Assistive Technology

& Augmentative/Alternative Communication

 

Who We Are

The Assistive Technology (AT) and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Consultants work in cooperation with local district teams to provide training, coaching, and other services to support students experiencing challenges in learning and/or communication.

 

Our Goal

The goal of AT/AAC team is to ensure access to curriculum, instruction, and communication for all students.  We strive to do this by developing knowledge of AT and AAC tools and supporting their integration into educational environments.

 

How We Serve

Consultation & Coaching

  • Individualized access to curriculum and instruction for students with disabilities.
  • Student-specific literacy, language, and communication supports as well as curriculum access for students experiencing low incidence disabilities.
  • Classroom or building support
    • Classroom or building-level support to build access to curriculum and instruction for students with high-incidence disabilities.
    • Classroom-based support of literacy, language, and communication for programs supporting students with complex communication and learning needs.

Professional Development 

  • Support/capacity-building for district SLPs, OTs, PTs and general education and special education teachers in providing access to instruction, language, and communication through AT and AAC.
  • Communication partner training and coaching to support communication and language needs.
  • Training on AT devices/resources for school team members and families, as needed for successful implementation.

AT/AAC Loan Library 

  • Opportunity for short-term loans of AT and AAC equipment in order for districts to explore available options and determine the best fit prior to acquisition.
  • AT/AAC Trials
    • Support for teams in trialing, selecting and implementing AAC and AT options to meet communication, language, and/or instructional needs.

Networks Supported

  • SLP Community of Practice
  • OT Community of Practice

Examples of Professional Development Provided

  • Accessible Educational Materials (AEM)
  • Assistive technology software to support students with disabilities (e.g. Read & Write for Google, Bookshare, LessonPix)
  • Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) Software/Apps (e.g. LAMP WFL, TD Snap, PODD, Super Core)
  • Communication partner skills to support language & communication development in AAC users
  • Comprehensive literacy instruction for students with complex needs
  • Universal Design for Learning
Corinn Hower
Assistive Technology Consultant
Jim Kauppila
Assistive Technology Consultant
Theresa Augustyniak
Augmentative & Alternative Communication Consultant