2019 TASH Conference

In this workshop, presenters and attendees will help to answer the question: What can I do to expand access to communication for everyone across the lifespan? Presenters will examine issues of equity and social justice as they relate to communication access. Our team will examine ways in which attitudinal barriers, structural ableism, and structural racism limit autonomy and communication access for individuals with communication support needs. Presenters will share current data related to access gaps in services, training, and technology, as well as areas where additional research is needed. Finally, we will propose action steps and strategies to be taken by individuals and teams, as well as advocacy at the local, school, state, and national levels. Attendees will have an opportunity to develop their own "action plan" based on dialogue and problem-solving during the session.

Because breakdowns in communication can often contribute to challenging behavior, students with autism who utilize augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are at greater risk for engaging in challenging behavior resulting from characteristics related to their communication needs. An additional challenge exists when paraprofessionals are not adequately prepared to address the communication and behavioral needs of students with autism who use AAC. The presentation will present initial findings on a study evaluating the effectiveness of training paraprofessionals to implement functional communication training to address challenging behaviors of students with autism who utilize AAC.

This presentation will discuss findings from a qualitative research study that explores the experiences of students and those who support them in a school grounded in the neurodiversity paradigm (Walker, 2014), with a focus on multimodal communication access. Sensory, motor, and learning differences can create barriers to communication, academic performance and social opportunities (Donnellan, Hill & Leary, 2013; Hussman et al. 2011; Torres et al. 2013). Yet there remains much unexplored about educational strategies and supports in school settings that can effectively reduce those barriers from a strengths-based perspective; even less that draws upon experiences and leadership of neurodivergent people themselves. For example, it has been established that individuals with disabilities, such as autism, involving complex sensory, motor and communication needs benefit from a range of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) tools for supporting communication (Kagohara et al., 2013; Light & McNaughton, 2012). Yet less is known about incorporating AAC in grade level curriculum, what other concurrent supports are helpful to reduce barriers associated with sensory, movement and learning differences, or what it means to be a neurodivergent student. As this year's conference theme, Building Diverse and Inclusive Communities, reminds us, equity, opportunity, and inclusion rely on the contributions of broad perspectives and experiences. As such, this study explores the integral ways that the leadership and collaboration across neurodiverse experiences, particularly with self-advocates who utilize AAC or a range of communicative modalities, play into all experiences at school. This work is rooted in TASH's mission of centering and learning alongside those most at risk for being excluded, empowering self-advocates drive both research and practice that impacts them. This research will document practices, experiences and relationships that contribute to learning experiences for/with/across neurodiversity, while also supporting development of students' skills and identities as multimodal communicators. The presentation will translate findings into concrete strategies for practice, informed by experiences and promising practices of students and self-advocates with sensory, motor and learning differences, as well as those who support them at school from a strengths-based perspective that explicitly values neurodiverse ways of being and communicating.

This discussion will outline a practitioner's guidelines for addressing communicative competence for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) users with complex communication needs. Participants will examine the current literature and discuss ideas for practice guidelines outlining when presumptions of competence can still protect all individuals from exposure to interventions with high levels of risk for abuse, when only the potential for competence should be presumed, and when to demand evidence.

Thanks to advanced technology, many children with disability can have their voice to communicate their wants/needs and express themselves. However, in order to ensure an effective program and equipment that works for any child with language deficits, it requires a disciplinary team and lots of practice and modeling. This presentation is a personal story of a mother and a child who communicates with AAC about her journey of finding the voice for her non-verbal child.

An inclusive classroom is one that is thoughtful about all abilities. For a student that uses AAC (Alternative and Augmentative Communication), the truly inclusive classroom can be a place to thrive, participate and engage with peers. in the elementary setting, communication and literacy are woven together, and provide ample opportunities for expression and connection. Adult-led and peer supports need to be specific and strategic in order to facilitate meaningful participation, and allow for spontaneous interaction. There is balance of support, challenge, encouragement and incentive that is critical for AAC users to be successful in the inclusive classroom. This presentation will expand on the possibilities for how AAC users can be fully included, how family members and school staff can partner to support learning and growth, and how school communities can both provide and benefit from the inclusion of students with disabilities who use AAC.