://www.blueskydesigns.us/freedomtent.htm.
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9) AAC camps
One of the public service roles of AAC Institute is the promotion of activities and opportunities in the AAC field. If you are organizing an event such as an AAC camp and would like a local email announcement to be distributed, just contact us at support@aacinstitute.org . Also, consider entering "AAC Camp" into a search engine and see what comes up.
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10) Compass
Compass has been added to the AAC Institute product line. Compass software is
a tool for clinical professionals who perform computer access and augmentative
communication evaluations. The software measures user performance in skills
needed for computer interaction, such as keyboard and mouse use, navigating
through menus, and switch use. Compass is the product of years of NIH and other
grant supported research. For additional information on Compass , visit the
AAC Institute home page and under Products and Services click on Compass. Compass
complements the other performance measurement tools available from AAC Institute.
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11) 2006 Corporate Sponsors
Daedalus Technologies has joined the many AAC manufacturers, advocacy
organizations, publishers and others 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, Madentec, 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.
