Overview

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) can be life-changing for many individuals, but due to its complex and commercial nature, it also comes with a myriad of potential ethical concerns. Clinicians can improve AAC assessment and intervention outcomes for those they serve by being confident they are making ethically informed decisions about AAC use (Clapsaddle, K. 2019).The AB-AAC will present a course providing partial fulfillment of the ethics requirement for AAC Specialty Certification. Competencies for ethical provision of services will be identified including work completed by Drs. Higdon and Hill on the five SGD funding rules of commitment will be presented in relationship to ethical principles and professionalism .

Learning Objectives

1. Relate the five SGD Rules of Commitment to the four principles of ethics: autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice.
2. Self-evaluate your competencies for providing an evaluation resulting in an SGD funding report based on the five SGD Rules of Commitment.
3. Consider at least two strategies to ensure that you are conducting a fair and unbiased SGD trial process independent of the funding source.

Strand(s)

Augmentative and Alternative Communication; Leadership

Target Audience

Administrators; AT Specialists; Caregivers; Consumers/Individuals with Disabilities; Consultants/Trainers; Disability Services; Faculty/Instructors - Higher Education; Family Members; Speech-Language Pathologists

Experience Level

Advanced

Primary Life Cycle Addressed

All

Session Delivery Format

In-person presentation with recording

Course Schedule

This course was given at the ATIA 2024 Conference on Thursday, January 25 from 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM (EST)

Continuing Education Credits

For Satisfactory Completion and Continuing Education information, please visit: ATIA Online Education CEUs

This course is offered for the following CE Provider Credits:
ACVREP; ASHA; IACET
For: 0.10 CEU Units or 1.0 CEU Hours

Speaker/s:

Michael Cole, MS, CCC-SLP

Use Your Words PC, President

Biography

Mike Cole MS CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist specializing in augmentative and alternative communication. He earned his B.S. of Speech-Language Pathology and MS in speech-language pathology from Illinois State University. His continuing education focuses on AAC tools, implementation, and evaluation. Mike is President of Use Your Words, P.C., a private practice specializing in augmentative and alternative communication. He provides services to individuals with complex communication needs and their families in the home, school, and community setting. Additionally, he provides consultative services to schools regarding AAC, guest lectures at colleges, and presents nationally on a range of topics including AAC and assistive technology. Past presentation venues include ATIA, ASHA, Infinitec, AAPPSPA, ISHA, Elmhurst Community College, and various school districts. Additionally, Mike serves as a board member on the American Board of Augmentative and Alternative Communication which is in process of working to provide the opportunity for practitioners to specify the nature of the evidence-based AAC clinical practice they deliver, offer resources for Board Certified Speech Language Pathologist Specialists' life-long learning, and administer an efficient certification program for specialists in the clinical practice for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Past positions include assistive technology specialist for district 204 in Illinois serving students from preschool through post-secondary. In this role he provided consultation, training, and implementation guidance regarding assistive technology tools to allow access to curriculum including reading, writing, math, communication, and the physical environment. Additionally, he served as speech-Language Pathologist at the middle school and elementary school self-contained and inclusion settings. He was also a paraprofessional at the preschool level.

Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
Mike is President of Use Your Words, P.C. private practice

Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: Yes
Mike holds a voluntary position on the American Board for AAC Specialty Certification (AB-AAC)

Katya Hill

University of Pittsburgh, Associate Professor

Biography

Katya Hill, PhD, CCC-SLP earned a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences and Technology at the University of Pittsburgh. She is a professor in the Department of Communication Science and Disorders at the University of Pittsburgh and Senior Director of the UPMC Augmentative Communication Program. As a Speech-Language Pathologist, her work has focused on clinical augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) services and her research has been in the area of AAC language activity monitoring and performance measurement. Dr. Hill is the PI on current AAC-BCI funded awards from NIH and NIDILRR exploring real-world use of an AAC-BCI.

Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
I am employed by the University of Pittsburgh with contracted time at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s (UPMC) Center for Assistive Technology. I receive grant funding from NIH, NIDILRR, and the Beckwith Institute.

Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: No

Michael O'Leary, MS, CCC-SLP

University of Pittsburgh, Graduate Student Researcher

Biography

Michael O'Leary, MS, CCC-SLP, is a graduate student researcher at the University of Pittsburgh. His research focus includes Brain-Computer Interface as an AAC access method and control interface performance measurement. Prior to pursuing his PhD, Michael was the clinical director of The ICAN Talk Clinic of the AAC Institute where he specialized in multipart AAC evaluations for individuals with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Cerebral Palsy, and other complex communication disorders. He also created and taught AAC training programs for AAC evaluations and intervention. Finally, he trained and advised the staff at public school systems across the state of Pennsylvania to implement comprehensive AAC services for students.

Relevant Financial Relationship: No

Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: Yes
Board Member for The American Board of Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Jennifer Cristiano, MS, CCC-SLP

Technology for Education & Communication Consulting

Biography

Jennifer Drenchek-Cristiano, MS, CCC-SLP received her masters degree in speech pathology from the University of Buffalo where she worked at the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Technology Transfer focusing on AAC systems. She began her career working in a private school for students with complex communication needs. Jennifer then went to work with the Technology for Life and Learning Center ATEAM performing AT evaluations throughout the state of New Jersey. Jennifer started a private consulting business, Technology for Education and Communication Consulting, Inc, specializing in speech, AAC and AT in 2004. In 2018 Jennifer expanded her practice to include a Pediatric and Adult Speech Therapy Clinic in Williamstown NJ called the South Jersey Speech Center. She has experience with students birth to 21 and specializes in integrating technology solutions into their educational plan. Jennifer has extensive experience working with students with complex communication needs including Cerebral Palsy, Downs Syndrome, and Autism. She has provided numerous trainings across the country on assistive technology, augmentative communication and technology in the field of speech pathology. Jennifer is an adjunct faculty member at Stockton University in the Health Sciences department where she has worked as a professor and clinical supervisor. Jennifer also collaborated with Stockton University to create an AAC program providing advanced training in the field for practicing SLP’s. Jennifer serves on the American Board of Augmentative and Alternative Communication as chair of the Artifact and Application committee.

Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
Private practice

Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: Yes
Jennifer Cristiano serves on the American Board of Augmentative Communication Specialty Certification