Division 12, Augmentative and Alternative Communication

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Announcements

AAC and Literacy

Division 12, Augmentative and Alternative Communication is sponsoring a live forum event on Tuesday, April 2, 2008, 8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT. During these "office hours," this expert will be available to answer your questions:

Karen Erickson, PhD, Director of the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an Associate Professor in the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Department of Allied Health Sciences, School of Medicine.

Dr. Karen Erickson will field questions and discussion regarding literacy and AAC with particular attention toward students with cogntive and/or language impairments. The event is open to all ASHA and NSSLHA members. It is not offered for CEUs.

Please note: The 2-hour forum cannot be accessed ahead of time. Postings to the forum will be allowed only during the period of the event. Afterwards, the forum content will be archived. If you have questions about forum event participation, please visit the event technical requirements page.

Perspectives is now an Internet-only publication!

Beginning with the first issues of Perspectives in 2008, content will be published online only. The Divisions are going to this new format:

To save some GREEN. Increases in content and frequency of publication coupled with increasing postage costs have put a strain on Division budgets. Publishing online only will free up resources that can be allocated to other Division programs and member benefits.
To be more GREEN. Online publishing is a positive step environmentally; it saves resources (paper, energy) associated with publishing hardcopy.
To respond to affiliates' interests in accessing content online.
To provide new benefits (e.g., archived issues).

2007 Topics for Division 12 Perspectives

Look for these exciting topics in Division 12's Perspectives this year!

AAC and Motor Speech/Apraxia
AAC and Autism

Consumers

Looking for information on AAC? Check this online glossary of terms and Communication Facts: AAC.

New HCPCS Codes

Check out the new HCPCS Codes for speech-generating devices! For general information about coding, visit the coding page in the members area.

AAC in the Schools

Division 12 sponsored a live forum event September 12. Missed the event? You can view the exchange between participants and experts: AAC in the Schools: Strategies for Success.

A discussion of this topic has begun in the ASHA forums. Unlike a live forum event, there is no time limit for posting. Access is open to all ASHA and NSSLHA members.

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Mission and Goal

Our Mission

Speech-language pathologists interested in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) presently have a variety of AAC organizations available to them. What is offered by Division 12 that is unique? While the field of AAC is comprised of professionals from various disciplines, Division 12 is the vehicle to represent, within ASHA, AAC issues specific to speech-language pathologists and audiologists.

Goal

It is the goal of the Special Interest Division for Augmentative and Alternative Communication to:

Promote continuing education for ASHA members at introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels;
Advocate for ASHA membership regarding clinical service needs; and
Advocate for preservice and inservice personnel preparation in the area of augmentative and alternative communication.

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Professional and Clinical Issues

Affiliate members have a direct voice in addressing issues that impact on their profession, to communicate and network on a variety of topics, and to identify clinical issues that need immediate attention. It is hoped that working groups will be developed to focus on topics important to the affiliates. Possible areas of interest include the following:

Assistive technologies
Language development patterns of augmented communicators
Predictive evaluation procedures
Specialty certification
Early identification of children at risk for developing speech
Innovations in intervention models
Directions for the development of technology that promotes language and communication development
AAC caseload size
Funding of AAC services
Intensity and frequency of direct services
Literacy development of augmented communicators
Currently available inservice materials and opportunities
Preservice coursework in AAC
Preservice practicum requirement
Facilitating research in AAC
Ethical issues in AAC

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Affiliate Benefits

Perspectives, our peer-reviewed publication

Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Commununication is published 4 times annually and features

Articles on clinical topics
Articles on professional and practice issues

Affiliates can earn CEUs through self-study of the division newsletter. View indexes [PDF] of articles published in Perspectives. Individual newsletter issues may be purchased from ASHA Product Sales.

Check out our April 2006 issue:

Front page - including table of contents, "In This Issue" [PDF]
"Using Visual Scene Displays to Improve Communication and Communication Instruction in Persons With Autism Spectrum Disorders" [PDF] by Howard C. Shane, Children's Hospital Boston, Massachusetts

Continuing Education

Division 12 is an ASHA approved continuing education provider. In addition to newsletter self-study, the division holds an annual leadership conference through which CEUs are available. The division also sponsors a Short Course at the annual ASHA Convention.

Leadership Conference: Participants in the Division 12-sponsored annual leadership conference can earn CEUs; Division 12 affiliates enjoy a discounted registration fee.
Short Course: Division 12 affiliates are eligible for a 50% discount on a Short Course at ASHA Convention.

E-mail List

Division 12 sponsors an exclusive e-mail list (for Division 12 affiliates only).

Networking

Affiliates have the opportunity to identify others with interest in augmentative and alternative communication through affiliate meetings and participation in the e-mail list.

Representation Within ASHA

The Division 12 Coordinator represents the Special Interest Division on Augmentative and Alternative Communication within the ASHA Board of Division Coordinators.
The Steering Committee responds to ASHA requests for input regarding policy, guidelines, committees, and other issues.
Affiliates have the opportunity to provide input to the division leadership and ASHA.

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Steering Committee

Members

Coordinator: Carole Zangari, The Tyler Institute, Nova Southeastern University
Associate Coordinator: Iris Fishman, United Cerebral Palsy of New York City
Amy S. Goldman, Temple University
Ellen M. Kravitz, Massachussetts Easter Seals
Joanne Lasker, Florida State University

Perspectives Editor: Mary Ann H. Lowe, Nova Southeastern University

CE Administrator: Sara Scarborough, University of South Carolina

Ex Officios

Brian B. Shulman, Monitoring Vice President for Professional Practices in Speech-Language Pathology
Gwendolyn D. Wilson, Monitoring Vice President for Professional Practices in Audiology
Leigh Deussing, Associate Director, Special Interest Division Programs

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