2010 Symposium Agenda

April 16 - 17, 2010

Sheraton Station Square
Pittsburgh, PA


Friday April 16, 2010

TIME

TOPIC

SPEAKER

8:30 AM

Registration, Networking & Coffee

 

9:00 AM - 9:30 AM

Charge to the Symposium: AAC and Disability Rights

Grace Egun

9:30 AM - 10:45 AM

Keynote: AAC Funding Issues: A Personal Perspective

Lori Warren

10:45 AM - 11:00 AM

Break –

 

11:00 AM - 12:00 Noon

A Legal Opinion on AAC Funding

Margo E. Broehl

12:00 Noon - 1:00 PM

Lunch provided

 

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Funding Tips from AAC Manufacturers

Debra Jennings - Tobii/ATI

Angie Neveadomi - PRC

2:30 PM Break  
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM Funding Tips from users, families and clinicians– Supporting the funding process
Robin Hurd, David Chapple,
Chris Klein, Rhonda Sitnik
4:00 PM Adjourn  

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Tools & Resources:

Browse the display tables and network with speakers and attendees

AACI staff at tables:

Morgan Ball, Don Spaeth,
Robin Hurd, Rachel Harkawik
 

Saturday April 17, 2010

TIME

TOPIC

SPEAKER

8:30 AM

Networking & Coffee

 

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Strategies for Improving Written SGD Funding Requests

Rachel Harkawik

10:30 AM - 10:45 AM

Break

10:45 AM - 12:00 AM

The Appeal Process!

Katya Hill

12:00 Noon - 1:00 PM

Lunch provided

 

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Working session on SGD Requests & Appeals – case examples
Bring your prepared examples to share and ask questions during this session

Panel of our speakers

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM Summary Discussion – Time for Change
Leave with your action plan
.
Robin Hurd

3:30 PM

Adjourn

 

Morgan Ball is the AAC Institute administrative director and is responsible for the AAC Institute CEU administration.

Margo Broehl is an attorney with expereince in the area of SGD funding. She is legal counsel for AAC Institute.

David Chapple lives in northest Ohio. He is the secretary of the AAC Institute, writes the monthly Around the Watercooler column and coordinates the AAC ConsumerNet area of the AAC Institute web site.. David has a degree in software engineering, is a remote troubleshooter for an AAC manufacturer, and is a person with a speech communication disability who uses AAC assistive technology.

Grace Egun is with the Pennsylvania Health Law Project and is the mother of a person who uses AAC.

Rachel Harkawik is a doctoral student in the Communication Sciences and Disorders program at University of Pittsburgh. She also provides AAC clinical services through AAC Institute ICANtalk Clinics.

Katya Hill is on the Communication Science and Disorders faculty at University of Pittbsurgh and is executive director of AAC Institute.

Robin Hurd lives in Fairview, PA. She is the mother of 12 year old twins who use AAC and powered wheelchairs. She is also the author of the Parents' Corner area of the AAC Institute web site and moderates the AAC Parents listserve.

Debra Jennings is the Funding Director at Tobii ATI.

Chris Klein is a person who uses AAC and lives in Michigan. He is a frequent presenter at AAC events.

Angie Neveadomi is the Funding Director at Prentke Romich Company.

Rhonda Sitnik is a speech-language pathologist working in the assistive technology program at Intermediate Unit 5 in Edinboro, PA.

Don Spaeth has decades of experience in various aspects of assistive technology, including AAC, environmental controls, computer access and powered mobility. He is formerly with PATAN and the Pittsburgh VA and is currently Product Manager for AAC Institute.

Lori Warren was educated at San Diego State University in California and holds degrees in Early Childhood Education and Fine Art. She taught Kindergarten, Special Education, Fine Arts grades K-12 and University for several years. She is the parent of a daughter with significant physical challenges resulting from Cerebral Palsy who uses an AAC device, graduated from college and is employed. Advocacy issues and encouraging language fluency for those using AAC is a passion for her. For the last 30 years, Ms. Warren has worked both professionally and as a volunteer training other parents to advocate for their children with disabilities. She lives in the Orlando area and continues to be a speaker at national conferences for professionals who deliver AT services and their clients.