{"id":2,"date":"2026-04-06T08:44:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T12:44:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/forum.staging.isaac-online.org\/?page_id=2"},"modified":"2026-10-14T15:11:29","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T19:11:29","slug":"schedule","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/schedule\/","title":{"rendered":"Schedule"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"event-search\">\n    <input type=\"search\" class=\"event-search__input\" placeholder=\"search\" aria-label=\"Search events\">\n    <select class=\"event-search__day\" aria-label=\"Filter by day\" >\n        <option value=\"\">all days<\/option>\n        <option value=\"2026-11-10\">Tuesday, 10.11.2026<\/option><option value=\"2026-11-11\">Wednesday, 11.11.2026<\/option>\n    <\/select>\n    <select class=\"event-search__room\" aria-label=\"Filter by Zoom room\" >\n        <option value=\"\">all rooms<\/option>\n        <option value=\"Zoom Room 1\">Zoom Room 1<\/option><option value=\"Zoom Room 2\">Zoom Room 2<\/option><option value=\"Zoom Room 3\">Zoom Room 3<\/option><option value=\"Zoom Room 4\">Zoom Room 4<\/option>\n    <\/select>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"events-grid\">\n    <div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"cultural and linguistic adaptation of an augmentative and alternative communication system for rioplatense spanish agustina giorgetti brenda bel\u00e9n mart\u00ednez ocampo gustavo gasaneo both oral and written communication in spanish presents as many variants as there are countries in latin america, and each country also presents internal variants. augmentative and alternative communication (aac) systems available in spanish generally do not take these differences into account. as a result, there is a discrepancy between the linguistic variant these users hear in their daily environment and the one offered by the system, which separate them from their culture and communicative habits. these differences are usually approached as a translation problem, when in fact they compromise the naturalness of communication, linguistic identity, and cultural representation of those who use these systems. this presentation describes the design, development, and implementation of a cultural and linguistic adaptation model that allows an aac system to represent different variants of spanish, both in vocabulary and in the communicator&#039;s synthesized voice, with rioplatense spanish (used in argentina) being the first variant fully developed. the objective of this work is to generate independent modules, integrable into the architecture of aac systems, that allow other linguistic variants to be incorporated, rather than applying one-off modifications to existing labels, so that the system&#039;s vocabulary and voice align with the linguistic variant of the region where the user lives. the adaptation integrates, within a single model, vocabulary and the automatic conjugation of verb forms, including those used with the pronoun\u00a0vos, which is characteristic of rioplatense spanish. based on this, a catalog in rioplatense spanish was developed, identifying and adapting the pictograms whose vocabulary differs from peninsular spanish. the system automatically conjugates verbs \u2014including\u00a0vos\u00a0forms\u2014 according to the pronoun selected by the user, and accompanies these adaptations with a voice output with regional pronunciation, achieving coherence between vocabulary and sound. these variants were implemented in the siaacom 4.0 communicator by neufitech srl. all functionalities operate locally, without an internet connection, allowing use in contexts with limited connectivity. the system also includes support for incorporating new vocabulary \u2014including verbs, which are automatically conjugated\u2014 expanding its personalization. the technology developed can be easily adapted to other variants of spanish, incorporating both vocabulary and synthetic voices specific to each spanish-speaking region, such as those of peru, mexico, or colombia, among others. these adaptations allow the system&#039;s vocabulary and voice to align with the user&#039;s linguistic variant, and constitute a concrete contribution toward a more equitable augmentative and alternative communication, with the potential to reach new communities of users.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/cultural-and-linguistic-adaptation-of-an-augmentative-and-alternative-communication-system-for-rioplatense-spanish\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Cultural and linguistic adaptation of an Augmentative and Alternative Communication system for Rioplatense Spanish<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Agustina Giorgetti, Brenda Bel\u00e9n Mart\u00ednez Ocampo, Gustavo Gasaneo<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">08:00 \u2013 08:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"generative artificial intelligence supporting functional communication and return to work in a person with wernicke&#8217;s aphasia: a case study mariana mestrinho ferreira marta gomes pinto background.\u00a0generative artificial intelligence (ai) is increasingly explored as a support for people with aphasia. large language models (llms) have been used to reconstruct impaired utterances in conversation (adikari et al., 2025) and to support written expression at the single-case level (allen et al., 2025), and reviews highlight their potential for assessment and intervention (zhong, 2024) and for linguistically diverse populations (imaezue et al., 2025). emerging frameworks also address the ethical use of generative ai in aphasia management, including its role within augmentative and alternative communication (aac) and digital accessibility (bailey et al., 2026). however, evidence on the integration of mainstream generative ai tools into real-life functional contexts, particularly vocational reintegration, remains scarce. aims.\u00a0to describe the implementation of mainstream generative ai tools as compensatory communication supports, within a person-centred, participation-focused speech-language therapy plan aimed at return to work. methods.\u00a0case study of a 53-year-old woman with wernicke&#039;s aphasia secondary to meningioma resection with anterior temporal lobectomy (2024), who pre-morbidly held coordination and vice-presidency roles in the social sector. from january 2026, speech-language therapy (50 minutes, twice weekly) focused on vocational reintegration through building and teaching ai-based supports; her initial ai literacy was null. baseline language assessment (lisbon aphasia assessment battery; aachen aphasia test, portuguese version) showed fluent discourse with phonological paraphasias, anomia, impaired auditory and reading comprehension for complex material, and writing marked by lexical, morphosyntactic and agreement errors; neuropsychological assessment showed preserved cognition. functional communication was measured with the asha functional assessment of communication skills (asha-facs) at baseline (january) and re-assessment (june), complemented by a purpose-built, non-validated self-report scale of perceived usefulness and communicative participation (18 items, five dimensions, 5-point likert). supports implemented included: personalised llm agents (chatgpt custom gpts; claude projects) targeting reading comprehension (summarising, clarifying and simplifying e-mails and documents), text revision, and the organisation of meeting transcripts; custom claude skills encoding her pre-morbid institutional writing style and her habitual presentation formats; recording and transcription of phone meetings; text-to-speech for auditory verification of writing; notebooklm and claude for preparing presentations; and voice cloning (elevenlabs) for delivering them. all ai outputs were subject to human review, and implementation followed gdpr and eu ai act requirements. ethical guidelines as required by the relevant authorities have been followed, and informed consent was obtained. results.\u00a0the participant achieved partial return to work, using the tools semi-autonomously to process e-mails, produce documents and deliver presentations. asha-facs communication independence increased from 5.49 to 6.54 (1\u20137 scale) and qualitative dimensions of communication from 3.56 to 4.50 (1\u20135 scale). overall self-reported scores increased from 1.82 to 4.39 (1\u20135 scale), with the largest gains in professional participation (1.00 to 4.50), communicative autonomy (1.67 to 5.00), perceived usefulness of the tools (1.33 to 4.67) and general satisfaction (2.00 to 5.00). the emotional-impact dimension remained essentially unchanged (3.50 to 3.25), driven by the two reverse-scored items, which moved counter to all other items; this may reflect the increased salience of communication demands after returning to work, or the known difficulty of negatively worded items for people with aphasia. the participant ranked personalised gpts and notebooklm as the most important tools in her daily work. facilitators included preserved cognition, personal motivation, family support, employer funding of the tools, and clinician ai literacy. barriers included limited ai literacy among supervisors and colleagues, credibility concerns, and the cost of business-grade accounts with adequate data-protection agreements. conclusions.\u00a0integrated into a participation-focused intervention plan, generative ai functioned as a compensatory tool, comparable in function to conventional aac, enabling access to language-dependent professional tasks. notably, because the agents, skills and voice clone were built from her pre-morbid writing style, her habitual presentation formats and her own voice, the ai did not write for her but as she used to write: beyond functional participation, the supports preserved communicative identity and authorship, directly addressing the authenticity concerns raised in her workplace and aligning with self-determination principles in aac. limitations include the single-case design without control, the impossibility of attributing improvement solely to ai, and the retrospective, non-validated self-report scale, whose reverse-scored items may not be reliable in aphasia and support the use of consistently positively worded, aphasia-friendly item formats. the case suggests that mainstream ai tools can operate as emerging aac supports for adults with aphasia, and underlines the need for clinician training, communication partner education, and robust ethical and data-protection safeguards.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/generative-artificial-intelligence-supporting-functional-communication-and-return-to-work-in-a-person-with-wernickes-aphasia-a-case-study\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Generative Artificial Intelligence Supporting Functional Communication and Return to Work in a Person With Wernicke&#8217;s Aphasia: A Case Study<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Mariana Mestrinho Ferreira, Marta Gomes Pinto<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">08:00 \u2013 08:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"training, collaboration and aac interface modifications for children with cortical visual impairment: results of a survey of the united states jamie boster julie potts kathryn brown kevin pitt aim:\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication (aac) interfaces are highly visually based systems (wilkinson &amp;\u00a0jagaroo, 2008) that may be difficult for children with cortical visual impairment (cvi) to use without modification and personalization.\u00a0\u00a0many children with cvi also have communication difficulties and require the use of aac to express their daily wants, needs, thoughts, and opinions. for children with cvi who rely on aac, speech-language pathologists (slps) need to consider how to create\u00a0appropriate aac\u00a0interface designs. most aac interfaces can be customized to meet children&#039;s needs; however, there is limited information on which modifications should be made (boster et al., 2021). there are many features available such as the ability to change background colors, outline with color, change contrast, and adjust individual symbols that can be adjusted and vision professionals have suggested such modifications can support access for children with cvi (boster et al., 2025).\u00a0additional\u00a0information is needed to explore slps\u2019 access to information about cvi,\u00a0identify\u00a0possible vision\u00a0professionals they collaborate with, and investigate the current methods slps use to make modifications to aac interfaces. method:\u00a0redcap\u00a0was used to develop an online survey to address\u00a0the research\u00a0questions. the online survey was distributed across the united states via use of social media, special interest groups, and word of mouth to slps. a total of 71 licensed slps completed the survey. data was collected from multiple choice and likert scale questions. data was exported to a microsoft excel workbook for data analysis. quantitative analysis consisted of calculation of totals and percentages. data analysis is complete. results:\u00a0results\u202findicated\u202fthat\u202fmost\u202fparticipants (n=60) reported no training in cvi. most participants did report consulting with a tvi or vision specialist (n=47). while the participants reported consulting with these professionals,\u202fit should be moted that they do not consult them often. most reported working with a vision specialist every couple of months (n=12) or yearly (n=13).\u202fthe participants in this study\u202freported most\u202foften\u202fcollaborating on the following for children with cvi who use aac: environmental considerations (n=39), color contrast (n=37), and symbol size (n=30).\u00a0participants in this survey reported using a variety of aac strategies with children with cvi. most reported using grid displays (n=46) while fewer used visual scene displays (vsds) (n=14).\u202f participants reported that they \u201calmost always\u201d edit interfaces for children with cvi (n=21). unfortunately, editing is viewed as time intensive with 15 participants\u202findicating\u202fthat they could spend over an hour editing displays. participants also noted a range of barriers to editing including time (n=48), lack of knowledge (n=24), and limited access to fellow colleagues for input (n-24). conclusion:\u00a0slps work with vision professionals to edit\u00a0aac interfaces for children with cvi. slps use a range of interface modifications but face barriers to editing such as time constraints and lack of knowledge.\u00a0additional\u00a0educational opportunities and research\u00a0on aac interface modifications\u00a0is\u00a0needed to support children with cvi.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/training-collaboration-and-aac-interface-modifications-for-children-with-cortical-visual-impairment-results-of-a-survey-of-the-united-states\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Training, Collaboration and AAC Interface Modifications for Children with Cortical Visual Impairment: Results of a Survey of the United States<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Jamie Boster, Julie Potts, Kathryn Brown, Kevin Pitt<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">08:00 \u2013 09:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"le cahier de vie comme support aux opportunit\u00e9s intra-familiales de communication : \u00e9tude de l\u2019impact d\u2019une impl\u00e9mentation protocolis\u00e9e au sein de familles d\u2019enfant avec polyhandicap. pauline collin sarah qu\u00e9m\u00e9neur de kergariou le cahier de vie, support biographique et multiforme, reste peu document\u00e9 dans le champ du polyhandicap comme support aux opportunit\u00e9s intra-familiales de communication. cette \u00e9tude \u00e9value l\u2019impact de son impl\u00e9mentation au sein de 4 familles d\u2019enfant avec polyhandicap. un protocole d\u2019impl\u00e9mentation du cahier de vie a \u00e9t\u00e9 men\u00e9 sur 5 mois. des questionnaires pr\u00e9- et post-impl\u00e9mentation ont permis de r\u00e9colter des donn\u00e9es quantitatives et qualitatives, analys\u00e9es de mani\u00e8re descriptive. les r\u00e9sultats montrent que l\u2019utilisation du cahier de vie favorise l\u2019augmentation quantitative et qualitative des opportunit\u00e9s intra-familiales de communication. des effets plus nuanc\u00e9s sont observ\u00e9s concernant l\u2019autod\u00e9termination de l\u2019enfant avec polyhandicap et le sentiment de comp\u00e9tence parentale. ces donn\u00e9es d\u00e9montrent l\u2019int\u00e9r\u00eat de reconna\u00eetre ce support comme v\u00e9ritable outil clinique, de d\u00e9passer la pr\u00e9somption d\u2019incomp\u00e9tence souvent associ\u00e9e au polyhandicap et de valoriser la place des familles dans l\u2019accompagnement de leur enfant avec polyhandicap. toutefois, d\u2019autres travaux sont n\u00e9cessaires pour g\u00e9n\u00e9raliser ces r\u00e9sultats.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/le-cahier-de-vie-comme-support-aux-opportunites-intra-familiales-de-communication-etude-de-limpact-dune-implementation-protocolisee-au-sein-de-familles-denfant-avec-polyha\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Le cahier de vie comme support aux opportunit\u00e9s intra-familiales de communication : \u00e9tude de l\u2019impact d\u2019une impl\u00e9mentation protocolis\u00e9e au sein de familles d\u2019enfant avec polyhandicap.<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Pauline Collin, Sarah Qu\u00e9m\u00e9neur de Kergariou<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">08:00 \u2013 08:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"same chance to communicate supporting autistic voices through aac: an independent evaluation of the asiam aac programme dr. neil kenny dr. sylwia kazmierczak murray emma nolan hazel walsh introduction \u00a0 asiam,\u00a0ireland\u2019s autism charity,\u00a0strives to\u00a0provide\u00a0autistic children\u00a0with\u00a0the same chance to\u00a0communicate using\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication (aac). the aac\u00a0programme aims to empower families on their aac journey and to increase access to high-tech aac devices\u00a0across\u00a0the republic of ireland.\u00a0as part of\u00a0asiam\u2019s commitment to include\u00a0our\u00a0community\u00a0voice,\u00a0an independent evaluation was conducted.\u00a0this evaluation\u00a0identifies\u00a0areas\u00a0that will\u00a0allow the programme to continue to support our community and\u00a0address long lasting communication needs. objectives \u00a0 this evaluation\u00a0sought\u00a0to\u00a0determine\u00a0the programme&#039;s performance in the following areas: programme impact on access to aac strengths and areas of improvement how the programme empowers families community development contribute to the field with the potential to inform policy, service delivery and academic understanding. methodology \u00a0 the\u00a0methodology\u00a0was guided by a commitment to accessibility and\u00a0neuroaffirmative\u00a0practice.\u00a0an advisory group was\u00a0established\u00a0to ensure that the research remained grounded in the lived experience of aac. a mixed-methodology approach was used: anonymous parent survey (49 parents) interviews\/focus groups with parents, slts, teachers (21 participants). two interviews with children (using atotal communication approach) included as case studies. findings were organised using the\u00a0reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance\u00a0(re-aim)\u00a0framework. ethical\u00a0considerations:\u00a0ethical approval was granted by the dcu research ethics committee. informed consent was obtained from participants. results \u00a0 reach:\u00a0the programme was effective in addressing gaps in aac access for autistic children in ireland. 48% of children had no access to speech and language therapy (slt) before entering the programme, and only 8% had access to public\u00a0slt.\u00a0parents\u00a0self-referred\u00a0and primarily found the programme through word of mouth. barriers\u00a0to access\u00a0included geography, diagnosis,\u00a0age\u00a0and cultural responsiveness. effectiveness:\u00a0increased participation, agency,\u00a0communication\u00a0and connection in everyday life, with associated gains in confidence and autonomy.\u00a081%\u00a0parents surveyed agreed that aac was needed, with 67% reporting that aac made communication easier. adoption: adoption was\u00a0most consistent at home, where families adapted routines and expectations over time. school engagement was a key factor shaping the consistency, integration, and longer-term embedding of\u00a0aac;\u00a0however,\u00a0school use depended on staff capacity,\u00a0training\u00a0and attitudes. implementation: strengthened by tailored autism-informed aac\u00a0expertise, alongside technical and peer support. collaborative input across settings was significant in sustaining aac.\u00a0ongoing availability and adaptability were highly valued by parents. maintenance: ongoing parental support is essential for preventing abandonment, as is incorporating aac in everyday contexts and\u00a0maintaining\u00a0use through continued capacity building, peer support, and accessible guidance.\u00a0staffing, long-term funding and policy support were identified as essential components for continued support. discussion \u00a0 objective 1.\u00a0participants described the programme as providing a path to aac when other services were unavailable.\u00a0\u00a0while access\u00a0remains\u00a0uneven, the\u00a0programme is responding to gaps\u00a0in the wider support system for autistic children\u00a0in ireland. objective 2.\u00a0the\u00a0parent-led\u00a0model\u00a0was\u00a0identified as\u00a0empowering and accessible.\u00a0specialist, autism-informed\u00a0advice\u00a0and guidance was a strength of the programme.\u00a0self-referral makes the programme accessible; however, it also places a degree of responsibility on families to\u00a0identify\u00a0supports\u00a0which may exclude families in harder-to-reach communities. objective 3.\u00a0\u00a0the programme\u00a0empowers families to better\u00a0understand autistic communication and aac.\u00a0this\u00a0also\u00a0empowers\u00a0children to use their device in ways\u00a0that enable participation and communication. objective 4.\u00a0access to aac was found to increase family participation\u00a0in their day-to-day routines.\u00a0collaboration with other asiam\u00a0support services\u00a0is a strength,\u00a0creating\u00a0a community that\u00a0increases\u00a0adoption. objective 5. the study offers policy-relevant insights into how non-statutory programmes can address systemic gaps in aac provision. these have implications for design, funding, and delivery of aac services within ireland and internationally.\u00a0this report also\u00a0advised\u00a0asiam\u00a0to form focused outreach partnerships with marginalised communities\u00a0and develop multilingual programme resources.\u00a0other recommendations included\u00a0building\u00a0stronger\u00a0relationships\u00a0with schools\u00a0and extending the programme to autistic adults. conclusion this evaluation found that the aac programme provides aac access that responds to long-standing barriers in realising autistic children\u2019s communication rights in ireland. the findings reinforce the\u00a0central role\u00a0of families as active partners in supporting communication, with confidence and capacity developing over time through ongoing, responsive support.\u00a0successful and sustained use of aac requires\u00a0a range of supports within the child\u2019s circle of support\u00a0including school and community settings. in this way, the findings extend current understanding by showing how\u00a0family centred\u00a0aac programmes function in\u00a0real-world\u00a0contexts, and by\u00a0identifying\u00a0the conditions that support (or constrain) their\u00a0long-term\u00a0impact.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/same-chance-to-communicate-supporting-autistic-voices-through-aac-an-independent-evaluation-of-the-asiam-aac-programme\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Same Chance to Communicate  Supporting Autistic voices through AAC: An independent evaluation of the AsIAm AAC programme<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Dr. Neil Kenny, Dr. Sylwia Kazmierczak Murray, Emma Nolan, Hazel Walsh<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">08:00 \u2013 09:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"telepractice and aac parent coaching during spanish storybook reading cheri dodge-chin joseph swingle melissa hershberger despite growing evidence supporting caregiver coaching in augmentative and alternative communication (aac), spanish-speaking families remain substantially underrepresented in intervention research evaluating communication partner training. to address this gap, this study evaluated the effects of a spanish-language telepractice caregiver coaching program on a spanish-speaking caregiver&#039;s use of communication partner strategies (cps) during shared storybook reading with a child with complex communication needs. although a nonconcurrent multiple-baseline across participants single-case experimental design was originally planned, recruitment challenges resulted in a single participant completing the study. the program consisted of a 58-minute caregiver training session followed by six individualized 10\u201315-minute coaching sessions delivered via telepractice. caregiver use of cps during shared storybook reading served as the dependent variable, and intervention effects were evaluated using visual analysis and quantitative indices. following the program, the participant demonstrated increased use of targeted communication partner strategies, with a percentage of nonoverlapping data (pnd) of 100%, indicating a strong intervention effect. although findings are limited to a single participant, they are consistent with previous research involving english-speaking families and suggest that spanish-language telepractice caregiver coaching may represent a feasible and clinically meaningful approach for expanding culturally and linguistically responsive aac services for spanish-speaking families of children with complex commun\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/telepractice-and-aac-parent-coaching-during-spanish-storybook-reading\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Telepractice and AAC parent coaching during Spanish storybook reading<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Cheri Dodge-Chin, Joseph Swingle, Melissa Hershberger<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">08:00 \u2013 09:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"home shared reading for children who cannot rely on speech in taiwan: a mixed-methods study hsiao-ting su children who cannot rely on speech to be heard and understood can benefit from augmentative and alternative communication (aac) systems. in english-speaking contexts, shared reading is recognized as an effective way to simultaneously support aac use, language, and literacy development. however, little empirical data exist on shared reading in taiwan to guide aac intervention for this population. this study aimed to examine home shared reading resources and experiences among taiwanese children who cannot rely on speech to be heard and understood, and compared them with those of typically developing, speaking children. methods this sequential mixed-methods study comprised two phases. in phase i (quantitative), parents of children aged 3-7 years in taiwan completed surveys on in-home shared reading resources and experiences. responses from parents of children who cannot rely on speech (n = 241) were compared with those from parents of typically developing children (n = 285). the former group was further subdivided by spoken vocabulary size (no words, 1-10, 11-20, 21-50, 51-100, and 100+ words). in phase ii (qualitative), a subset of parents of children who cannot rely on speech participated in semi-structured interviews (n = 10). phase i analyses included descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression models. phase ii analyses involved initial and focused coding, memo-writing, and category construction. findings were integrated using a joint display approach. results parents of children who cannot rely on speech reported significantly fewer books at home and less frequent shared reading compared to parents of typically developing children. within the group of children who cannot rely on speech, regression analyses indicated that higher child spoken vocabulary size was significantly associated with more frequent shared reading and greater book availability. higher parental expectations for children&#039;s future independent reading were also associated with more frequent shared reading. qualitative analyses revealed that parents experienced interactional challenges, including difficulty sustaining attention and uncertainty about how to support comprehension. parents also described adaptive strategies such as following children&#039;s interests, using manipulative books, simplifying language, and persisting in shared reading. integration of findings highlights both structural limitations and parents&#039; active efforts to adapt. conclusion this study provides the first large-scale examination of home shared reading among mandarin-speaking parents residing in taiwan whose children who cannot rely on speech to be heard and understood. findings suggest that less frequent shared reading and limited access to books may restrict early literacy opportunities, particularly for children with smaller spoken vocabularies. at the same time, many parents demonstrated strong commitment and practical adaptations; sharing their attitudes and strategies may help parents who struggle with shared reading. these findings highlight both gaps and strengths in the home literacy environment and underscore the need for family-centered, culturally responsive shared reading and aac support in taiwan.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/home-shared-reading-for-children-who-cannot-rely-on-speech-in-taiwan-a-mixed-methods-study\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Home Shared Reading for Children Who Cannot Rely on Speech in Taiwan: A Mixed-Methods Study<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Hsiao-Ting Su<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">08:30 \u2013 09:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"the aac learning center moodle: a free online educational resource on aac david mcnaughton erik jakobs lance mclemore tracy rackensperger the aac learning center (https:\/\/aac-learning-center.org\/) is a free online educational resource provided by the rehabilitation engineering research center (rerc) on aac. it is designed to support pre-service instruction in aac both nationwide and internationally. the aac learning center \u00a0is being widely adopted: use of the moodle activities at the learning center has increased from 51 \u00a0institutions of higher education (ihes) in 2022 to 141 ihes in 2026. more than 27,300 learners have earned over 59,000 certificates of completion through the instructional modules and webcasts. during the 2025-2026 academic year, more than 4,435 registrants across 141 ihes in 12 countries earned certificates of completion. the instructional modules are being integrated into pre-service university coursework to support training in issues of key importance to aac users and other stakeholders. the resources are particularly valuable for programs with limited aac coursework because they provide structured, accessible instructional content, quizzes, certificates, readings, and classroom activities that faculty can directly incorporate into existing curricula. modules currently in active use (and the total number of certificates earned as of april 30, 2026) include \u00a0aac for children (9,928); alternative access (9,344); developing aac systems for children (7,300); family-centered services: 5 key principles (1,454); family-center services: active listening (4,519); funding (5,822); literacy and aac (6,884); literacy and aac: letter-sound correspondence skills (5,173); supporting patient-provider communication (2,990); and visual supports for participation and communication (1,580). there are also 6 webcasts for which students can earn a certificate of completion: aac to maximize language development maximizing literacy skills seating and positioning employment &amp; aac communication supports for individuals with minimal movement, and 4 keys goals of adult life. user evaluation data demonstrate strong perceived value for these educational materials. across all modules, more than 95% of users who earned certificates of completion reported they would recommend or strongly recommend the modules to others. for the three most recent introduced modules, 94%\u201398% of users reported that completing the module improved or strongly improved their knowledge of the target skills. this session will discuss currently available modules, evidence of their instructional impact, and plans for future development.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/the-aac-learning-center-moodle-a-free-online-educational-resource-on-aac\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">The AAC Learning Center Moodle: A free online educational resource on AAC<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">David McNaughton, Erik Jakobs, Lance McLemore, Tracy Rackensperger<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">08:30 \u2013 09:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"from message composition to conversation participation: bobbai, a context-aware ai speech application, and its implications for everyday aac use jelmer van der weide rate of communication remains one of the most persistent barriers in augmentative and alternative communication (aac). while speaking partners exchange 150-200 words per minute, many aided communicators generate output at a fraction of that speed, limiting spontaneous participation and humor and therefore fun in everyday conversation. recent advances in large language models and automatic speech recognition are reshaping what is technologically possible for aac, and raise questions for the field about autonomy, authorship, privacy, and access. this presentation introduces bobbai, an ai-supported listening &amp; speech application developed by lifechaingers (netherlands) in co-design with people who use aac, their families, and healthcare professionals, including clinicians involved in als care and rehabilitation. unlike traditional systems that require users to compose messages \u00a0letter by letter or word by word, bobbai listens along with the surrounding conversation, interprets its context, and generates personalized response suggestions aligned with the user&#039;s personality and communication style. the user selects and speaks a suggestion with a single tap, click, or eye movement, delivered through a clear, natural-sounding (personal) voice. the application runs on mainstream devices (ios, android, windows), interoperates with commonly used communication aids, and is currently used by people with als, ms, aphasia, cerebral palsy, and acquired brain injury, both at home and in rehabilitation, speech therapy, and daily care settings. user evaluation findings and outcomes from pilots will be shared. beyond demonstrating the technology, the presentation uses bobbai as a lens on the broader implications of conversational ai for the aac field: (1) the shift from message composition to conducting conversation and participation, and its consequences for conversational timing, repair, and partner dynamics; (2) tensions between ai-generated efficiency and communicative autonomy, authorship, and authentic self-representation, and the design choices that keep the user in control of every spoken word; (3) lessons learned from iterative co-development with users and clinicians, including what changed as a result of user feedback; and (4) open questions concerning privacy of ambient conversation capture, language and cultural coverage, funding pathways, and equitable access.*this abstract has been reviewed by ai-model claude fable 5 for readability and brevity*.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/from-message-composition-to-conversation-participation-bobbai-a-context-aware-ai-speech-application-and-its-implications-for-everyday-aac-use\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">From Message Composition to Conversation Participation: Bobbai, a Context-Aware AI Speech Application, and Its Implications for Everyday AAC Use<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Jelmer van der Weide<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">08:30 \u2013 09:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"systematic review of reading interventions for adolescents and adults using augmentative and alternative communication jing tong ong joanna holzman rose osnaya literacy, like communication, is a critical enabler of independence and lifelong achievement. despite its benefits, access to evidence-based reading instruction remains inequitable (batorowicz et al., 2025; light et al., 2025; mandak et al., 2018). individuals with complex communication needs (ccn) often face barriers when literacy instruction relies on spoken language (light et al., 2019). older learners with ccn are frequently excluded from comprehensive reading instruction or are provided instruction that is narrow, repetitive, or not developmentally appropriate (light et al., 2025). as a result, up to 90% of students with ccn exit high school without developing functional literacy skills (erickson &amp; geist, 2016; foley &amp; wolter, 2010). the combined impact of limited speech and inequitable access to literacy contributes to long-standing developmental disadvantages in education, employment, and social participation (light et al., 2019). three systematic reviews have examined effective literacy interventions for students with ccn (hudler et al., 2025; mandak et al., 2018; yorke et al., 2021). existing research and practice have provided valuable insight, but often emphasize early childhood populations. the lack of research on transition-age learners restricts insight into lifelong literacy development and leaves practitioners with minimal direction for supporting older augmentative and alternative communication (aac) users. specifically, there are gaps in how reading instruction should be designed, delivered, and measured for adolescents and adults who use aided aac. this presentation will share findings from a systematic literature review examining reading interventions for aac users aged 11 and older and identify common instructional approaches, outcome measures, and gaps in the literature. specifically, this study sought to answer the following research questions: what reading content is targeted in interventions for middle school through adult individuals with ccn who use aided aac? what instructional methods and intervention strategies are implemented in literacy interventions, and how are these components delivered? what outcome measures are used to assess literacy progress, and how are these outcomes defined and reported? this study\u00a0utilized\u00a0a systematic review\u00a0methodology\u00a0to\u00a0identify, evaluate, and synthesize existing research on reading interventions for adolescents and adults who use aided aac. the review followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses 2020 guidelines (page et al., 2021). the study selection included two double-blind phases: title and abstract screening for relevance, followed by full-text review for inclusion criteria and evaluation using what works clearinghouse single-case design quality indicators. coding domains included single-case design (scd) quality indicators, participant information, instructional content aligned with the five components of reading, instructional methods, intervention strategies, intervention delivery features, outcome measures, and social validity. findings suggest that targeted reading instruction can lead to literacy improvements for older learners who use aided aac. however, the evidence base remains limited by the small number of available studies and the narrow range of reading components addressed. of the five essential components of reading identified by the national reading panel (year), not allhave been studied with adolescents and adults who use aided aac, representing a critical gap in the evidence base for comprehensive literacy instruction (national institute of child health and human development, 2000). implications for practice and future research will be discussed, with attention to how practitioners can support meaningful, developmentally appropriate literacy instruction.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/systematic-review-of-reading-interventions-for-adolescents-and-adults-using-augmentative-and-alternative-communication\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Systematic Review of Reading Interventions for Adolescents and Adults Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Jing Tong Ong, Joanna Holzman, Rose Osnaya<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">09:00 \u2013 09:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"ai and culture in aac: opportunities and challenges for culturally responsive symbol design charlie danger david banes e.a. draffan augmentative and alternative communication (aac) provides support for individuals with complex communication needs through a range of multimodal approaches [1]. \u00a0in some cases, pictographic symbol sets can offer a foundation for communication, language and literacy development. \u00a0however, concerns have been raised about the cultural relevance of some symbols when they are used across diverse communities and contexts. whilst symbol libraries continue to expand, advances in generative artificial intelligence (ai) presents new opportunities for rapid creation and adaptation of symbols working alongside manually designed collections. \u00a0ai models can generate personalised visual representations from text prompts, with the potential to reflect local environments, cultural identities and individual preferences. however, although ai-generated imagery offers promise, it also raises concerns [2]. current ai models are trained on datasets that may under-represent some communities whilst over-representing others. visual cultural stereotypes, inappropriate depictions and inaccurate portrayals of disability [3] can all occur. furthermore, symbols generated through ai may appear visually acceptable without being meaningful or acceptable to aac users. moreover, successful image production often requires careful prompting, review and editing, particularly when representing people, social settings, clothing, food and culturally significant occasions. this presentation explores the opportunities and challenges of using ai to support culturally responsive symbol design. drawing on experiences from the development and evaluation of ai-supported symbol creation, examples will illustrate how cultural descriptors can alter aspects of dress, community settings and general visual appearance. these examples will also demonstrate situations where ai-generated symbols require human review due to bias, ambiguity or reduced semantic accuracy. to underpin future developments, a set of guidelines for ethical and inclusive ai-supported symbol generation is proposed. the guidance consists of five interconnected principles: representation, participation, transparency, adaptability and evaluation. representation focuses on ensuring that symbol generation processes aim to include diverse cultures and languages rather than reinforcing dominant perspectives. participation recognises the importance of involving aac users, families, communication partners and professionals in the review and development process. transparency requires openness regarding how symbols are generated, selected and edited, together with acknowledgement of the limitations of ai models. adaptability supports personalisation and local cultural variation whilst maintaining symbol clarity and usability. evaluation emphasises the ongoing review of symbols for visual clarity, semantic alignment, cultural appropriateness and user acceptance. it is important to position ai as a tool to support, rather than replace human-centred aac practice. whilst ai has the potential to extend the cultural range, personal relevance and availability of pictographic symbols worldwide, meaningful involvement of aac users and their communities remains essential. references american speech-language-hearing association (asha) augmentative and alternative communication (aac). available at: https:\/\/www.asha.org\/practice-portal\/professional-issues\/augmentative-and-alternative-communication\/ last accessed: 24 jan 2026. light, j., mcnaughton, d., beukelman, d., fager, s.k., fried-oken, m., jakobs, t. and jakobs, e., challenges and opportunities in augmentative and alternative communication: research and technology development to enhance communication and participation for individuals with complex communication needs. augmentative and alternative communication, 35(1), pp.1-12. (2019) tevissen, y., disability representations: finding biases in automatic image generation. arxiv preprint arxiv:2406.14993. (2024)\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/ai-and-culture-in-aac-opportunities-and-challenges-for-culturally-responsive-symbol-design\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">AI and Culture in AAC: Opportunities and Challenges for Culturally Responsive Symbol Design<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Charlie Danger, David Banes, E.A. Draffan<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">09:00 \u2013 09:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"streamlining professional development with multimedia resources: support for formal and informal aac learning experiences using stepping into aac materials carole zangari michaela ball tabi jones wohleber developing high\u2011quality aac professional learning can be a complex process that requires time, expertise, and sustained effort. there is generally a great deal to address, and each piece carries real significance. stepping into aac is a compilation of resources to guide families through learning about aac and integrating it into daily life. it includes 100 days of hands-on activities, videos, newsletters, and supplemental print materials for the journey. this session illustrates how these materials can be flexibly applied to support aac learning across teams and professionals, with consideration for time constraints, staff changes, and differing needs. in this presentation, we share aac learning pathways designed to streamline professional development across service delivery settings and illustrate how stepping into aac materials can be used in professional development experiences. these pathways address the needs of several different audiences, including participants who have little or no prior experience with aac; have some previous aac experience who may have lost their momentum in their aac practices, and those returning to it after a hiatus; use aac regularly and seek to extend their knowledge and skills. each aac learning pathway considers five elements of communication partner learning that are foundational to stepping into aac: tools\/technology, knowledge, skills, habits, and community. technology topics outline basic design features, including linguistic and operational configurations that maximize the user experience and learning over time, such as the features and functions of robust aac and the role of motor planning. content that addresses knowledge includes key concepts related to aac, communication, language development, intrinsic motivation, and the value of connectedness as part of the human experience. the topic map outlines where and how various aac topics are addressed (e.g., hands-on activities, handouts, newsletters, and videos on core vocabulary, model aac, accepting multiple modalities, and understanding language development). skills topics are specific to engaging with aac by looking and touching. it helps communication partners learn actionable interaction with aac. developing habits of aac use ensures that it is available, accessible, and utilized across time and activities. finally, creating community around aac includes both community with aac learners and users, and building acceptance of aac around individuals. these elements are interwoven across stepping into aac content. some weeks focus more heavily on a given area, such as knowledge or skills. but over time, each element is addressed in a spiral fashion. as such, select elements of stepping into aac can be combined to design custom professional learning sessions that suit either short-term or long-term needs of specific teams. the agenda for the proposed session includes: 10 min: overview of stepping into aac conceptual elements and primary materials; 10 min: introduction and use of the aac topic map and aac learning pathways; 10 min: maximizing the effectiveness of aac professional learning experiences through activities, storytelling, and practice; 20 min: using stepping into aac materials in aac professional development experiences offered in a single event and in a multi-part training series; and, 10 min: using stepping into aac in clinical supervision, mentoring, and other informal professional learning experiences. the materials discussed in this session are free to participants. references supporting this work american speech-language-hearing association. (2010). roles and responsibilities of speech-language pathologists in schools [professional issues statement]. douglas, s. n., dunkel\u2011jackson, s. m., bowles, r., plavnick, j., sun, t., &amp; bagawan, a. (2026). powr+ intervention results: an online communication partner training program for educational teams. communication disorders quarterly, 47(2), 67\u201378. flores, c., &amp; dada, s. (2025). the effect of aac training programs on professionals\u2019 knowledge, skills and self\u2011efficacy in aac: a scoping review. augmentative and alternative communication, 41(1), 65\u201377. luckins, j.m., &amp; clarke, m.t. (2021). can conversation-based intervention using speech-generating devices improve language in children with partially intelligible speech? communication disorders quarterly, 42, 3, 131-144. romski, m., sevcik, r.a. (1996). breaking the speech barrier: language development through augmented means. baltimore, md: paul h. brookes. romski, m.a., sevcik, r.a., adamson, l.b., bakeman, r.a. (2005). communication patterns of individuals with moderate or severe cognitive disabilities: interactions with unfamiliar partners. american journal of mental retardation, 110(3), 226-238. soto, g., &amp; clarke, m. t. (2016). effects of a conversation-based intervention on the linguistic skills of children with motor speech disorders who use augmentative and alternative communication. journal of speech, language, and hearing research, 60(7), 1980\u20131998. von tetzchner, s. (2017, february). making the environment communicatively accessible. webinar for alberta ccn professional learning community and edmonton regional learning consortium.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/streamlining-professional-development-with-multimedia-resources-support-for-formal-and-informal-aac-learning-experiences-using-stepping-into-aac-materials\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Streamlining Professional Development with Multimedia Resources: Support for Formal and Informal AAC Learning Experiences Using Stepping into AAC Materials<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Carole Zangari, Michaela Ball, Tabi Jones Wohleber<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">09:30 \u2013 10:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"halo: artificial intelligence for dynamic, context-responsive aac marta gomes pinto background:\u00a0adults with acquired or progressive neurological conditions, including aphasia, parkinson\u2019s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and other neurodegenerative disorders, may experience complex communication needs involving speech, language, motor access, cognition, or combinations of these factors. these difficulties can reduce communication rate, compromise access reliability, restrict participation, and affect personal and vocal identity. conventional augmentative and alternative communication (aac) systems provide essential support, but vocabulary often needs to be anticipated and may not adapt quickly to changing environments, topics, or communication partners. generative artificial intelligence may reduce message-generation effort and support more personalised and contextually relevant communication, while also introducing risks related to authorship, accuracy, privacy, consent, data use, cognitive load, and user control. focus of the presentation:\u00a0this session presents the clinical and technical implementation of haloneuroai, a personalised artificial-intelligence-supported aac system designed for people with complex communication needs. the system combines context-aware language generation, personalised communication profiles, synthetic or voice-cloned speech output, multimodal access options, dynamic communication boards, and agent-based functions that support communication and selected digital actions. the presentation will describe how these components can be configured around the person\u2019s language, relationships, routines, preferred expressions, communication contexts, motor abilities, and changing access needs. a central focus will be the use of ai-generated dynamic communication boards. these boards can be created or adapted according to the user\u2019s context, interests, goals, and vocabulary requirements. the user can generate, select, and modify their own boards, independently or with support, rather than relying exclusively on boards prepared by a clinician or communication partner. boards may include text, symbols, photographs, and animated gifs. movement-based visual content may support comprehension, action representation, sequencing, engagement, or communication about dynamic events. the session will also introduce ambient semantic awareness (asa), a context-aware feature that uses a photograph of the surrounding environment, object, activity, or situation as a starting point for communication. from the image, the user may select what they want to say, or the system may generate a context-specific communication board. this may reduce the need to predict all vocabulary in advance and support communication in unfamiliar, rapidly changing, or less structured everyday situations, while preserving user choice and confirmation. practice-based examples from implementation with adults with aphasia, parkinson\u2019s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and other neurodegenerative conditions in portugal will illustrate potential uses in everyday conversation, asynchronous voice messaging, communication outside the home, participation in meaningful activities, and interaction with family members and professionals. examples will show how features may be adapted to different language, speech, cognitive, sensory, and motor profiles. the role of the speech and language therapist will be examined across assessment, feature matching, personalisation, access-method selection, communication-partner training, monitoring, and adaptation, with attention to functional communication goals and participation outcomes. clinical safeguards:\u00a0generated messages should remain attributable to the user, reviewable, editable where appropriate, and subject to explicit confirmation whenever the system could alter, expand, or misrepresent intent. personalisation should not result in the system speaking for the person or producing language that exceeds their preferences, communicative purpose, or decision-making authority. dynamic board generation and image-based processing should support choice rather than replace it. voice cloning requires specific informed consent, secure data handling, transparent information about future use, and clear withdrawal procedures. photographs and contextual data also require careful governance, particularly when they include other people, private environments, or sensitive information. participants will be invited to consider practical criteria for evaluating usability, communication efficiency, authenticity, participation, cognitive demands, access reliability, learnability, partner support, and user agency. the presentation will also address limitations, system errors, unsupported outputs, and contexts in which conventional aac strategies may remain more appropriate. conclusion:\u00a0generative artificial intelligence can extend aac beyond faster text production and static vocabulary sets. ai-generated dynamic boards, animated visual content, context-aware image processing, personalised language support, and voice preservation may contribute to more responsive communication, participation, continuity of identity, and digital autonomy. their clinical value depends on person-centred implementation, transparent system behaviour, preserved authorship, accessible confirmation mechanisms, data protection, and meaningful outcome measurement. haloneuroai will be presented as an implementation case through which the opportunities, limitations, and governance requirements of personalised generative artificial intelligence in aac can be critically examined. use of artificial intelligence in abstract preparation:\u00a0generative artificial intelligence was used to support the initial structuring and language editing of this abstract. the authors provided the substantive clinical and technical content, critically revised all sections, verified the factual statements, and take full responsibility for the final submission. artificial intelligence was not used to generate, analyse, or interpret research data.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/halo-artificial-intelligence-for-dynamic-context-responsive-aac\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">HALO: Artificial Intelligence for Dynamic, Context-Responsive AAC<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Marta Gomes Pinto<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">09:30 \u2013 10:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"aac at work: supporting secondary school students with complex needs in early community work experiences beth poss lauren fuhr for many secondary students with complex needs, community-based work experiences are an important bridge between school, adulthood, employment, self-determination, and belonging. these experiences can provide opportunities to build communication, problem-solving, social connection, independence, and confidence. however, students who use aac and assistive technology are too often given limited access to authentic work opportunities because of assumptions about productivity, communication, behavior, or support needs. this session will provide a practical framework for designing inclusive early work experiences for students with complex communication and learning needs. participants will explore how to identify communication opportunities within workplace routines, match assistive technology supports to job tasks, and design accessible materials that reduce barriers without lowering expectations. the session will highlight tools and strategies such as visual schedules, task analysis, video modeling, picture-supported directions, accessible text, choice-making supports, job-specific communication boards, high-tech aac systems, light-tech aac backups, and environmental prompts. examples will show how these supports can be embedded into common community work experiences such as stocking, sorting, food service preparation, clerical tasks, delivery routines, customer greetings, cleaning tasks, and hospitality-related jobs. a key focus of the session will be building capacity beyond the school team. participants will learn how to create employer-facing training materials that are clear, respectful, and easy to use. these may include short aac orientation guides, one-page student communication profiles, workplace task supports, video models, visual cue cards, communication partner tips, and simple troubleshooting guides. the session will emphasize that community stakeholders do not need to become disability experts; they do need practical tools, respectful expectations, and an understanding of how to support communication access. participants will leave with a structure for planning, implementing, and evaluating aac-supported work experiences. the session will address both immediate strategies and future-oriented practices that prepare students, educators, families, and employers to build more inclusive pathways to employment. aligned with the theme \u201caac in everyday life: today, tomorrow, and beyond,\u201d this session centers aac as a tool for authentic participation, not only in school, but also in the community and future workplace.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/aac-at-work-supporting-secondary-school-students-with-complex-needs-in-early-community-work-experiences\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">AAC at Work: Supporting Secondary School Students with Complex Needs in Early Community Work Experiences<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Beth Poss, Lauren Fuhr<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">09:30 \u2013 10:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"aac in adolescence kathy look howery adolescence is a unique developmental period, variably referred to as\u00a0occurring between the ages of 10 and 20, sometimes further subdivided into early, middle, and later adolescence (e.g., turkstra, 2000). during this time, major physical, cognitive, social, linguistic, and emotional changes occur. as a developmental stage, it is often\u00a0described in terms of a transition, a bridge that originates in childhood and culminates in adulthood (whyte, 2001). \u00a0adolescence brings\u00a0unique\u00a0challenges for young people who need augmentative and alternative with particular focus on their identity, peer connections, complexity of language, and independence as they transition into adulthood (smith,2015) this interactive seminar will explore the following issues for adolescence who are aac users: facilitating and supporting meaningful peer interactions \u2013 friendships! language matters! \u00a0 providing and using vocabulary that matters for adolescents narrative development - creating and sharing my story! supporting agency &amp; autonomy \u2013 i have a say in my life! this session is intended as an invitation to engage in conversation with professionals, relatives, researchers \u00a0and aac users to proactively consider the challenges and opportunities provided when careful thought is given to \u00a0the unique this critical life stage possess to not only the adolescence themselves but to those who task it is to help these young people cross the bridge linking childhood to adulthood. \u00a0the aim is to critically examine whether our current pedagogical practices, our responsibility of guiding children into adulthood (van manen, 2015), are intentionally and meaningfully inclusive of the unique needs of children and youth who need aac. current research pertaining to aac and adolescence will be presented and further illustrated by lived experience descriptions of young people who use aac (howery, 2017). \u00a0these include: the explorations of friendship and its critical role in adolescence, language with particular focus on the need to attend to the current \u201clingo\u201d used by their peers and making it available on their aac systems, the critical need for development of narrative so that the adolescence who use aac can create and share their own stories of themselves the importance of supporting the development of autonomy and agency in adolescence who need aac so that as they can be active agents as they transition to adult life after the introduction of each of these topic\u2019s, participants will be encouraged to interact with the presenter and each other to reflect on what they are currently doing to and what they feel they would like to try to do or do more of to support adolescents who need aac particularly based on the information presented. the goals of this interactive session are: to prompt critical thinking and dialogue about the issues pertaining to aac and adolescents. to generate practical ideas for supporting young people who need aac as they move through this important developmental life stage. selected references: cox, l., ingles, m. \u00a0&amp; wylie, k. \u00a0(2024) guys, like...yeah...this stuff might actually be pretty important. teenage vocabulary in peer interactions. implications for teen aac users, \u00a0journal of clinical practice in speech-language pathology, 26(1), 42-57. finke, e. h. &amp; therrien, m. (2025).\u00a0talking with friends is just different. moving aac forward with friendship in mind. \u00a0top lang disorders\u00a0,45 (3), pp. 183\u2013198 howery, k. (2018). out of time: the experience of speech generating device users.\u00a0communication disorders quarterly,\u00a040(1), pp.40\u201349 howery, k. (2018). when my voice is not my voice: speaking through a speech generating device.\u00a0phenomenology and practice.\u00a012(1), pp.4-17. smith, m. m. (2015). adolescence and aac: intervention challenges and possible solutions.\u00a0communication disorders quarterly, 36(2) , pp. 112\u2013118 smith, m. m. \u00a0(2005). the dual challenges of aided communication and adolescence,\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication, 21:1, 67-79, doi: 10.1080\/10428190400006625 turkstra, l. s. (2000). should my shirt be tucked in or left out? the communication context of adolescence, aphasiology, 14:4, 349-364, doi: 10.1080\/026870300401405 van manen, m. (2015).\u00a0pedagogical tact\u202f: knowing what to do when you don\u2019t know what to do. left coast press, inc. whyte, j. (2001). adolescent development. in a. hosin (ed.),\u00a0issues in applied developmental psychology and child psychiatry.\u00a0london: edwin mellin press.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/aac-in-adolescence\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">AAC in Adolescence<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Kathy Look Howery<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">09:30 \u2013 10:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"rethinking mean length of utterance for aided utterances brianna coltellino cathy binger jennifer kent-walsh john heilmann nancy harrington aim mean length of utterance (mlu) has long been used as a developmentally sensitive measure in early spoken language. however, issues such as symbol relevance and word order likely affect the use of this measure when children use picture symbols to communicate, and mlu \u2013 as it\u2019s typically applied to aided utterances \u2013 does not account for these unique issues. therefore, we used a large corpus of aided language utterances to examine the development of a new, and hopefully improved, mlu for use with aided utterances. we asked how these four mlu versions differ in magnitude, distribution, and variability, and to what extent these variables contribute to differences in mlu values for preschoolers who use aided aac. method the data from 24 children ages 3;0 to 4;11 who used aac were analyzed. the children had a range of disabilities such as cerebral palsy, cleft palate, and childhood apraxia of speech. all participants had poor intelligibility but receptive language skills that were relatively intact. the current study included data collected following 3 and 4 months of intervention to capture emerging proficiency. we used a within-sample comparative design to evaluate the alternative operationalizations. the key variables were operationalized as follows: (a) listed utterances contained at least three consecutive symbols from the same semantic class without evidence of syntactic structure (e.g., dog cat horse). children likely produce these types of utterances because on many aac devices, semantically related words are listed adjacently in rows or columns. we hypothesize that including these \u2018listed\u2019 utterances will inflate mlu. (b) for symbol relevance, symbols that were selected unintentionally or were unrelated to the topic were coded as not relevant. aided systems allow children to select irrelevant symbols at will, a feature of language that is seldom seen in spoken language and also likely inflates mlu. (c) word order scores were assigned as follows: 0 points for utterances with no discernable word order, 0.5 points for utterances with partial or emerging word order, and 1 point for utterances without word order errors. word order issues are well-established in the aac literature. interrater data reliability measures ranged from acceptable to excellent for all variables. results consistent with our expectations, values were highest when all symbols were included and decreased as the calculations accounted for listing, communicative relevance, and word order. these patterns suggest that each step in refining the mlu calculation results in a more constrained estimate of aided language output. the mean (sd) for each mlu iteration: (a) total symbols with listing = 3.02 (0.90); (b) total symbols without listing = 2.98 (0.94); (c) total relevant symbols = 2.53 (0.92); and (d) weighted relevant symbols (i.e., w-mlusym) = 1.95 (0.81). thus, with each iteration, the mlu decreased, with relevance and word order scores resulting in the largest decrease in mlu values. the final value \u2013 wmlusym \u2013 indicates that not all symbol combinations were fully formed or well-ordered utterances. conclusion across analyses, a consistent pattern emerged: as additional constraints were applied to account for listing, symbol relevance, and word order, mlu values became progressively smaller but more interpretable and more strongly aligned with other indicators of language ability. taken together, these findings suggest that applying spoken-language mlu methods to aac tends to capture how many symbols are selected, rather than how effectively they are used to create meaningful, organized utterances. more broadly, these results underscore the need for modality-specific adaptations of language measures, as features inherent to aided communication systems introduce sources of variance that are not present in spoken language and must be accounted for to obtain valid estimates of language development. references binger, c., harrington, n., hahs-vaughn, d., &amp; kent-walsh, j. (2026). aac generative language intervention: a randomized controlled trial.\u00a0journal of speech, language, and hearing research, 69(6),\u00a02654-2678.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1044\/2026_jslhr-25-00516 kent-walsh, j., harrington, n., hahs-vaughn, d., &amp; binger, c. (2025). generative language intervention for young children with down syndrome using augmentative and alternative communication: a randomized controlled trial.\u00a0language, speech, and hearing services in schools,\u00a056(3), 542\u2013564. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1044\/2025_lshss-24-00117\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/rethinking-mean-length-of-utterance-for-aided-utterances\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Rethinking Mean Length of Utterance for Aided Utterances<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Brianna Coltellino, Cathy Binger, Jennifer Kent-Walsh, John Heilmann, Nancy Harrington<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">10:30 \u2013 11:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"school\u2019s out! are we prepared for everyday life: today, tomorrow and beyond beth moulam often we view our school years as a golden period of life. \u00a0not because they were easy, enjoyable or fun, but because they offered routine, structure and support. \u00a0frequently, we don\u2019t value something until its gone. \u00a0for adult aac users the bigger questions are what was it we valued, why did it matter, and were we prepared for life without it? education can provide aac users with community and a place of learning; an environment to belong, feel connected and where they can thrive. \u00a0schools play an important role in developing personal, peer, social, and cultural identity (brown et al., 2025). this is especially important for aac users, who may have fewer community peers. yet, aac users report once they transition into adulthood they discover they have not had the support needed to fulfil their aspirations. (hewson &amp; moulam, 2024). \u00a0many leave education expecting to work, live independently, run their own team of assistants, maintain their own technology and were build friendships and relationships. \u00a0in reality they were so busy in school meeting curriculum challenges their futures were rarely planned for. \u00a0the short-term gain overshadowed the long-term needs. there is a plethora of barriers to success in adulthood: policy, societal and cultural practices, attitudes, a lack of trained professionals to support adult aac users, limited training for communication partners, and constantly evolving technology (light et al., 2025). \u00a0a wide range of research priorities have been suggested to address these challenges, which is welcome. unfortunately research takes time and money. having identified the challenges there now needs to be practical help for aac users, creating programmes that support their individual development in the real world. this cliff edge around transitioning into adulthood might result from an immature community, aac remains relatively new. we have built an education system to support children, now we need an adult world that matches their ambitions and higher expectations. this session will explore will draw on lived experiences of what real preparation might look like in schools using concrete examples and what adult services and wider society can contribute to fulfilling the aspirations of individual aac users. \u00a0 aac users need to continue to feel connected and belong in adult life. the important task now is not for the system to catch up, we must to listen to aac users in every aspect of their lives now. until we do, aac users will continue to graduate into a world not ready to support them. references: brown, c., douthwaite, a., donnelly, m., &amp; olaniyan, y. d. (2025). resilience through belonging: schools&#039; role in promoting the mental health and well-being of children and young people.\u00a0behavioral sciences (basel, switzerland),\u00a015(10), 1421. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/bs15101421 hewson, h, and moulam, b. (2024)\u00a0\u2018our futures: workshops findings\u2019\u00a0communication matters journal, vol 38 (2) august 2024. light, j., fager, s. k., gormley, j., hyatt, g. w., &amp; jakobs, e. (2025). dismantling societal barriers that limit people who need or use aac: lived experiences, key research findings, and future directions.\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication,\u00a041(3), 230-244.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/schools-out-are-we-prepared-for-everyday-life-today-tomorrow-and-beyond-2\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">School\u2019s out!  Are we prepared for everyday life: today, tomorrow and beyond<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Beth Moulam<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">10:30 \u2013 11:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"what parents say about aac: south african parents\u2019 perceptions of aac interventions amy chamberlain-grant katherine smith shakila dada parents play a central role in augmentative and alternative communication (aac) implementation (moorcroft et al., 2019; o\u2019neill &amp; wilkinson, 2020);\u00a0however, their perspectives remain largely under\u2011represented in research from lower\u2011 and middle\u2011income countries (lmics) (singh et al., 2023) in a multilingual and culturally diverse context, such as south africa, aac interventions are influenced by complex systems, socioeconomic, and contextual factors (abrahams et al., 2019; dada et al., 2017). this study aimed to explore south african parents\u2019 perspectives on their child\u2019s aac intervention, including their experiences, perceived barriers and facilitators, and recommendations for improving aac services. a qualitative, exploratory design was employed for this study (leedy &amp; ormrod, 2020; mcmillan &amp; schumacher, 2014). purposive, convenience sampling was used to recruit participants (mcmillan &amp; schumacher, 2014)\u00a0with direct experience with aac intervention. eight parents of children who use aac and attend special needs schools in the western cape province of south africa participated in semi\u2011structured interviews. interviews were audio\u2011recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed thematically. using thematic analysis (hseih &amp; shannon, 2005; dada et al., 2022) several themes around parents\u2019 experiences with their child\u2019s aac intervention were identified. parents described varied and often complex pathways to aac intervention, influenced by delays in obtaining a diagnosis, fragmented intervention systems, and challenges with accessing early intervention. parents described themselves as taking a central role in aac implementation for their children and holding primary responsibility for learning about and sustaining aac use at home. they reported both emotional strain and a strong commitment as they navigated their child\u2019s communication needs, intervention systems and learning about aac. parents also described meaningful changes associated with aac use for their children, including improved expressive communication, reduced frustration, and increased participation in daily routines and social contexts. however, they identified multiple challenges that constrained aac implementation. these included limited access to consistent intervention services, financial barriers, insufficient training and guidance on aac use, and difficulties accessing and maintaining aac systems across environments. some parents highlighted challenges related to the cultural and linguistic relevance of the aac systems, particularly when systems did not adequately reflect home languages or local contexts. alongside these challenges, parents identified factors that supported successful aac use. these included consistent routines, visual learning strategies, supportive professionals or organisations, and children\u2019s own motivation and problem\u2011solving abilities. parents also offered clear suggestions for improving aac interventions, such as earlier introduction of aac, more regular and individualised intervention, improved communication between schools and families, and the need for improved access to affordable aac resources. the findings highlight the resourcefulness of south african parents and the important role they play in ensuring aac use across environments. the results also indicate gaps in aac intervention systems that could contribute to limiting communication opportunities for children who need aac. the findings of this study highlight the importance of fostering quality parent-professional partnerships and improving access to training and ongoing support for parents. furthermore, the importance of ensuring that aac systems are culturally and linguistically appropriate to support effective aac interventions in diverse lmic contexts, like south africa, was highlighted. this study contributes to the limited body of aac research in south africa and offers insights to improve aac intervention. references abrahams, k., peters, l., pillay, m., &amp; kathard, h. (2024). engaging with injustices: progressively re-orienting our practices in speech-language pathology toward community development.\u00a0journal of clinical practice in speech-language pathology,\u00a026(3), 267\u2013278. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/22000259.2024.2412982 dada, s., \u00f6, k., &amp; goldbart, j. (2022). friendship experiences of young adults who use augmentative and alternative communication.\u00a0international journal of disability, development and education,\u00a069(3), 951-975 leedy, p. d., &amp; ormrod, j. e. (2020).\u00a0practical research: planning and design, global edition.\u00a0pearson education, limited. mcmillan, j., &amp; schumacher, s. (2014).\u00a0research in education evidence-based inquiry.\u00a0pearson. moorcroft, a., scarinci, n., &amp; meyer, c. (2019). a systematic review of the barriers and facilitators to the provision and use of low-tech and unaided aac systems for people with complex communication needs and their families.\u00a0disability and rehabilitation. assistive technology,\u00a014(7), 710\u2013731.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/17483107.2018.1499135 o&#039;neill, t., &amp; wilkinson, k. m. (2020). preliminary investigation of the perspectives of parents of children with cerebral palsy on the supports, challenges, and realities of integrating augmentative and alternative communication into everyday life.\u00a0american journal of speech-language pathology,\u00a029(1), 238-254.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1044\/2019_ajslp-19-00103 singh, s. j., mohd ayob, n., &amp; hassan, f. h. (2023). parents\u2019 perception on the use of augmentative and alternative communication by children with complex communication needs in malaysia.\u00a0disability and rehabilitation: assistive technology, 1\u20139.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/17483107.2022.2140850 \u00a0\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/what-parents-say-about-aac-south-african-parents-perceptions-of-aac-interventions\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">What Parents Say About AAC: South African Parents\u2019 Perceptions of AAC Interventions<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Amy Chamberlain-Grant, Katherine Smith, Shakila Dada<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">10:30 \u2013 11:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"paths to reading: promoting language and literacy learning for young students who use or need aac andrea barton-hulsey becky haynes elizabeth biggs erin turner kristin dorris early literacy skills establish the foundation for future success as a reader and writer, yet children who use or need augmentative and alternative communication (aac) have been underserved in literacy instruction (zimmerman, 2025). data from over 35,000 students eligible for alternate assessment on alternate achievement standards (aa-aas) in the united states found only 12% of grade 3-8 students with limited speech could read single words, and only 3% could read simple sentences with understanding (erickson &amp; geist, 2016). a significant barrier is that educators, service providers, and families often struggle to implement aac in everyday literacy activities and lack access to evidence-based aac-supported models for early literacy instruction. \u00a0we address these challenges through\u00a0paths to reading, an implementation-based research project focused on improving early literacy outcomes for prek-2nd grader students with intellectual and developmental disabilities who use or need aac. the program builds children\u2019s language, letter-sound knowledge, and phonological awareness skills by embedding aac support within naturalistic teaching during shared reading and play. paths to reading\u00a0was first developed through a community-engaged approach with students, families, and staff at an inclusive preschool. we then conducted two pilot studies using experimental single-case design with 10 children (prek-2nd\u00a0grade) with autism and\/or down syndrome who had limited speech. results were strong: practitioners learned to implement the intervention with fidelity, and children made meaningful gains in expressive language, letter-sound knowledge, and phonological awareness skills (barton-hulsey, biggs, et al., in preparation; biggs, barton-hulsey, et al., in preparation). this presentation will equip educators, service providers, families, and school leaders with a research-based intervention model to promote early literacy outcomes for young students who use or need aac. we will (a) describe effective strategies for aac-supported early literacy instruction, (b) present findings from two pilot studies, and (c) provide access to resources developed through the\u00a0paths to reading\u00a0project. attendees will gain understanding of effective strategies for supporting phonological awareness, letter-sound knowledge, and language development through shared reading and play. we will also share free online training materials that include \u201cbite-sized\u201d instructional videos (about 8-15 min each, with real classroom examples), observation and self-reflection fidelity rubrics, planning guides, and coaching materials. these resources can be applied across diverse educational settings, improving the quality and accessibility of early literacy instruction for children who use or need aac. barton-hulsey, a., biggs, e. e., coltellino, b., &amp; gianforte, r. (2026). play and read with me: implementation fidelity when using augmentative and alternative communication (aac) for literacy instruction. manuscript in preparation. biggs, e. e., gianforte, r., barton-hulsey, a., &amp; coltellino, b. (2025). play and read with me: evaluating the impact of an aac-supported intervention on students\u2019 production of vocabulary and literacy concepts during shared reading and play. manuscript in preparation. erickson, k. a., &amp; geist, l. a. (2016). the profiles of students with significant cognitive disabilities and complex communication needs.\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication, 32(3), 187-197. zimmerman, j. (2025). beyond access: the intersecting role of aac, literacy, and technology.\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication, 41(3), 264-266. presentation format type* (required)\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/paths-to-reading-promoting-language-and-literacy-learning-for-young-students-who-use-or-need-aac\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">PATHS to Reading: Promoting Language and Literacy Learning for Young Students who Use or Need AAC<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Andrea Barton-Hulsey, Becky Haynes, Elizabeth Biggs, Erin Turner, Kristin Dorris<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">11:00 \u2013 12:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"building better aided language measures: speech-language pathologist perspectives cathy binger jaime branaman jennifer kent-walsh john heilmann nancy harrington naomi nattress aim:\u00a0the research literature is replete with studies designed to develop and document the rigor of spoken language measures, but this has largely been absent in augmentative and alternative communication (aac) literature. that is, developing aided language measures that are reliable, valid, developmentally sensitive, and clinically feasible is a pressing need (bean et al., 2023; lee et al, 2022). \u00a0ensuring the clinical feasibility of measures has been particularly neglected, not only with aided language but also in spoken language. in both cases, language measures that are readily applicable in clinical settings are critical (lee et al., 2022). \u00a0one way to bridge this existing gap between research and clinical practice is to implement community-engaged research (douglas et al., 2023). this involves the inclusion of practitioners as key players in research projects. to address this need, we conducted focus groups with aac specialists to inform the further development and refinement of our pragmatic, semantic, and grammatical measures that are under development. research questions included: 1) what contexts do aac specialists currently use for data collection? 2) what alternate coding methods do aac specialists use? 3) what are aac specialists\u2019 perceptions on the proposed measures fit and usability in a clinical setting? method:\u00a0this study explored aac clinical specialists\u2019 perceptions of proposed pragmatic, semantic, and grammatical aided language measures through a series of four focus groups conducted via zoom. prism framework (glasgow et al., 2024) was used to further guide exploration of implementation construct including innovation characteristics (i.e. characteristics of aided language measures), recipient characteristics (e.g., slps\u2019 clinical beliefs and expertise), external environment (e.g., insurance reimbursement rules), and implementation and sustainability infrastructure (e.g., current data collection systems, team-based workflow). participants included 6 speech-language pathologists (slps) with at least 5 years of experience working with aac and with (at least 25 people who use aac). all participants had experience in more than one setting (at least one year with preschool aged) and experience with both autistic and nonautistic aac users. each focus group lasted approximately 90 minutes and was recorded then transcribed. a rapid qualitative analysis approach was used for deductive analysis of focus group findings and included accounting for the number of coders on the team, creating summary tables, and designing the calibration process (kowalski et al., 2024). once all summary tables were finalized, the coders and lead evaluator met to conduct synthesis through matrix analysis (kowalski, 2024). basic themes were compared across the focus groups and organized into global themes where basic themes aligned. following consensus, member checking was conducted to ensure accurate representation of participants\u2019 statements and ideas. results:\u00a0six global themes emerged from the data analysis: (1) measures can be used to support the funding process, (2) measures can support communication partner understanding and use, (3) measures can guide clinical decision-making, (4) current data collection approaches vary for proposed measures, (5) measures need to work across aac technologies, modalities, and contexts, and (6) current clinical practice barriers may influence the effectiveness and feasibility of measures. additional themes unique to each set of measures are also explored. conclusion:\u00a0findings indicate overall positive perceptions of the proposed aided language measures. measures were viewed as essential to supporting aac device funding efforts, monitoring progress, and bringing awareness to broader language needs. the adoption and sustainability of the measures are shaped by all prism dimensions and should be considered in future refinement of the aided language measures. reference list: bean, a., harris, k., kim, h., digiovine, c., &amp; sonntag, a.m. (2023). a scoping review of communication outcomes measures in augmentative and alternative communication. assistive technology, 37, s65\u2013s86.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/10400435.2023.2251041 douglas, n., hinckley, j., grandbois, k., schliep, m.,\u00a0wonkka, a., oshita, j., &amp; feuerstein, j. (2023). how a power differential between clinicians and researchers contributes to the research-to-practice gap.\u00a0american journal of speech-language pathology,\u00a032(2), 803\u2013810.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1044\/2022_ajslp-22-00207 glasgow, r.e., trinkley, k.e., ford, b., &amp; rabin, b.a. (2024). the application and evolution of the practical, robust implementation and sustainability model (prism): history and innovations.\u00a0global implementation research and applications, 4,\u00a0404-420.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s43477-024-00134-6 kowalski, c.p., nevedal, a.l., finley, e.p., young, j.p., lewinski, a.a., midboe, a.m., &amp; hamilton, a.b. (2024). planning for and assessing rigor in rapid qualitative analysis (parrqa): a consensus-based framework for designing, conducting, and reporting.\u00a0implementation science, 19(71).\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s13012-024-01397-1 lee, j. p., binger, c., harrington, n., evelyn, s., kent-walsh, j., gevarter, c., richardson, j., &amp; hahs-vaughn, d. (2022). aided language measures: establishing observer agreement for communicators in early language phases. american journal of speech-language pathology, 31(3), 1394\u20131411. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1044\/2022_ajslp-21-00341\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/789\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Building Better Aided Language Measures: Speech-Language Pathologist Perspectives<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Cathy Binger, Jaime Branaman, Jennifer Kent-Walsh, John Heilmann, Nancy Harrington, Naomi Nattress<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">11:00 \u2013 11:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"aac without borders: practical strategies for supporting communication across cultures, languages, and resource contexts heather prenovost jenny lawrence speech-language pathologists, educators, and interdisciplinary teams increasingly serve aac users whose communication needs extend across countries, cultures, languages, and systems of support. across these varied contexts, aac implementation reflects a wide range of strengths, experiences, resources, and community supports. some teams benefit from robust aac technologies, specialized training, and interdisciplinary collaboration, while others build meaningful communication opportunities through creative problem-solving, family knowledge, low-tech tools, and local partnerships. recognizing this global variation helps professionals design aac supports that are responsive, practical, and sustainable for each learner, family, and setting. this session centers on a critical question: how can professionals design aac supports that are both culturally and linguistically responsive and realistic within the resources available to each learner and family? participants will explore a practical, adaptable framework that acknowledges wide variation in aac knowledge, access, and family support across global contexts. grounded in culturally responsive practice, the session emphasizes that effective aac implementation must begin with understanding the learner\u2019s home language(s), dialect(s), cultural identity, and communication priorities, while also considering the realities of their environment- including available technology, training, consistency of support, and opportunities for practice. core vocabulary approaches are underpinned by a strong and well-established evidence base and play a key role in supporting generative communication. however, vocabulary and language structures are not universally transferable across languages, and research indicates that core vocabulary alone may not always fully represent the concepts needed for meaningful communication across cultures. this session therefore focuses on supporting participants to move beyond a \u201cone-size-fits-all\u201d model of aac. participants will examine how semantic primes can provide a flexible starting point for identifying shared underlying concepts across languages, while still allowing for language-specific grammar and culturally meaningful vocabulary to be incorporated. the session also addresses the need to move beyond traditional core vocabulary by intentionally including relational and basic concepts - such as spatial, temporal, and comparative terms - that are essential for academic participation and daily communication yet often underrepresented in aac systems. importantly, participants will learn how to apply these principles within real-world constraints. for example, some teams may rely on high-tech aac systems with multilingual capabilities, while others may use low-tech boards or partner-assisted communication due to limited access. families may vary in their familiarity with aac, available time for implementation, or consistency of communication partners. this session will provide strategies for adapting aac supports across this spectrum - ensuring that recommendations are feasible, sustainable, and aligned with family priorities rather than idealized conditions. research and practice guidance emphasize the importance of aligning aac intervention with family context and available supports to promote meaningful communication outcomes. participants will also explore how to build culturally inclusive aac systems that reflect the learner\u2019s lived experiences. this includes incorporating home-language vocabulary across word classes, recognizing dialect differences as valid language forms, embedding culturally relevant routines and materials, and supporting translanguaging across communication partners and settings. to support immediate implementation, the session introduces a step-by-step planning process that can be used across settings and resource levels. this includes: identifying language use across environments, gathering family perspectives and priorities, reviewing available tools and supports, checking for gaps in vocabulary (including semantic primes and relational concepts), and selecting a small set of meaningful, culturally relevant targets to implement right away. these steps align with culturally responsive aac frameworks that prioritize collaboration, flexibility, and real-life communication opportunities. participants will leave with practical tools, including a global aac planning framework, culturally inclusive vocabulary checklist, and adaptable strategies for implementing aac within a range of resource contexts. the goal is for attendees to leave equipped not only with knowledge, but with immediate, actionable steps to create more equitable, relevant, and effective aac systems for the individuals and families they serve - regardless of geography or access.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/aac-without-borders-practical-strategies-for-supporting-communication-across-cultures-languages-and-resource-contexts\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">AAC Without Borders: Practical Strategies for Supporting Communication Across Cultures, Languages, and Resource Contexts<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Heather Prenovost, Jenny Lawrence<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">11:00 \u2013 12:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"a culturally adapted communication partner intervention for educators in south africa sarah douglas many children with disabilities require augmentative and alternative communication (aac) systems to communicate and fully participate in home, school, and community environments. children who use aac represent one of the most vulnerable groups of children in the world \u2013 those who are still developing their ability to communicate independently and need educators who can use strategies to support their communication development (kent-walsh et al., 2015) and give them tools to communicate independently. several aac training programs have been developed and tested for use with educators (kent-walsh et al., 2015). these trainings show promise in teaching skills to educators as well as to support communication development in children who use aac (douglas et al., 2022; kent-walsh et al., 2015). however, most have been carried out with partners from racial\/ethnic majority backgrounds (davenport et al., 2018), with little attention to the diversity present in the countries in which they were conducted. the diversity in countries such as the united states (colby &amp; ortman, 2015) and south africa (dada et al., 2017) necessitate training that is culturally responsive, tested, and implemented with diverse populations including application to middle and low-income countries (wong et al., 2015), a clear gap within the current literature. there is an urgent need to develop culturally responsive training for educators who support children who use aac. this presentation will detail the process and outcomes of a cultural adaptation to an existing training program - powr (douglas et al., 2024) which is designed to support educators in implementing aac with children with disabilities. the adaptation was part of a fulbright scholar research project (douglas, 2026) and was conducted in collaboration with the centre for augmentative and alternative communication at the university of pretoria. educators in south africa, a middle-income country, participated in the study. the adaptation process included focus groups with educators who had aac experience and was carried out using the guidelines in the cultural adaptation checklist (lee et al., 2023). following completion of the powr adaptation, a study was conducted to test the adapted materials with in-service teachers. a two-arm control trial with wait list control group was utilized to test the effectiveness of the training with educators on their knowledge, clinical reasoning, and self-efficacy. participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: intervention or wait list. the intervention group completed training first and outcomes were measured using pre-post assessments. the wait list group completed assessments at the same timepoints but did not have access to the training until after assessments were complete. we measured the change at these two time-points based on participant group assignment. study outcomes and next steps will be discussed.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/a-culturally-adapted-communication-partner-intervention-for-educators-in-south-africa\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">A culturally adapted communication partner intervention for educators in South Africa<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Sarah Douglas<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">11:30 \u2013 12:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"speech-generating devices for children with complex communication needs: a systematic review and meta-analysis. amanda brignell angela morgan halianna van niel martin downes shui wong background speech-generating devices (sgds) are a form of augmentative and alternative communication (aac) that aim to support communication in individuals with complex communication needs. there have been few investigations of the efficacy of this approach. aim this systematic review explored the current empirical landscape and aimed to determine the effects of interventions using high-tech, grid-based sgd for children with complex communication needs. we determine the efficacy of sgds on communication outcomes and identified common methods, designs and outcome measures used to inform development of future trials in this space. method a systematic search found 1648 studies. we included all study designs that involved children with any neurodevelopmental or genetic disorders, aged 0-18 years, who had complex communication needs (e.g. less than 50 spoken words). we excluded participants with acquired conditions or those with isolated speech disorders in the absence of any other neurodevelopmental condition. interventions must have included the use of a high-tech, grid-based sgd, like proloquo2go on the ipad. communication outcomes were extracted, including speech, language and non-verbal communication outcomes. qualitative analysis was completed for both group and single-case experimental designs (sceds). a pooled analysis was completed for single cases that used comparable outcomes. the risk of bias was assessed and certainty of evidence derived from the grade approach. results a total of 32 studies were included with 253 participants meeting criteria (age range 2-13 years). most studies were sceds (28\/32) conducted in the united states (22\/32). the majority of studies included autistic participants (240\/253). other common groups included those with developmental disabilities (7\/253), down syndrome (6\/253). the most common hardware was ipads (27\/32). proloquo2go was the most common software (15\/32). there were 4 group studies (3 randomised trials, 1 quasi-experimental longitudinal study); 2 had high- and 2 moderate risk-of-bias. the studies were heterogeneous in trial design and intervention methods, e.g., use of different devices, software programs, implementation strategies (like least-to-most prompting, communication partner training) and outcome measures. there was positive change in communication outcomes across the 4 studies with varying effect sizes. there were 28 sceds of varied designs and communication outcomes. these studies had low internal validity due to inadequate blinding of patients, therapists or assessors. few studies measured maintenance, follow-up or generalisation of outcomes. most (13\/28) single-case studies measured independent and\/or accurate requesting skills, while only 4 measured overall communication without focusing on function (e.g. request, respond, commenting), spontaneity or accuracy. the variability of outcomes meant only 16 studies were included in a quantitative pooled analysis, with the remaining described qualitatively. the studies that were pooled measured spontaneous and accurate use of communication devices and encompassed 53 single cases, which were extracted and used to compare baseline and intervention results. the results showed significant statistical difference (p &lt; 0.001) in the positive direction (i.e. improvement) between the baseline and intervention phases. this change was consistent across different communication modes and functions. discussion this systematic review identified significant heterogeneity in study designs for interventions using the sgds. high-powered empirical evidence was limited, with only four group trials met criteria; none of which have been replicated. the variability in outcomes highlighted the need for increased standardisation of measures to consistently report the effects of the intervention. majority of the sced studies focused on measuring requesting (13\/28) or responding (9\/28) skills, while few studies holistically measured all or varied forms of communication (4\/28). future research should aim to measure progress in a range of communication functions. there is also a dearth of aac research in non-autistic populations, such as rare genetic disorders, even though communication disorders commonly have a genetic basis. additionally, individualisation of the sgds for each participant were limited within each study. larger trials generally implemented the same device and application across the cohort, with minimal feature matching occurring. conclusion the importance of aac is clear, yet, there are limited high-powered clinical trials for those with complex communication needs. this review highlighted evidence that supported the use of sgd on communication outcomes, however, studies were often of low quality. there was also a lack of replication of existing studies, meaning that findings could not be further substantiated. addressing these gaps and expanding on this research is imperative in supporting individuals with complex communication needs.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/speech-generating-devices-for-children-with-complex-communication-needs-a-systematic-review-and-meta-analysis\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Speech-generating devices for children with complex communication needs: a systematic review and meta-analysis.<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Amanda Brignell, Angela Morgan, Halianna Van Niel, Martin Downes, Shui Wong<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">20:00 \u2013 20:20<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"advancing aac through artificial intelligence: developing context-aware communication tools for neurodivergent individuals ayana singh autism spectrum disorder (asd) affects over 62 million people globally, and is a condition related to brain development involving persistent challenges in the way people interact (santomauro et al. 2021). around 25-30% of individuals with asd are nonverbal or semiverbal (mayo clinic 2022). existing communication tools for these individuals, such as augmentative and alternative communication (aac) technology, remain constrained by their lack of personalization, limited adaptive intelligence, and absence of context-aware phrase prediction. moreover, their slow speed and inefficiency often create feelings of frustration, discouraging individuals from using or purchasing them, especially given their high cost and limited adaptability. to address these challenges, connectaac, an ai-powered aac application, was developed to provide a personalized, context-aware, and efficient communication experience for nonverbal and semiverbal neurodivergent individuals. the app employs machine learning\u2013based phrase prediction, context tagging, and adaptive flashcard responses to generate relevant suggestions tailored to each user\u2019s communication patterns. therefore, millions of nonverbal and semiverbal neurodivergent people will be able to communicate effectively and increasingly efficiently with connectaac.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/advancing-aac-through-artificial-intelligence-developing-context-aware-communication-tools-for-neurodivergent-individuals\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Advancing AAC Through Artificial Intelligence: Developing Context-Aware Communication Tools for Neurodivergent Individuals<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Ayana Singh<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">20:00 \u2013 21:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"understanding proxemics in multimodal child-clinician interactions: a case of sturge-weber syndrome judith oxley xueao cao aim:\u00a0children with complex communication needs (ccn) rely more on multiple communicative resources (e.g., gestures, gaze, communication aids)\u00a0in everyday interactions\u00a0(beukelman &amp; light, 2020). a growing body of research on children with ccn has adopted a multimodal lens to understand how these children and communication partners utilize and coordinate various modalities for effective and meaningful communication (e.g., benson-goldberg et al., 2025). however, limited attention has been drawn to how specific modalities within the broad multimodal framework contribute to the moment-by-moment organization of interaction. proxemics, the use of space in communication (hall et al., 1968), is one such critical yet underexamined modality. this study aims to delineate the contributions of proxemics in multimodal aided interactions between one child with ccn and speech-language pathologists (slps). method:\u00a0participants included three slps and one child with ccn secondary to sturge-weber syndrome (sws), a rare neurocutaneous disorder that presents constellations of multifaceted symptoms affecting a child\u2019s overall development (yeom &amp; comi, 2022). video data were collected during the child\u2019s speech-language therapy sessions at a university clinic (ethical approval obtained). through immersive and repeated review of the dataset, the authors identified interactional episodes where proxemics (among participants, artifacts, and\/or the overall environment) was particularly salient or consequential to the interaction dynamics. two representative episodes were selected for data analysis and transcription following multimodal interaction analysis (mia; norris, 2004). this framework sees chains of social actions comprising interactions as its unit of analysis and explores the multiplicity of communicative modes in mediating these actions. results:\u00a0the current study revealed that despite facing multiple communication challenges associated with sws, the child was able to actively engage in multimodal interactions with support. in addition, findings indicated that in the analyzed child-clinician interactions, the communicative mode of proxemics, while closely intertwined with others, contributed largely to the interactional dynamics in two interconnected forms: child-artifact and child-clinician proxemics. when choreographed properly to match the child\u2019s needs and skills, the proxemic relationship between the child and the communication aid ensured access to communicative resources and supported interaction readiness. meanwhile, the appropriate child-clinician proxemics established a shared interactional space (mondada, 2013) that facilitated joint attention, coordinated multimodal actions, and promoted the child\u2019s interactional engagement. conclusion:\u00a0the current study depicts how sws-related characteristics can shape the child\u2019s interaction and participation and thus adds qualitative evidence to existing limited research on social communication challenges in the context of sws. also, through the lens of mia, this study highlights the essential role(s) of proxemics in multimodal child-slp interactions and the need for relevant clinical training. slps should recognize proxemics as an integral component of multimodal scaffolding and dynamically choreograph client-clinician-artifact proxemics to foster effective communication and participation. however, findings and implications must be interpreted in light of limitations associated with the study\u2019s single-case design and analytic scope. references: benson-goldberg, s., gullion, l., &amp; erickson, k. (2025). the role of the body in sgd-mediated interactions.\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication,\u00a041(1), 1\u201316. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/07434618.2024.2398436 beukelman, d. r., &amp; light, j. c. (2020).\u00a0augmentative &amp; alternative communication: supporting children and adults with complex communication needs\u00a0(fifth edition). paul h. brookes publishing co. hall, e. t., birdwhistell, r. l., bock, b., bohannan, p., diebold, a. r., durbin, m., edmonson, m. s., fischer, j. l., hymes, d., kimball, s. t., la barre, w., frank lynch, s. j., mcclellan, j. e., marshall, d. s., milner, g. b., sarles, h. b., trager, g. l., &amp; vayda, a. p. (1968). proxemics [and comments and replies].\u00a0current anthropology,\u00a09(2\/3), 83\u2013108. (world). https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1086\/200975 mondada, l. (2013). interactional space and the study of embodied talk-in-interaction. in p. auer, m. hilpert, a. stukenbrock, &amp; b. szmrecsanyi (eds.),\u00a0space in language and linguistics: geographical, interactional, and cognitive perspectives\u00a0(pp. 247\u2013275). de gruyter. https:\/\/www.degruyterbrill.com\/document\/doi\/10.1515\/9783110312027.247\/html norris, s. (2004).\u00a0analyzing multimodal interaction: a methodological framework\u00a0(1st ed.). routledge. yeom, s., &amp; comi, a. m. (2022). updates on sturge-weber syndrome.\u00a0stroke,\u00a053(12), 3769\u20133779. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1161\/strokeaha.122.038585\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/understanding-proxemics-in-multimodal-child-clinician-interactions-a-case-of-sturge-weber-syndrome\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Understanding proxemics in multimodal child-clinician interactions: a case of Sturge-Weber Syndrome<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Judith Oxley, Xueao Cao<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">20:00 \u2013 20:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"from possibility to practice: implementing ai in aac to support personalised, culturally responsive communication david banes artificial intelligence is moving rapidly from a speculative topic in augmentative and alternative communication (aac) to a practical set of tools that can support communication through enhanced access, personalisation, vocabulary development, symbol creation, language generation, voice output, and participation. the aac field has already begun to explore ai-enabled approaches such as predictive text, natural language processing, personalised speech synthesis, multimodal input, image recognition, and generative symbol or vocabulary support. sennott et al.\u00a0argue that ai has the potential to transform aac across both low-tech and high-tech systems, while more recent work on transformer-based prediction and foundation models illustrates how ai may help tailor aac systems to individual users and contexts. yet the implementation of ai in aac remains uneven. while research and prototypes increasingly demonstrate potential, evidence of everyday use by aac users, families, practitioners, educators, and service providers is still emerging. the challenge is no longer simply whether ai can be used in aac, but how it can be implemented ethically, accessibly, safely, and in ways that strengthen rather than replace the agency, identity, and communication rights of aac users. this is especially important given wider global inequities in access to assistive technology and aac. this panel will explore practical examples of ai implementation in aac, using the development and deployment of ai-supported symbol and language tools to shape wider discussion. through a focus on how ai is being used to assist the creation of personalised aac content to better reflect the user\u2019s language, culture, age, environment, interests, and lived experience. the panel will consider how such tools can support aac professionals, families, teachers, and community partners to respond more quickly to communication needs, particularly where existing symbol sets or vocabulary resources are limited, culturally inappropriate, unavailable in the user\u2019s language, or difficult to adapt. emerging systems combine large language models, contextual cues, personalised text-to-speech, or image recognition to support more expressive communication and reduce effort in message generation. many studies remain exploratory, but indicate a growing recognition that ai systems can introduce risks, including inaccurate outputs, over-prediction of what a person wants to say, reduced autonomy, cultural bias, privacy concerns, data governance challenges, and unequal access to high-quality tools. concerns about authorship, control, and communication autonomy are particularly important in aac. isaac\u2019s position on facilitated communication highlights the importance of evidence-based approaches that do not cast doubt on authorship, a principle directly relevant to ai-supported message generation and prediction. the panel will therefore move beyond demonstration to critical reflection. it will ask what practical implementation looks like when ai is introduced into communication across a range of settings. panelists may include aac users, researchers, clinicians, developers, educators, family members, and organisational leaders. the discussion will examine the opportunities and tensions involved in using ai to generate communication content, support vocabulary growth, develop personalised symbols, assist literacy, or create multilingual resources. particular attention will be given to the principle that ai should support the voice, authorship, and intent of the aac user, not speak on their behalf with practical consideration given to how ai can help address gaps in symbol vocabularies and culturally relevant aac resources; human review and co-design, how aac users can retain control, how to evaluate whether ai improves participation and communication outcomes, privacy and consent and how to make ai-supported aac available in underserved languages and low- and middle-income countries. the panel will also consider the skills required by practitioners and families, including prompt design, critical review of outputs, safeguarding, bias awareness, and ethical decision-making. the panel will invite participants to consider what responsible innovation in ai and aac should look like over the next five years. it will argue that the most useful ai in aac will not be the most technically impressive, but the most accountable, inclusive, adaptable, and grounded in the rights and preferences of aac users. by sharing practical experience, research insights, and implementation questions, the panel will support the isaac community to shape ai in aac in ways that promote communication autonomy, equity, and participation.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/from-possibility-to-practice-implementing-ai-in-aac-to-support-personalised-culturally-responsive-communication\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">From Possibility to Practice: Implementing AI in AAC to Support Personalised, Culturally Responsive Communication<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">David Banes<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">20:00 \u2013 21:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"increasing research evidence and development of meaningful, intelligible language and use by people with pmld beverley hamilton rosemary woods there has been major research and development of a wide range of aac (augmentative and alternative communication) devices to meet the needs of \u00a0people with communication difficulties. \u00a0however, significantly, children \u00a0and adults designated pmld (profound and multiple learning disabilities) have been largely excluded from this expansion ( beadle-brown et al 2016) leaving many deprived of meaningful ways in which to achieve their potential and their rightful place in society. \u00a0the often-repeated claim that \u2018the voice of the child with pmld\u2019 should be heard remains an intention yet seldom a reality.. (whitehurst, 2006). \u00a0why has this happened and how can this situation be remedied? firstly. the extreme physical and visual impairments associated with people designated pmld \u00a0(simmons and watson, 2014) negate efforts to speak, hold, touch, point, pick up cards, symbols or objects or use switches, keyboards, screens and eye gaze technology. impairments obscure observable responses to assessments too, making efforts to identify abilities extremely challenging. ( iassid, 2016). \u00a0where responses are not evident, the assumption of \u00a0profound linguistic and developmental levels is readily maintained. secondly, the expectation, indeed the belief, that individuals designated pmld are invariably profoundly developmentally delayed, pre-linguistic and pre-intentional \u00a0prevails (simmons and watson, 2014) despite the lack of specific assessment evidence. \u00a0this means that the use of \u00a0aac language-based systems is considered unrealistic; reliance on basic cause and effect technology \u00a0and infant derived approaches predominate. in contrast, a recent study challenged these interpretations of the competencies of people designated pmld by demonstrating language acquisition, present regardless of impediments to assessment. collaborative research by de montfort and loughborough universities recorded and amplified sub vocal (sv) utterances by 20 young participants designated pmld (woods et al, 2023) as an innovative aac approach. although their impairments prevented verbal speech, \u00a0participants\u2019 recorded and amplified sv utterances provided clear, audible and intelligible evidence of (chronologically appropriate) language acquisition and use. \u00a0the voice of the child designated pmld\u00a0was\u00a0heard, demonstrating that negative assessments \u00a0may be a function of their physical and visual impairments and not their language or intellectual capacity. \u00a0this work has continued, extending evidence of sv language by people labelled pmld. these outcomes clearly identified the need to develop aac systems that could explore potential language in people designated pmld. the technology to do so is already there. potential application of \u00a0ai, real time digital signal processing (dsp) in combination with deep learning (rnn) and language models suggest possible solutions, with some existing examples already operating. many everyday appliances now rely on speech recognition techniques, while devices to improve or convert disordered speech to text or artificial voicing are established.\u00a0\u00a0there are often difficulties to overcome in using\u00a0digital pre-processing methods. where consistent sound samples are needed. \u00a0nevertheless, the right to be heard for people who can clearly demonstrate typical language acquisition is indisputable, yet individuals designated pmld are conspicuously absent from aac research and development. currently, they are being excluded and left behind, unheard voices that should and could be listened to because it is their tomorrow too.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/increasing-research-evidence-and-development-of-meaningful-intelligible-language-and-use-by-people-with-pmld\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Increasing research  evidence and development  of meaningful, intelligible language and use by people with PMLD<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Beverley Hamilton, Rosemary Woods<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">20:30 \u2013 21:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"finding my voice through humor: creating the \u201cmurder of words on aac\u201d podcast chelsea hagen for many people, aac is seen as a tool for basic communication. but for me, aac is also a way to tell stories, share opinions, laugh at life\u2019s absurd moments, and occasionally say the things people don\u2019t expect someone with a \u201csexy robot voice\u201d to say. in this presentation, i will share the journey of creating my podcast,\u00a0murder of words on aac. as a woman with athetoid cerebral palsy who communicates using a two-switch scanning aac device, i wanted to create a space where i could talk about anything that interests me\u2014not just disability. through humor, storytelling, books, personal experiences, and a healthy appreciation for dark comedy, i have built a podcast that challenges assumptions about what aac communicators can do and what we are \u201csupposed\u201d to talk about. i will discuss why i chose the theme of crows and the idea of a \u201cmurder of words,\u201d how i created the podcast using aac and technology, and how humor has become one of my most important tools for connection, advocacy, and self-expression. i will also share some of the challenges of creating content as an aac communicator, and why having the freedom to be funny, opinionated, creative, curious, and imperfect matters. this presentation is for anyone interested in aac, storytelling, creativity, and authentic communication. my hope is that attendees will leave with a better understanding that aac communicators are not just communicating needs and wants\u2014we are sharing ideas, creating art, telling stories, making jokes, and sometimes making people a little uncomfortable in the best possible way. after all, sometimes the most unexpected ideas, stories, and conversations come from a sexy robot voice.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/finding-my-voice-through-humor-creating-the-murder-of-words-on-aac-podcast\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Finding My Voice Through Humor: Creating the \u201cMurder of Words on AAC\u201d Podcast<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Chelsea Hagen<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">21:00 \u2013 21:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"the enhancing peer networks project: fostering peer relationships for children who use or need aac elizabeth biggs erin turner peer relationships are vital for children\u2019s social development and well-being. meaningful peer interactions promote social-emotional development, including communication skills, greater self-esteem, and protection from bullying (rubin et al., 2015). \u00a0children with autism who have limited speech and use or need augmentative and alternative communication (aac) often face significant social barriers in schools, including limited opportunities to interact with peers and trouble accessing communication supports (chung et al., 2012). \u00a0educators and practitioners also lack the necessary tools to foster peer engagement and relationships among these students and their peers, and to promote social communication growth within these relationships. for the last five years, our team has led the\u00a0enhancing peer networks project, which focuses on these issues by developing a multi-component intervention to support social communication and friendships among elementary-aged students with autism who have limited speech and their peers without disabilities. our team has developed and evaluated the\u00a0enhancing peer networks\u00a0intervention through six iterative studies, including two experimental single-case design studies, three mixed methods studies, and a full evaluation of the intervention using an embedded experimental mixed methods design. intervention components include: class-wide social-emotional learning:\u00a0educators use story-based lessons to build a class-wide culture that supports inclusion and authentic peer relationships by teaching about concepts like diversity and inclusion, friendship, disability and neurodiversity, and belonging. play-based peer network groups:\u00a0educators support opportunities for students with autism and their peers without disabilities to play together and learn \u201cways to talk and play, that encourage collaborative play and interaction with aided aac. naturalistic aac intervention:\u00a0educators use play-based naturalistic instruction to model and teach social communication and language skills for the student with autism using aided aac. this presentation will (1) introduce the\u00a0enhancing peer networks project, including by teaching about each intervention component, (2) share a description of the methods and findings of our research, focusing specifically on the most recent evaluation of the full intervention with 17 students with autism, their peers, and their educational teams, and (3) share practical resources and online tools that attendees can use to implement intervention strategies. importantly, our research findings have shown positive impact on students with autism and peers, including for improving students\u2019 social communication and language skills, as well as their engagement and relationships with peers. through this presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about and use implementation tools (e.g., lesson plans, implementation guides, student materials) and view and discuss real-world video examples of the intervention. participants can expect to leave with knowledge of how to better support positive peer relationships and social communication for children with autism who use or would benefit from aac. \u00a0 chung, y. c., carter, e. w., &amp; sisco, l. g. (2012). social interactions of students with disabilities who use augmentative and alternative com-munication\u00a0in inclusive classrooms.\u00a0american journal on intellectual and developmental disabilities, 117, 349\u2013367.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1352\/1944-7558-117.5.349 rubin, k. h., coplan, r. j., &amp; bowker, j. c. (2009). social withdrawal in childhood.\u00a0annual review of psychology,\u00a060, 141\u2013171. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1146\/annurev.psych.60.110707.16364 2\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/the-enhancing-peer-networks-project-fostering-peer-relationships-for-children-who-use-or-need-aac\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">The Enhancing Peer Networks Project: Fostering Peer Relationships for Children Who Use or Need AAC<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Elizabeth Biggs, Erin Turner<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">21:30 \u2013 22:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"supporting symbolic communication through naturalistic visually adapted aac intervention allison nannemann cathy binger cindy gevarter naomi nattress natalie douglas aim: \u00a0 despite the central role of visual access in aided aac, these considerations have rarely been addressed in intervention research. most aac studies either require functional vision or fail to report participants\u2019 visual status (nattress et al., 2025), despite high prevalence of visual impairment (vi) among aided communicators (holbrook et al., 2017). when individuals with vi are included, studies often demonstrate methodological limitations, including limited rigor, focus on a single pragmatic function, reliance on adult-directed approaches, and lack of communication partner instruction (brittlebank et al., 2024). few studies have applied naturalistic approaches for individuals with multiple disabilities including vi while involving communication partners such as educators and parents (pope et al., 2024). to improve outcomes for early communicators with vi, this study incorporated methodology from the impaact program (kent-walsh et al., 2013) and cascading coaching model research (gallegos et al., 2024). this exploratory sequential mixed methods study: (a) developed an initial version of impaact-vi to support symbolic turn-taking; (b) incorporated educator perspectives; and (c) conducted an early efficacy study examining educator and student outcomes. research questions included: (1) what are facilitators and barriers to implementing impaact-vi in schools? (1a) what adaptations do educators recommend? (1b) how do educators rate contextual fit, usability, and feasibility via the prism contextual survey instrument (pcsi)? (1c) what additional adaptations are recommended? (2) what is the effect on educators\u2019 implementation and generalization of partner strategies? (3) what is the effect on students\u2019 symbolic turn-taking and use of relevant symbols? methods:\u00a0two semi-structured focus groups (educational assistants, teachers) informed intervention refinement using the revised prism framework (glasgow et al., 2024). rapid qualitative methods included consensus coding and member checking (kowalski et al., 2024). a multiple-probe across participants single-case design evaluated the effectiveness of the impaact-vi program. student inclusion criteria were: 3;0-6;0 years; diagnoses of visual impairment (vi) or multiple disabilities including vi; intentional communication (communication matrix level iii); expressive vocabulary of 1-25 words; english and\/or spanish home language. the 12-session impaact-vi program taught educators an 8-step cognitive strategy for implementing naturalistic communication techniques through modeling, guided practice, feedback, and fading supports. outcomes included educator accurate strategy use, student independent symbolic turns, and number of different symbols (ndsym). visual analysis, tau-u effect sizes, and descriptive statistics were calculated. procedural fidelity was 91-100%; reliability exceeded the 80% standard. results:\u00a0focus groups identified key themes regarding program content, logistics, and foundational supports, emphasizing researcher flexibility and individualized intervention. educator strategy use increased from 0-14% at baseline to \u226590% post-instruction with generalization to novel activities (range = 88-100%) and maintenance at 3 months (range = 83-100%). student symbolic turns increased from 0-1 turns at baseline to 6-17 turns per session with generalization (range = 6-16 turns), and maintenance (range = 5-16 turns). ndsym increased from 0-1 symbol at baseline to 3-9 symbols with generalization (range = 2-9) and maintenance (range = 4-9). visual analysis demonstrated substantial level changes and positive trends. tau-u was 1.0 for all educator and student outcomes, indicating\u00a0very large\u00a0effects. pcsi findings reflected positive perceptions of program acceptability and suitability for similar students. conclusion:\u00a0 impaact-vi had positive effects on educators\u2019 use of naturalistic strategies, students\u2019 turn-taking frequency, and students\u2019 number of different symbols. clinical implications related to the positive use of the 8-step cognitive strategy approach for communication partner instruction and program modifications which included coaching rather than role plays, activity planners, and visually adapted aac. \u00a0\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/supporting-symbolic-communication-through-naturalistic-visually-adapted-aac-intervention\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Supporting Symbolic Communication through Naturalistic Visually Adapted AAC Intervention<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Allison Nannemann, Cathy Binger, Cindy Gevarter, Naomi Nattress, Natalie Douglas<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">21:30 \u2013 22:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"teaching with aac: embedding communication, literacy and learning across the curriculum amanda hartmann emily seoud lachlan munn what happens when aac becomes part of everyday teaching rather than something used only during communication activities? over the past six years, mudgeeraba special school on the gold coast, australia has intentionally embedded aac across classrooms, routines, and curriculum. rather than viewing aac as a specialised support for a few students, teachers have embraced it as an essential teaching tool that improves communication, increases participation, supports literacy, and provides meaningful access to learning for students with complex communication needs. this presentation shares the practical journey behind that transformation. discover how teachers identify the communication and language demands within australian curriculum and intentionally plan opportunities for students to communicate, engage, read, write, and learn using aac throughout the school day. through authentic classroom examples, collaborative planning processes, and practical implementation strategies, you&#039;ll explore how aac can support explicit instruction, scaffold classroom participation, strengthen literacy learning, and create more inclusive educational environments. you&#039;ll also learn how developing a consistent, school-wide approach builds staff confidence and creates meaningful opportunities for students to actively participate across all learning areas. whether you are beginning your aac journey or looking to strengthen existing practice, you&#039;ll leave with practical strategies, planning ideas, and real-world examples that demonstrate how embedding aac into everyday teaching can transform communication, participation, literacy, and curriculum access for all learners.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/teaching-with-aac-embedding-communication-literacy-and-learning-across-the-curriculum\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Teaching with AAC: Embedding Communication, Literacy and Learning Across the Curriculum<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Amanda Hartmann, Emily Seoud, Lachlan Munn<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">21:30 \u2013 22:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"introduction to the isaac leadership committee (\u201clead\u201d) and overview of leadership opportunities for aac communicators in isaac and its chapters chelsea hagen grant blasko jamie preece kevin williams lateef mcleod marcia gemler patrick regan isaac\u2019s lead committee was established in 2006 \u00a0to represent the interests of people who use aac and to advance the inclusion of aac communicators in leadership positions in isaac, \u00a0its chapters, and the greater community, through mentoring, advocacy, outreach, and more.. lead is chaired by the isaac vp of people who use aac. \u00a0its members are also leaders in the aac community, frequent presenters in classrooms and at conferences. they are published authors on topics of interest to aac communicators, their families and the professionals who support them. they are students, educators, and leaders in other organizations. the lead committee develops projects to bring together aac communicators worldwide, to make connections with others who use aac. examples of those projects are aac communicator-led chats, a book club for aac communicators, opportunities for aac communicators to share their poetry, and isaac conference pre-conference activities for aac communicators. members of the lead committee will share their personal perspectives on the committee, and share about opportunities for aac communicators to build leadership skills and to serve in leadership positions in isaac and its chapters.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/introduction-to-the-isaac-leadership-committee-lead-and-overview-of-leadership-opportunities-for-aac-communicators-in-isaac-and-its-chapters\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Introduction to the ISAAC Leadership Committee (\u201cLEAD\u201d) and Overview of Leadership Opportunities for AAC Communicators in ISAAC and its Chapters<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Chelsea Hagen, Grant Blasko, Jamie Preece, Kevin Williams, Lateef McLeod, Marcia Gemler, Patrick Regan<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">21:30 \u2013 23:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"aim for writing: access, instruction, and meaningful writing opportunities janet mclellan students who use augmentative and alternative communication (aac) require written communication skills for academic participation, self-advocacy, social interaction, and independence. however, many experience limited opportunities to engage in meaningful writing. writing instruction often emphasizes prerequisite skills such as copying, tracing, handwriting, or isolated transcription tasks, based on the belief that foundational skills must be mastered before students can become writers. as a result, opportunities to generate and communicate original ideas may be restricted. this presentation introduces the aim for writing framework, a practical approach for supporting written expression in students with complex communication needs. aim focuses on three interconnected elements: access, instruction, and meaningful writing opportunities. the framework is grounded in research demonstrating that students who use aac can develop as writers when they have access to the alphabet, explicit writing instruction, and frequent opportunities to write for authentic purposes. access\u00a0includes providing students with a &quot;pencil&quot; that offers access to the full alphabet and supports independent text generation.\u00a0instruction\u00a0includes explicit teaching of writing skills, strategy instruction, and scaffolded supports aligned with students&#039; developmental writing levels.\u00a0meaningful writing opportunities\u00a0emphasize daily writing for authentic purposes, student choice of topics, interaction with audiences, and participation in writing throughout the instructional day. participants will learn how writing develops across emergent and conventional stages and how developmental writing assessment can inform instructional decision-making. practical tools, including the developmental writing scale (dws), writing sample analysis, and instructional planning processes, will be presented. instructional practices such as shared writing, self-selected writing opportunities, and strategy instruction will be illustrated through classroom examples. particular attention will be given to the role of interdisciplinary collaboration among teachers, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and aac specialists in supporting writing development. case examples will illustrate how educational teams can create consistent writing supports across settings and ensure that all students have opportunities to develop as writers. participants will leave with a practical framework for designing writing instruction that expands communication, participation, self-expression, and independence for students who use aac. references: cannella-malone, h., konrad, m., &amp; pennington, r. c. (2015). access! teaching writing skills to students with intellectual disability. teaching exceptional children, 47(5), 272\u2013280. erickson, k. a., &amp; koppenhaver, d. a. (2020).\u00a0comprehensive literacy for all: teaching students with significant disabilities to read and write. brookes publishing. graham, s., &amp; harris, k. r. (2018).\u00a0an examination of the evidence base for self-regulated strategy development. in r. fidalgo, k. r. harris, &amp; m. braaksma (eds.),\u00a0design principles for teaching effective writing\u00a0(pp. 13\u201337). brill. rodgers, d. b., &amp; loveall, s. j. (2023). writing interventions for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities: a meta-analysis. remedial and special education, 44(3), 239\u2013252. romine, r., karvonen, m., &amp; thatcher, e. (2023). meaningful writing instruction for students with intellectual disabilities (swim project brief #1). atlas, university of kansas. sturm, j. m. (2012). an enriched writers\u2019 workshop for beginning writers with developmental disabilities. topics in language disorders, 32(4), 335\u2013360.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/aim-for-writing-access-instruction-and-meaningful-writing-opportunities\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">AIM for Writing: Access, Instruction, and Meaningful Writing Opportunities<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Janet McLellan<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">22:00 \u2013 23:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"words across languages: core vocabulary research, culturally responsive practice, and international student learning in aac gat savaldi harussi jens boenisch one of the fundamental questions in augmentative and alternative communication (aac) research and practice is deciding which words to include in an aac system across populations and ages. one well-established approach is the selection of core vocabulary; the words most frequently\u00a0used across different contexts, alongside context-specific fringe vocabulary. research across multiple languages, including english, german, and hebrew, consistently shows that a small set of 200\u2013300 words accounts for approximately 80% of discourse. across these languages, notable similarities emerge in the characteristics of core vocabulary; the top 20 most frequently used words are predominantly function words, and shared patterns appear in word composition and in the distribution of lexical categories. at the same time, language-specific characteristics emerge and must be carefully considered. morphology and syntax may differ meaningfully across languages, with direct implications for how aac systems are designed and implemented. in a world where bilingualism and multilingualism are increasingly common, an additional layer of complexity arises: how do we select vocabulary for an aac system intended to serve a child or adult who uses more than one language? to address this gap, a three-day international aac workshop was held in germany, bringing together students from israel and germany. during the workshop, students attended a seminar on current research on core vocabulary across languages and engaged in a hands-on activity to create a communication board for a bilingual child who speaks hebrew and german via a case study. this presentation reports on the workshop\u2019s findings, the insights gained from this initial international collaboration, and directions for future work. \u00a0the session is structured around three interconnected components: 1. cross-linguistic core vocabulary research core vocabulary research conducted independently in hebrew and german will be presented and compared with english core vocabulary. the comparison highlights that effective multilingual aac cannot rely on direct translation but requires a deep understanding of the similarities in lexicon, specifically core vocabulary, and how each language structures meaning. 2. aac responsiveness for culturally and linguistically diverse populations students in the program received a dedicated lecture on serving aac users from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. this component addresses the practical and ethical dimensions of culturally responsive aac assessment and intervention, exploring how language background, cultural identity, family values, and systemic factors influence vocabulary selection and aac implementation. 3. student workshop: applying research to practice students applied cross-linguistic core vocabulary knowledge to design hebrew-german communication boards for the case study presented.\u00a0the workshop surfaced authentic challenges of bilingual aac design and deepened understanding of what linguistic and cultural responsiveness looks like in practice. student reflections and insights from this activity will be shared, illustrating the value of international collaboration in aac professional training. seminar attendees will have the opportunity to engage with the core vocabulary comparisons interactively and reflect on the implications for their own practice contexts. references boenisch, j., &amp; soto, g. (2015). the oral core vocabulary of typically developing english-speaking school-aged children: implications for aac practice.\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication,\u00a031(1), 77-84. savaldi-harussi, g., &amp; uziel, s. (2023). frequency of word usage by hebrew preschoolers: implications for aac core vocabulary.\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication,\u00a039(2), 123-134. soto, g., &amp; vega, j. (2024). designing cultural adaptations of caregiver-implemented interventions for latinx caregivers of children who use augmentative and alternative communication: key considerations.\u00a0american journal of speech-language pathology,\u00a033(5), 2266-2279. soto, g., &amp; king, m. (2022). cultural and linguistic responsivity in aac. in n. hall, j. juengling-sudkamp, m. l. gutmann, &amp; e. r. cohn (eds.),\u00a0fundamentals of aac: a case-based approach to enhancing communication\u00a0(pp. 77\u201387). plural publishing.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/words-across-languages-core-vocabulary-research-culturally-responsive-practice-and-international-student-learning-in-aac\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Words Across Languages: Core Vocabulary Research, Culturally Responsive Practice, and International Student Learning in AAC<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Gat Savaldi Harussi, Jens Boenisch<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">22:00 \u2013 23:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"what makes an aac system robust?: pediatric speech-language pathologists\u2019 opinions audrey mcmillion speech-language pathologists\u202f(slps)\u202fwho\u202fsupport\u202findividuals who use aac\u202fgenerally agree\u202fthat these individuals should have access to a robust system\u202ffor\u202fthem to communicate their ideas, wants, and needs (beukelman\u202f&amp;\u202fmirenda, 2013).\u202frobust is a term frequently used in clinical practice, on social media, by people who use aac (zimmerman, 2024),\u202fand in research literature (bean, 2019; binger, magallanes, et al.,\u202f2024). while many\u202fsources\u202fhave articulated\u202fdifferent elements of\u202fwhat constitutes a robust aac system, there is not one clear definition. the purpose of this study was\u202fto\u202fgain a better understanding of how practicing pediatric slps conceptualize and describe what makes an aac system robust.\u202fthe primary research question was: how do practicing\u202fpediatric slps define the features that make an aac system robust?\u202f secondary questions included: what are features\u202fand examples\u202fof robust aac systems?\u202fand why do speech therapists feel\u202fan aac system is\u202frobust or not? fifteen practicing pediatric slps participated in semi-structured interviews. part 1 of the interviews asked the participants to provide information about their education and training, their considerations when identifying an aac system, and their descriptions of a system they had found to be robust in their work, as well as a description of a system that they felt was less robust. in part 2 of the interviews, slps were presented with photos and brief descriptions of 11 different aac systems and asked to share if they found each system to be robust or not, with an explanation of why. their thoughts were analyzed using a constructivist grounded theory approach with thematic analysis to explore these questions. some descriptive analysis was also completed related to work setting, aac features identified, and which aac systems were found to be robust or less robust. the results suggest that participating slps valued features such as allowing for personalization, core vocabulary, large vocabulary, access to a keyboard, allowing people to communicate different communication functions, fringe vocabulary, and consistent location of symbols amongst other features. additionally, two larger themes emerged: (a) robust aac allows people to generate novel utterances, and (b) robust aac supports all stages of using the system, encouraging learning, personalizing, and buying into a system that facilitates both early use and long-term growth. this study revealed consistencies in how practicing slps view robust aac, and participants provided rich descriptions of how they and their students or clients use robust aac. future work should explore the opinions and experiences of people who cannot rely on speech to be heard and understood related to this topic of aac. this paper has the potential to inform conversations about aac design, teaching, and learning. references bean, a., cargill, l.p., &amp; lyle, s. (2019). framework for selecting vocabulary for\u202fpre-literate\u202fchildren who use augmentative and alternative communication.\u202famerican journal of speech language pathology, 28(3), 1000-1009.\u202fhttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1044\/2019_ajslp-18-0041 \u00a0beukelman, d. &amp;\u202fmirenda, p. (2013).\u202faugmentative and alternative communication: supporting children and adults with complex communication needs.\u202fpaul h. brookes publishing. \u00a0binger, c., magallanes, p., san miguel, v., harrington, n. &amp; hahs-vaugh, d. (2024). how toddlers use core and fringe vocabulary:\u202fwhat\u2019s\u202fin an utterance?\u202famerican journal of speech language pathology, 33(4), 1718-1747.\u202fhttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1044\/2024_ajslp-23-00366\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/what-makes-an-aac-system-robust-pediatric-speech-language-pathologists-opinions\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">What makes an AAC system robust?: Pediatric speech-language pathologists\u2019 opinions<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Audrey McMillion<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">22:30 \u2013 23:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"podd as an aac option for aphasia patients eve knight justine springs vicki haddix aphasia is a neurogenic communication disorder resulting from injury to language centers of the brain, most commonly caused by stroke but also arising from traumatic brain injury, brain tumors, or progressive neurological conditions (asha, 2026). the disorder affects an individual&#039;s ability to speak, understand, read, and\/or write, yet does not impair intelligence or cognitive capacity. individuals with aphasia retain their thoughts and communicative intent; the impairment lies in the brain&#039;s ability to produce and process language (asha, 2026). given the impact of aphasia on daily communication and quality of life, augmentative and alternative communication (aac) is frequently incorporated into treatment. aac encompasses any tool or strategy that supplements or replaces spoken language and is an established component of comprehensive aphasia intervention. pragmatic organisation dynamic display (podd) is an aac system developed by speech-language pathologist gayle porter, originally designed for children with complex communication needs (porter &amp; cafiero, 2009). however, podd is not a single product but a set of organizational principles and design strategies for symbol-based vocabulary (porter, 2017). originally designed for paper communication books, it can be utilized with partner-assisted scanning and is structured to support genuine, spontaneous, and independent communication across the full range of communicative functions. its flexible framework allows customization across a wide variety of displays, tailored to an individual&#039;s language level, sensory profile, and physical access needs.\u00a0while the authors found no documented use of podd with adults with an acquired need for aac, this flexibility suggested that it could be helpful. this presentation will show the clinical adaptation of podd for use with an adult with severe aphasia, exploring the rationale, implementation process, and functional outcomes. the client is an adult male with global aphasia and apraxia of speech, presenting with hemiparesis affecting his dominant side and limited functional spoken language. prior aac trials with high-tech devices were unsuccessful due to the motor planning and cognitive-communication demands. a podd communication book was created by his clinicians, personalized to reflect his relationships, preferences, and daily life. physical access was optimized for his non-dominant hand, and partner-assisted scanning facilitated efficient navigation. clinical observations demonstrated meaningful communicative participation across contexts. the client used podd to independently express emotion and spontaneously contribute humor to a conversation. these interactions extend well beyond simple yes\/no exchanges. these examples illustrate podd&#039;s capacity to support authentic, multifunctional communication for adults with severe aphasia, suggesting its potential as a valuable framework beyond its original pediatric context. clinicians working with adults with aphasia are encouraged to consider podd as a flexible, low-barrier aac option that prioritizes communicative participation. american speech-language-hearing association. (2026).\u00a0aphasia. practice portal. retrieved july 8, 2026, from\u00a0https:\/\/www.asha.org\/practice-portal\/clinical-topics\/aphasia\/ porter, gayle (2017). introductory workshop manual: pragmatic organization dynamic display communication books. victoria: cerebral palsy education centre. porter, gayle &amp; cafiero, joanne m. (2009). pragmatic organization dynamic display (podd) communication books: a promising practice for individuals with autism spectrum disorders.\u00a0perspectives on augmentative and alternative communication,\u00a018(4), 121\u2013129.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1044\/aac18.4.121\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/podd-as-an-aac-option-for-aphasia-patients\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">PODD as an AAC Option for Aphasia Patients<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Eve Knight, Justine Springs, Vicki Haddix<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">23:00 \u2013 23:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"ai-based aac with next-word suggestions and multi-word sentence completion using personal data and context byeong joon cho kang hee kim soo-young lee we present a new augmentative and alternative communication (aac) app designed for patients with anomic aphasia and older adults experiencing word-recall difficulties. although there has been significant recent progress in aac systems, users still face difficulties expressing complex intentions precisely in sentences of adequate length [1]. this primary challenge stems from the trade-off between vocabulary size and the time required to search for a word. our app addresses this by incorporating next-core-word suggestions based on syntactic structures [2] alongside multi-word sentence completion powered by large language models (llms). personalizing these language models with the user&#039;s past conversational data and current situational context significantly improves word-suggestion accuracy and reduces search time. following chomsky\u2019s seminal work and subsequent research on syntactic structures, the essential components of a formal sentence comprise a subject and a verb, with the optional addition of objects, complements, and\/or prepositional phrases. in the majority of conversational cases, aac users structure sentences around the subject &quot;i,&quot; which can often be assumed and skipped. therefore, we designed the word-suggestion component of the user interface into three color-coded categories:\u00a0verbs,\u00a0objects, and\u00a0others. the\u00a0others\u00a0category includes complements, personal pronouns, and the core words (excluding prepositions) of prepositional phrases. at the start of a session, the app displays several likely words based on usage from previous sessions within each category. the user can either select one of these suggested words or initiate a two-level, tree-structured word search based on meaning. selecting a word in any category automatically triggers the next-word suggestion routine, which displays subsequent core-word suggestions across the remaining two categories from the app\u2019s vocabulary list. although llms were initially considered for this next-word suggestion task, we found that simple bigram and trigram models perform better and faster given a limited vocabulary and smaller personalized datasets. we developed specialized algorithms to selectively utilize parts of these bigrams and trigrams based on parts of speech (pos) for each of the three categories. for example, when a\u00a0verb\u00a0is selected, subsequent word suggestions are restricted exclusively to the\u00a0objects\u00a0and\u00a0others\u00a0categories. after selecting a sufficient number of words through suggestions and searches, the user chooses to form one of three sentence types: an affirmative sentence, a negative sentence, or a question. because a limited set of keywords can result in ambiguity, an llm proposes three likely candidate sentences for the user to select from before the final text is spoken via a text-to-speech (tts) engine [3]. the app was evaluated by 11 individuals with word-recall difficulties. in approximately 80% of the test cases, sentences consisting of 3 to 4 words were successfully constructed using only 4 to 7 clicks. the time required to form a sentence was under 20 seconds for about 50% of the sentences, and under 40 seconds for approximately 70% of all cases. users provided highly favorable feedback, averaging a score of 4.0 on a 5-point likert scale for both the usefulness and appropriateness of the generated dialogue sentences. references [1] h. curtis, t. neate, c.v. gonzalez, &quot;state of the art in aac: a systematic review and taxonomy,&quot;\u00a0assets \u201922, oct. 2022, athens, greece. [2] n. chomsky,\u00a0syntactic structures, mouton &amp; co., 1957. [3] y. lee, a. rabiee, s.y. lee, \u201cemotional end-to-end neural speech synthesizer,\u201d arxiv:1711.05447, 2017 (nips ml4audio workshop).\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/ai-based-aac-with-next-word-suggestions-and-multi-word-sentence-completion-using-personal-data-and-context\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">AI-Based AAC with Next-Word Suggestions and Multi-Word Sentence Completion Using Personal Data and Context<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Byeong Joon Cho, Kang Hee Kim, Soo-Young Lee<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">23:00 \u2013 23:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"dynamic assessment of learning factors: a collaborative aac framework to support communication, participation, and learning kathy look howery linda burkhart assessment is fundamental to effective augmentative and alternative communication (aac) intervention, yet traditional assessment approaches often emphasize what an individual cannot do while providing limited information about the conditions that support successful communication, learning, and participation. for individuals with complex communication needs, static assessments may overlook the dynamic interaction among the learner, communication partners, the environment, and instructional supports. this interactive session introduces a recently developed dynamic assessment of learning factors observation framework, created by the presenters to support collaborative aac assessment and intervention planning. the framework was developed to address the need for a practical tool that links collaborative observation directly to intervention planning while supporting meaningful participation across everyday environments. grounded in principles of dynamic assessment, aac, neurological regulation, engagement, and collaborative team practice, the framework views assessment as an ongoing process embedded within authentic learning experiences rather than a single evaluation. through systematic observation across meaningful activities, teams identify learner strengths, barriers, and the supports that increase participation, communication, and learning. the framework organizes observations across five interconnected domains: sensory processing, motor abilities, communication, engagement, and neurological regulation. rather than considering these domains separately, teams observe how they interact during everyday routines. observations document factors that facilitate or inhibit success together with strategies to explore over time. the result is a living document that evolves as new information is gathered, allowing assessment and intervention to continuously inform one another. a defining feature of the framework is its collaborative design. educators, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, educational assistants, family members, and other professionals contribute observations from authentic interactions with the learner. combining these perspectives creates a shared understanding of learner strengths and support needs while reducing fragmented, discipline-specific assessment. case examples will demonstrate how collaborative observation informs coordinated intervention planning that promotes communication, participation, and access to learning. because communication is inherently social and contextual, aac is integrated throughout the framework rather than treated as a separate assessment area. participants will explore how aided language input, visual supports, positioning, environmental modifications, strategic feedback, wait time, and responsive communication partner strategies influence learner success. discussion will also consider how neurological regulation and learner availability affect participation and how recognizing these factors can prevent the misinterpretation of behaviour. guided discussion will encourage participants to consider how the framework can be adapted to diverse educational and clinical settings and to learners with a wide range of communication profiles. this session offers participants a practical, strengths-based framework for integrating dynamic assessment into collaborative aac practice, enabling teams to better understand the complex interactions that influence communication, participation, and learning while informing more responsive, individualized intervention. selected references alant, e. (2017).\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication: engagement and participation.\u00a0plural. carpenter, b., egerton, j., cockbill, b., bloom, t., fotheringham, j., rawson, h., &amp; thistlewaite, j. (2015).\u00a0engaging learners with complex learning difficulties and disabilities.\u00a0routledge. choi, b. c., &amp; pak, a. w. (2006).\u00a0clinical and investigative medicine, 29(6), 351\u2013364. porter, g., &amp; burkhart, l. (2022).\u00a0pragmatic organisation dynamic display communication books: advanced workshop manual.\u00a0cepc. snell, m. (2002). using dynamic assessment with learners who communicate non-symbolically.\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication, 18(3), 163\u2013176. the mehrit centre (2025, feb 27). self-reg. \u00a0https:\/\/self-reg.ca\/\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/dynamic-assessment-of-learning-factors-a-collaborative-aac-framework-to-support-communication-participation-and-learning\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Dynamic Assessment of Learning Factors: A Collaborative AAC Framework to Support Communication, Participation, and Learning<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Kathy Look Howery, Linda Burkhart<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">23:00 \u2013 00:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"cultural and linguistic adaptations in aac interventions: a scoping review adele may chane naidoo james lee sarah douglas shakila dada background:\u00a0children with complex communication needs should have access to augmentative and alternative communication systems that embrace their cultural and linguistic diversity (beukelman &amp; light, 2020; douglas et al., 2024). however, several barriers still exist that prevent culturally and linguistically responsive service delivery to children from diverse backgrounds who use augmentative and alternative communication (mindel &amp; john, 2022; t\u00f6nsing &amp; soto, 2020). for instance, there remains a lack of commercially available, multilingual and culturally diverse augmentative and alternative communication systems (mindel &amp; john, 2022), in addition to existing barriers in accessing these systems from the institutions that provide them, such as health care and educational settings (mcnamara, 2018). the inclusion of such systems will assist in providing improved access to communication opportunities for these children. therefore, there is a need to review current cultural and linguistic adaptations that exist in augmentative and alternative communication intervention for children with complex communication needs from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, to identify what gaps may exist in the research. aim:\u00a0to describe how augmentative and alternative communication interventions were adapted for children who require augmentative and alternative communication from cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds using a published checklist. methods:\u00a0a scoping review (arksey &amp; o\u2019malley, 2005) was conducted. pre-defined selection criteria were applied, and a multi-faceted search strategy included electronic databases and hand-searching of academic journals. a total of 26 eligible studies were identified. data extraction, focusing on the cultural and linguistic adaptations made to augmentative and alternative communication interventions, were mapped according to the dimensions of the cultural adaptation checklist (lee et al., 2024). results:\u00a0the results of this review indicate that cultural and linguistic adaptations in\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication\u00a0interventions have been considered as a critical area of\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication\u00a0research. while most of the studies in this review mentioned an adaptation process, there was a paucity in reporting the process of implementation.\u00a0this review made clear that adaptations should be more meticulously documented and reported to ensure all criteria are fulfilled. lee and others (2024) emphasised that despite intervention adaptations unfolding gradually, there is a lack of guidance to ensure high quality cultural and linguistic adaptation. conclusions:\u00a0the use of an adaptation framework, like the\u00a0cultural adaptation checklist (lee et al., 2024),\u00a0can be used in the field of\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication\u00a0to provide an approach for culturally and linguistically adapting\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication\u00a0interventions. this will ensure the intervention is\u00a0more precise in terms of culturally appropriate language, the roles and relationships of everyone involved, community values and traditions, appropriate goals and outcomes, and the social, economic, and political contexts to support cultural sensitivity (lee et al., 2024).\u00a0therefore, the adaptation process should consider culture and language, in all their complexity, as the primary focus of\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication\u00a0intervention development to enhance the long-term wellbeing and inclusion of children using\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication, as well as meticulously utilising a framework to ensure high quality adaptations. references beukelman, d. r., &amp; light, j. c. (2020).\u00a0augmentative &amp; alternative communication. supporting children and adults with complex communication needs.\u00a0paul h. brookes publishing co., inc. douglas, s. n., dada, s., t\u00f6nsing, k., samuels, a., &amp; owusu, p. (2024). cultural considerations in caregiver-implemented naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions: a scoping review.\u00a0review journal of autism and developmental disorders.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s40489-024-00436-3 lee, j. d., meadan, h., sands, m. m., terol, a. k., martin, m. r., &amp; yoon, c. d. (2024). the cultural adaptation checklist (cac): quality indicators for cultural adaptation of intervention and practice.\u00a0int j dev disabil,\u00a070(7), 1285-1296.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/20473869.2023.2176966 mcnamara, e. (2018). bilingualism, augmentative and alternative communication, and equity: making a case for people with complex communication needs.\u00a0perspectives of the asha special interest groups,\u00a03(12), 138\u2013145. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1044\/persp3.sig12.138 mindel, m., &amp; john, j. (2022).\u00a0aac for all: culturally and linguistically responsive practice. plural publishing inc. t\u00f6nsing, k. m., &amp; soto, g. (2020). multilingualism and augmentative and alternative communication: examining language ideology and resulting practices.\u00a0augment altern commun,\u00a036(3), 190-201.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/07434618.2020.1811761\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/cultural-and-linguistic-adaptations-in-aac-interventions-a-scoping-review\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Cultural and linguistic adaptations in AAC interventions: A scoping review<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Adele May, Chane Naidoo, James Lee, Sarah Douglas, Shakila Dada<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">23:00 \u2013 23:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"family camp as a naturalistic aac intervention model: outcomes for minimally speaking autistic adults and graduate slp students jae handler kimberly ho sara young people who use augmentative and alternative communication (aac), particularly minimally speaking autistic adults with intellectual disabilities, are frequently excluded from recreational programs due to insufficient staff training and systemic barriers to participation. this exclusion compounds the social isolation already experienced by many autistic individuals and families, who often lose access to inclusive community settings after aging out of school-based services - a gap that speaks directly to the challenge of embedding aac support into the rhythms of everyday life. the literature is clear that providing an aac device alone does not ensure successful communication. success depends heavily on the skills of communication partners, yet caregivers and direct support staff routinely report insufficient training, limited access to aac specialists, and significant difficulty navigating their family member&#039;s aac system. family-centered implementation of aac remains limited in practice, contributing to high rates of device underuse and abandonment. notably, higher aac usage is associated with improved family functioning compared to low or mid usage, suggesting that equipping families with sustainable, everyday communication strategies is not a peripheral goal but a central one. partner-augmented input (pai), also known as aided language modeling, is an evidence-based strategy in which communication partners simultaneously speak and point to or activate symbols on the aac user&#039;s device. research demonstrates that pai increases vocabulary comprehension, symbol production, utterance length and complexity, and use of grammatical morphemes. family leisure activities offer a naturalistic context ideally suited to pai implementation, and parents can be successfully taught these strategies when structured training is embedded within meaningful daily routines. a newer line of research further supports self-guided, asynchronous practice protocols as a means of increasing caregiver fluency with aac applications, an approach that holds real promise for families facing scheduling constraints or limited local access to aac specialists. this presentation describes a five-day aac family camp hosted at zeno mountain farm in lincoln, vermont, a residential community for people with and without disabilities. autistic adult aac users with high support needs and their families were recruited from the greater boston area. all residential costs, including lodging, meals, and recreational programming, were covered by zeno mountain farm, with equipment costs partially funded by a ussaac amplifying aac voices mini-grant. critically, the retreat was co-directed by kimberly ho, a neurodivergent speech-language pathologist and aac specialist, and sara young, a long-time aac user, longstanding zeno community member, and speaker through the ussaac speaker connection. this co-leadership structure reflects a deep commitment to neurodiversity-affirming, user-led practice, placing aac user expertise and lived experience at the center of clinical decision-making, not as an add-on, but as its organizing principle. sara young served as a model of multimodal communication, demonstrating across the week that effective aac encompasses spoken words, word approximations, gestures, low-tech communication boards, and high-tech devices. she led a daily aac group involving structured games with participants, assisted by graduate slp students, and her leadership had a visible, meaningful impact on both families and emerging clinicians. graduate slp students implemented pai across all camp activities using lamp words for life and touchchat with wordpower on ipads, following the smorres framework (slow rate, model, respect and reflect, repeat, expand, stop) under continuous on-site supervision. communication support was woven throughout alpine skiing, sledding, dancing, movies, yoga, art, and mealtimes. families and participants were consistently encouraged to follow the aac user&#039;s communicative lead and honor all modalities, with no pressure toward any single preferred mode. parents participated in a daily partner-training group for skill-building, peer connection, and emotional support. program data were collected using pre- and post-retreat caregiver surveys adapted from the treatment acceptability rating form, assessing social validity, perceived communication changes, and family satisfaction. graduate student reflective surveys measured perceived clinical growth and confidence in aac assessment, intervention, and neurodiversity-affirming practice. findings indicate increased caregiver confidence, knowledge, and aac skills; themes of community belonging and holistic family support; and the transformative impact of experiential, aac-user-led learning for graduate students. this retreat model offers a replicable, community-embedded structure for inclusive recreational programming and authentic graduate slp training that demonstrates, concretely, how aac can be lived in everyday life today, and points toward what inclusive, user-led community programming could look like tomorrow and beyond.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/family-camp-as-a-naturalistic-aac-intervention-model-outcomes-for-minimally-speaking-autistic-adults-and-graduate-slp-students\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Family Camp as a Naturalistic AAC Intervention Model: Outcomes for Minimally Speaking Autistic Adults and Graduate SLP Students<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Jae Handler, Kimberly Ho, Sara Young<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">23:30 \u2013 00:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"when aac users stay invisible: bridging confidence gaps in everyday communication sheena yap chan aac access is not only about the availability of tools, technology, vocabulary, or supports. it is also about whether communication partners, families, educators, clinicians, workplaces, and communities are ready to listen, wait, adapt, include, and make everyday participation possible. too often, people with complex communication needs remain under-heard not because they lack something to say, but because environments are not human-ready for their communication. this session introduces human readiness and the visible\u2122 framework \u2014 voice, identity, spotlight, inner work, belief, leverage, and elevation \u2014 as a practical lens for strengthening aac inclusion in everyday life. participants will explore how confidence, visibility, identity, access, and communication partner readiness shape participation today and into the future. attendees will leave with practical strategies to identify visibility gaps and support more respectful, accessible, and inclusive communication. because aac in everyday life requires more than access to communication. it requires communities ready to honor it. by the end of this session, participants will be able to: identify\u00a0three visibility or human readiness gaps that may limit aac users\u2019 participation, agency, belonging, or communication access in everyday settings. apply\u00a0the visible\u2122 framework to examine how voice, identity, confidence, communication partner behavior, and environmental access shape aac inclusion. design\u00a0one practical human readiness strategy that supports more accessible, respectful, and participatory communication across families, schools, workplaces, services, or community settings.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/when-aac-users-stay-invisible-bridging-confidence-gaps-in-everyday-communication\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">When AAC Users Stay Invisible: Bridging Confidence Gaps in Everyday Communication<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Sheena Yap Chan<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">23:30 \u2013 00:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-10\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"beyond the device: navigating aac in everyday life as a user, tester, and advocate esther klang aac research tells us a great deal about what people who use augmentative and alternative communication (aac) can do with the right support. it tells us far less about what it feels like to navigate a world not designed with you in mind \u2014 and what it costs, every day, to bridge that distance. this session centers on a perspective that remains underrepresented at aac conferences: that of the disabled professional who is also a daily aac user. the presenter holds certification in accessibility core competencies and works across digital accessibility auditing, plain-language research communication, and disability advocacy. these roles are not held in spite of disability; they are shaped directly by it. and they intersect in ways the field rarely sees modeled. what does it mean to audit an inaccessible system when you are the person that system excludes? what is lost when aac research is written for clinicians and researchers, but not for the people it describes? what does genuine inclusion look like when the person at the table is not a subject or a stakeholder, but an expert? this session does not offer a technology showcase. it offers a reckoning \u2014 an honest account of what \u2018aac in everyday life\u2019 actually requires, where the field still falls short, and what becomes possible when disabled users are treated as authorities on their own experience. drawing on real-world use of a range of aac and assistive technology (at) tools, including head tracking, real-time text (rtt), voice banking, and aac applications, the session examines how these technologies interact in daily professional and personal life, where they succeed, and where significant gaps remain. it also examines the advocacy layer: what it takes to translate aac research into language that communities can use, and what the field loses when that translation work is left to people without lived experience.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/beyond-the-device-navigating-aac-in-everyday-life-as-a-user-tester-and-advocate\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Beyond the Device: Navigating AAC in Everyday Life as a User, Tester, and Advocate<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Esther Klang<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">10.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">23:30 \u2013 00:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"strength in connections: building a collaborative aac community ann marie polovick kathryn brown kelly wallace effective augmentative and alternative communication (aac) implementation relies on coordinated, well-trained communication partners across home, school, and clinical settings. however, caregivers frequently report significant gaps in cross setting collaboration, expressing a strong need for improved partnership between school-based and external speech language pathology providers (kim &amp; soto, 2024). families also describe disagreement among professionals regarding aac recommendations as a major source of stress, often resulting in confusion, inconsistent system use, and reduced confidence in intervention planning (buckeridge et al., 2024). across caregiver and communication partner perspectives, the presence of trained, prepared, and well-supported partners consistently emerged as a key facilitator of aac success. (hanley et al., 2024). hanley and colleagues (2024) also noted that a larger network of trained partners\u2014capable of modeling language, providing aided communication, and maintaining consistent expectations\u2014was viewed as highly beneficial. in contrast, uncertainty regarding aac system ownership, maintenance responsibilities, and expectations for daily use, along with limited preparation for device introduction or troubleshooting, were commonly cited as barriers. a cohesive team dynamic grounded in shared understanding, consistent messaging, and collaborative problem solving is essential for successful aac implementation. light and colleagues (2025) highlight persistent \u201cknowledge and skills barriers\u201d among aac users, caregivers, and communication partners as a broader societal barrier to full community participation. the literature identifies several effective strategies to address these challenges, including structured caregiver training programs, toolkit-based supports for communication partners, and strategic uses of technology to reduce cognitive and logistical demands on families and teams (light et al., 2025). a group of hospital-based speech-language pathologists (slps) specializing in aac identified a critical need for stronger collaboration with community slps to support successful aac adoption and consistent use across settings. as part of the hospital team\u2019s standard aac evaluation and trial process, clinicians routinely attempt to engage community partners early by sharing trial data and jointly determining the most appropriate device for a child\u2019s communication needs. however, establishing these connections is often hindered by significant barriers, including limited caregiver knowledge of school contacts, difficulty obtaining accurate information about the child\u2019s educational team, and delays associated with securing releases of information. these challenges increase the time required for hospital slps to coordinate care and limit opportunities for shared clinical decision-making. school-based clinicians similarly identified barriers to aac success, listing difficulty connecting with both caregivers as well as community-based slp partners working with shared students. lack of time to connect with mentors and other skilled professionals was also noted as a barrier. to address these barriers and enhance cross\u2011setting collaboration, the team developed and hosted a hospital\u2011sponsored continuing education event designed to bring community slps together in a structured, supportive setting. event planning included direct outreach to local school districts and private practices to obtain contact information for slps involved in aac service delivery. during registration, participants completed a survey identifying barriers related to aac device trials, interdisciplinary collaboration, caregiver engagement, and access to mentorship. survey responses outlined the agenda for an 8\u2011hour, single\u2011day workshop. the resulting event, impaact connect (inspiring, motivating, &amp; preparing aac teams), provided attendees with opportunities to build professional connections through both structured and informal activities. participants were assigned to rotating small groups to promote broad knowledge sharing across four interactive sessions:\u00a0building connections, aac processes, caregiver training,\u00a0and\u00a0transition of care. each session was moderated by hospital staff who facilitated discussion and encouraged active participant engagement. this collaborative model supported shared problem-solving and strengthened relationships between hospital and community slps, laying out the foundation for improved coordination of aac services across environments. this presentation will specifically describe the detailed planning, implementation, and deliverable outcomes from impaact connect and will synthesize these noted themes and emphasize actionable, family-centered approaches to strengthening collaborative aac teams. recommendations will include scalable training models, improved cross-setting communication pathways, and supports that promote shared ownership, confidence, and competence among all communication partners. by addressing these system- level barriers and enhancing collaborative practices, clinicians and educators can help ensure aac users experience consistent, supported opportunities to communicate meaningfully across environments. regardless of setting, slps face challenges in advancing aac clinical skills, including time constraints, limited resources, restricted access to mentorship, inadequate training, and insufficient program support. this presentation will highlight the importance of building a collaborative aac community\u2014one that strengthens communication channels across settings to build sustainable working relationships to support both clinicians and the partners involved in each child\u2019s aac journey. \u00a0citations available upon request.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/strength-in-connections-building-a-collaborative-aac-community\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Strength in Connections: Building A Collaborative AAC Community<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Ann Marie Polovick, Kathryn Brown, Kelly Wallace<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">08:00 \u2013 09:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"humans are hardwired for connection and belonging: aac users don\u2019t choose to have poor mental wellbeing beth moulam augmentative and alternative communication (aac) users have long been identified as having greater risk of being diagnosed with mental health problems than their peers. \u00a0there is limited research to understand the extent of these challenges, and the causes and effects for all age groups of aac users (ostvik et al, 2024). yet, many of the challenges noted in the literature often relate to mental wellbeing; as aac users are not a homogenous group there is greater variation in understanding individual quality of life issues, belonging, connectedness, identity and independence. in wider society there has been a move in recent years to addressing mental wellbeing for the general population. \u00a0in the uk the national health service (2026) have various programmes and make recommendations to support various identified groups, but not specifically aac users. \u00a0much of the advice is focused on connection to others to create a sense of belonging, being physically active to feel good, learning new skills and practicing mindfulness. yet, do these strategies resonate with aac users who may struggle with fluent and spontaneous communication? \u00a0for those with longer term challenges the recommendation is talking therapies, which are frequently difficult to access, often have long waiting lists and may not be with trained communication partners. there are unique considerations around communicating with aac, these include not just a dependence on communication partners, but frequent communication breakdown and needing to adopt repair strategies, being misunderstood or misunderestimated, as well as issues around privacy when communicating. social isolation and loneliness are often cited as contributing factors created by limited access to peer groups, role models and societal representation. research focus has until now been mainly around becoming literate and using aac for functional communication (blasko, 2025) but for systemic barriers to be removed moving forward we need to understand how societal prejudice, policy and practice continue to reinforce stereotypes of aac users and the impact this has from the individual aac user perspective. this session will draw on the personal perspective of the author who has experienced over 25 years of mental wellbeing challenges as an aac user. they will share specific examples of triggers along with some of the personal strategies and techniques they have developed with professional and family support to underpin their own emotional expression, self-identity, autonomy and self-determination, relationship-building and wider wellbeing support. \u00a0the aim is to open up a discussion for attendees around what aac users need and want from researchers and practitioners to better promote their mental wellbeing in everyday life; today, tomorrow and beyond. blasko, g. (2025). unveiling underlying systemic isolation challenges for aac users.\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication,\u00a041(3), 215-222. nhs. (2026) five steps to mental wellbeing.\u00a0[https:\/\/www.nhs.uk\/mental-health\/self-help\/guides-tools-and-activities\/five-steps-to-mental-wellbeing\/] accessed 10 june 2026 \u00f8stvik, j., granlund, m., &amp; seim, a. r. (2025). mental health and mental health problems among users of aac: a scoping review.\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication,\u00a041(4), 320-332.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/humans-are-hardwired-for-connection-and-belonging-aac-users-dont-choose-to-have-poor-mental-wellbeing\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Humans are hardwired for connection and belonging: AAC users don\u2019t choose to have poor mental wellbeing<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Beth Moulam<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">08:00 \u2013 09:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"the future starts now: strategic planning for the development of a comprehensive school-based aac program melissa friscia as an asha-certified speech\/language pathologist and resna-certified assistive technology professional (atp), i have intertwined the skills i\u2019ve gained across my career with my clinical interests in order to develop a comprehensive augmentative and alternative communication (aac) program at my current place of employment in suffolk county, new york. i have combined both my formal education and clinical experiences over the years to establish aac guidelines that encompass the diverse needs of the students, families, and personnel i support. as a former asha state education advocacy leader (seal) champion, i was granted the opportunity as both a seal champion and hawai\u2019i speech-language-hearing association (hsha) president to participate in several rounds of strategic planning alongside my state association\u2019s board of directors. more recently, as i moved to new york and began working with a new educational system, i have been able to apply my knowledge of the strategic planning framework towards the development of aac program guidelines within my new community. upon beginning my current administrative role, i first analyzed the current status of my educational organization by identifying key stakeholders, financial constraints, and equipment needs. i also gathered quantitative and qualitative information about personnel training needs, local regulations related to iep documentation, and family\/cultural values and views of aac. i noted a minimal amount of available equipment for trialing and daily classroom use, limited clinician knowledge of how to determine the need for an aac system (and subsequently, limited knowledge of how to feature-match for a best-fit aac system), a lack of staff knowledge regarding aac implementation in the classroom, limited understanding from caregivers about aac access\/funding options, and a lack of consistency in iep documentation regarding assistive technology services and personnel support. with this information, i then utilized a strategic planning framework to identify a vision, mission, and long\/short-term goals across the above-mentioned areas. once my strategic plan goals were clear and measurable, i developed outcomes and identified how our organization would measure success in meeting our goals. from the first round of strategic plan goals and objectives (year one) up to the present day (year four), our organization has experienced a myriad of both quantitative and qualitative measures of growth; this information will be shared throughout the presentation. of note, the number of students with iep-mandated devices has substantially increased since the initiation of the first phase of the aac program guidelines. also, the number of caregiver and personnel trainings occurring each month has significantly increased; prior to the initiation of the aac guidelines, there were limited iep-mandated staff trainings taking place, and a small number of students requiring iep-mandated caregiver trainings. not only has the frequency of iep-mandated trainings increased, but non- iep-mandated trainings are occurring more often on an as-requested basis. the non-mandated training increase has been attributed to increased awareness from staff of the importance of aac access, as well as more frequent aac device access and use in the classroom. another noticeable change is that our organization is shifting from an expert-model towards a capacity-building model of aac support. as aac protocols are more consistently implemented, aac devices are being utilized in the classroom setting; in turn, more awareness and visibility is occurring around aac. additionally, our slps are gaining the skills and confidence they need to support students who use aac systems. during this presentation, i will describe the importance of creating outcomes and indicators of success in order to ensure that a program continues to thrive beyond its initial implementation. ultimately, this presentation will guide the decision-making process for clinicians and educators developing aac guidelines\/protocols. attendees will learn how to create a strategic plan that aligns with their educational organization\u2019s current protocols and future at needs. during the session, participants will identify their current status in regards to developing a comprehensive aac program, and will leave with a plan for making a strategic plan. participants will not only learn to identify the procedural steps towards developing a strategic plan, but will be presented with options for seeking support with developing a plan. while each organization, district, and state approaches aac access differently, participants will be able to work within the strategic planning framework to create an action plan that best fits their professional setting needs. my hope is to impact educational systems near and far as participants advocate for their students&#039; communication needs and rights by gaining the knowledge and courage to build a strategic plan with their school teams!\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/the-future-starts-now-strategic-planning-for-the-development-of-a-comprehensive-school-based-aac-program\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">The Future Starts Now: Strategic Planning for the Development of a Comprehensive School-Based AAC Program<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Melissa Friscia<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">08:00 \u2013 09:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"using the instruct app to teach communication partners to interact effectively with individuals who use aac david mcnaughton dawn sowers erik jakobs holly panfil janice light kelsey steffen kristina exton savanna brittlebank tara mccarty people who need or use aac interact with many different communication partners, most of whom have limited, if any, prior training and experience in aac. as a result, these partners frequently limit the communication and participation of individuals who need aac. research shows that communication partners can be taught strategies to support communication (kent-walsh et al., 2015). unfortunately, current approaches to partner training are not as effective or efficient as they could be. the goals of this presentation are: (1) to share a new web-based app, instruct, that is designed to support individuals who use aac, their families, and service providers in developing short, focused trainings to teach communication partners how to interact effectively; and (2) to discuss a series of research studies that have evaluated the effects of instruct trainings to teach a wide range of communication partners various strategies or procedures to support the communication of individuals who need or use aac. the web-based instruct app is freely available through the aac learning center. it is specifically designed to allow individuals who use aac, their families, and service providers to quickly and easily develop short, focused trainings that can be delivered to any communication partner \u201cjust in time\u201d as needed. instruct trainings teach partners what to do and how to do it; they are highly practical and can be easily personalized. the instruct app incorporates evidence-based instructional techniques including checklists of the steps of the targeted strategy and video models to demonstrate each step. the trainings are easily accessible on everyday technology and can be quickly shared. we plan to demonstrate the app and also share a series of research studies that developed and evaluated instruct trainings to teach various strategies or procedures to a wide range of communication partners, including instruct training to teach: (a) school-aged peers to provide choices to children with multiple disabilities during play activities (mccarty &amp; light, 2025), (b) educational staff to support communication of students who use eye gaze aac (sowers et al., 2026), and (c) peers to interact with an autistic college student (steffen &amp; light, 2026). all studies utilized randomized pretest posttest control group designs; results showed that the communication partners who completed the instruct trainings demonstrated significant increases in their use of the target strategies and were therefore more successful in their interactions with children and adults who needed or used aac. we will also discuss successful use of instruct trainings in preservice preparation to bridge the gap between classroom instruction and clinical practice in aac: (a) to prepare preservice speech language pathologists (slps) to teach decoding skills to children who need aac (brittlebank et al., 2026); and (b) to prepare undergraduate students to implement visual scene display (vsd) intervention with beginning communicators who need aac. participants will have the opportunity to access a library of instruct trainings and to consider how they might develop and use instruct trainings themselves to reduce societal barriers and enhance the communication of people who use aac.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/using-the-instruct-app-to-teach-communication-partners-to-interact-effectively-with-individuals-who-use-aac\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Using the INSTRUCT App to Teach Communication Partners to Interact Effectively with Individuals Who Use AAC<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">David McNaughton, Dawn Sowers, Erik Jakobs, Holly Panfil, Janice Light, Kelsey Steffen, Kristina Exton, Savanna Brittlebank, Tara McCarty<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">08:00 \u2013 09:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"the impact of aac on communication skills and quality of life among autistic children: a quasi-experimental study from georgia elene tskrialashvili mariam gelashvili communication is fundamental to participation, education, relationships, self-determination, and quality of life. for individuals with complex communication needs, the inability to communicate effectively affects access to education, healthcare, employment, social participation, and independent living. although the effectiveness of augmentative and alternative communication (aac) has been demonstrated internationally across diverse populations, most evidence originates from countries with well-established aac services. comparatively little is known about implementing aac in countries where professional expertise, service infrastructure, funding mechanisms, and public awareness are only beginning to develop. georgia represents one such emerging aac context. as part of the background review for this study, searches of georgian-language online resources showed that references to aac first appeared in\u00a02015, while speech-generating devices became publicly available only in\u00a02021. at that time, aac devices were not funded through national government programmes or health insurance schemes, creating significant financial barriers to access. furthermore, a\u00a02023 georgian study\u00a0identified the country as a\u00a0myth-influenced aac environment, reporting that parents endorsed all six commonly recognised aac myths and professionals endorsed four. together, these findings highlighted major barriers to evidence-based aac implementation, including limited professional expertise, widespread misconceptions, and restricted access to communication technologies due to the absence of sustainable public funding. conducted as part of a\u00a0master&#039;s thesis in the speech, language and communication programme at ilia state university, georgia, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of aac intervention on the communication skills of autistic children with significant communication impairments and on the quality of life of both the children and their caregivers. it also sought to provide the first quantitative evidence supporting aac implementation in georgia and contribute implementation evidence from an emerging aac context to the international literature. a quantitative quasi-experimental design included\u00a040 autistic children\u00a0aged\u00a04\u201318 years\u00a0with clinically identified significant communication impairments and their caregivers. twenty children received aac intervention for\u00a07\u20138 months, while twenty had no previous aac intervention and served as a comparison group. communication outcomes were measured using the\u00a0communication matrix, and quality of life was assessed using a caregiver-completed quality of life questionnaire. statistical analyses were conducted using spss, including paired-samples t-tests, independent t-tests, and anova. children receiving aac intervention demonstrated statistically significant improvements in communication, with an average\u00a0122% increase\u00a0in communicative functions and expressive forms following the intervention period. although differences in children&#039;s quality of life were not statistically significant, children receiving aac consistently achieved higher quality-of-life scores than those without aac intervention. caregivers reported statistically significant improvements in their own quality of life, suggesting that improved communication positively influenced family routines, emotional well-being, and participation in everyday life. these findings indicate that successful aac intervention benefits not only the individual using aac but also the wider family communication environment. the findings are particularly significant because they were achieved during the\u00a0earliest stage of aac implementation in georgia. at the time of the intervention, speech-generating devices had been available for only a few years, opportunities for specialised aac training were limited, and the clinicians delivering the intervention represented one of the country&#039;s first cohorts trained in aac. despite these challenges, the intervention produced substantial improvements in children&#039;s communication and meaningful improvements in caregiver quality of life. rather than simply demonstrating that aac is effective in georgia, this study demonstrates that meaningful communication outcomes can be achieved within an emerging aac system, even where professional expertise, infrastructure, funding mechanisms, and public awareness are still developing. these findings have important implications for countries that are establishing aac services, particularly those with limited resources. by providing the first quantitative evidence of aac intervention outcomes in georgia, this research contributes valuable implementation evidence from an underrepresented region to the international aac literature and supports investment in professional education, sustainable funding, interdisciplinary collaboration, and equitable access to communication. ultimately, the findings reinforce communication as a fundamental human right and demonstrate that developing aac systems can achieve meaningful outcomes when evidence-based practice is combined with committed professional development and family-centred intervention.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/the-impact-of-aac-on-communication-skills-and-quality-of-life-among-autistic-children-a-quasi-experimental-study-from-georgia\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">The Impact of AAC on Communication Skills and Quality of Life Among Autistic Children: A Quasi-Experimental Study from Georgia<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Elene Tskrialashvili, Mariam Gelashvili<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">09:00 \u2013 09:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"the involvement of children with communication disabilities in research: a scoping review adele may shakila dada verusha mudaly background:\u00a0article 12 of the united nations convention on the rights of the child (uncrc) highlights that children have the right to communicate their thoughts on matters concerning them (uncrc, 1989). however, children with communication disabilities are often still marginalised and excluded from research (stafford, 2017; young &amp; clerke, 2024). children with communication disabilities may be at further risk of exclusion due to limitations in their communication, which may restrict their abilities to express their views in research (nilsson, 2013). hence, there is a paucity of research on how children with communication disabilities are involved in research. aim:\u00a0to\u00a0describe how children with communication disabilities are involved in the research process as well as the roles assigned to them in research\u00a0using the involvement matrix as the framework (smits et al., 2020). methods:\u00a0the scoping review was guided by a methodological framework (arksey and o\u2019malley, 2005) and a multidimensional search strategy to ensure a rigorous and unbiased search. screening was conducted against the eligibility criteria at title and abstract level and full text level by two independent reviewers. a total of 31 articles met the inclusion criteria. data of the included studies were extracted according to study and participant characteristics, data collection methods and adaptations, and the stages and roles of involvement as per the involvement matrix (smits et al., 2020). results:\u00a0the review resulted in the inclusion of 31 studies. the included studies demonstrated a paucity of papers that include children with communication disabilities in research.\u00a0of the included studies, children with communication disabilities were mostly included in the execution stage of the research and least included in the implementation stage. furthermore, in terms of involvement, the most common role for children with communication disabilities was that of co-thinker and the least involvement in a role was that of decision-maker. conclusions:\u00a0although the number of studies in this area is growing, there is a need for children with communication disabilities to be more involved in research, especially in more than one stage of the research process. in addition, children with communication disabilities should be trusted with the role of decision-maker during research. hence, it is strongly encouraged that further studies involving children with communication disabilities in research are pursued. references arksey, h., &amp; o\u2019malley, l. (2005). scoping studies: towards a methodological framework.\u00a0international journal of social research methodology: theory and practice,\u00a08(1), 19\u2013 32. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/136455703200011961 nilsson, s., bj\u00f6rkman, b., almqvist, a. l., almqvist, l., bj\u00f6rk-will\u00e9n, p., donohue, d., \u2026 hvit, s. (2013). children\u2019s voices \u2013 differentiating a child perspective from a child\u2019s perspective.\u00a0developmental neurorehabilitation,\u00a018(3), 162\u2013168. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3109\/17518423.2013.801529 smits, d. w., van meeteren, k., klem, m., alsem, m., &amp; ketelaar, m. (2020). designing a tool to support patient and public involvement in research projects: the involvement matrix.\u00a0research involvement and engagement, 6,\u00a01-7. https:\/\/doi\/\/10.1186\/s40900- 020-00188-4 stafford, l. (2017). \u2018what about my voice\u2019: emancipating the voices of children with disabilities through participant-centred methods.\u00a0children\u2019s geographies,\u00a015(5), 600\u2013613. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/14733285.2017.1295134 united nations general assembly. convention on the rights of the child, united nations, treaty series. 1989. \u00a0retrieved from: https:\/\/www.refworld.org\/docid\/3ae6b38f0.html young, k., &amp; clerke, t. (2024). inclusion of students with disability in qualitative education research \u2013 a scoping review.\u00a0international journal of qualitative methods, 23. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/16094069241244869\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/the-involvement-of-children-with-communication-disabilities-in-research-a-scoping-review\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">The involvement of children with communication disabilities in research: A scoping review<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Adele May, Shakila Dada, Verusha Mudaly<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">09:00 \u2013 09:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"a 10-week systematic comparison of three aided language applications for supporting vietnamese-english vocabulary development: a descriptive case study jessica tran lisa erwin-davidson background aac research has largely centered on monolingual english speakers, and many aided language applications default to english syntax, vocabulary, and language organization. recent work is clarifying how aided aac can support bilingual communication, including code-switching and translanguaging between a home language and english. code-switching alternates languages within a message to increase efficiency or meaning, whereas translanguaging reflects an integrated bilingual repertoire without strict language boundaries (garci\u0301a &amp; wei, 2014). vietnamese-speaking families face additional barriers, including limited vietnamese vocabulary, difficulty representing tonal features in english-dominant voice settings, and limited clinician preparation to implement bilingual aac and provide consistent bilingual aided language input (ali). although bilingual children with autism spectrum disorder (asd) can acquire two languages without adverse effects (hambly &amp; fombonne, 2012; kay-raining bird et al., 2016), aac applications may still constrain bilingual development due to system limitations and limited partner training (soto &amp; yu, 2014; soto et al., 2026). purpose this 10-week single-case study examined an autistic child\u2019s ability to combine core and fringe vocabulary across vietnamese and english, measured by the total number of words (tnw) and number of different words (ndw) communicated multimodally. the study also used a five-point ease-of-use rating scale (eou) to compare three aac applications (flexspeak, proloquo4text, avaz). methods a descriptive case study was conducted over 10 weeks (three 60-minute sessions per week) in a university clinic and at home. at study onset, the child\u2019s highest and primary level on the communication matrix was level vi-abstract symbols. the child arrived with school-provided touchchat loc 60 and consistently produced spontaneous gestalts of 1\u20133 word utterances for contextually confined purposes. in the university clinic, communication spaces were engineered to accommodate sensory needs, with activities to stimulate expressive language and maintain interest. the parent was taught how to provide consistent bilingual ali with each application. data included usability ratings, session notes, and audiovisual recordings; 30 sessions were recorded and reviewed. quantitative measures included tnw and ndw in vietnamese and english and the eou reflecting independent access across home and clinic (1 = not accessible to 5 = fluent\/automatic). the eou was completed by three raters (mother, behavior technician, clinician) separately, and the clinical supervisor reviewed selected sessions. qualitative documentation captured vocabulary exploration, translanguaging behaviors, and communication partner strategies. data were analyzed using the eou rating scale for each application. results the child completed nine sessions per application (avaz, proloquo4text, flexspeak). touchchat loc 60 was available in all sessions and offered no vietnamese options. avaz produced the highest output and lexical diversity (tnw = 89; ndw = 51). proloquo4text also yielded high output (tnw = 83; ndw = 42), but a substantial portion reflected non-communicative typing. flexspeak showed more modest gains (tnw = 24; ndw = 14). touchchat usage was also documented, but output was limited (tnw = 12; ndw = 7). vietnamese production differed across systems: touchchat and flexspeak produced no spontaneous vietnamese words (tnw = 0), proloquo4text produced minimal vietnamese (tnw = 2), and avaz supported the most vietnamese (tnw = 33). qualitatively, avaz supported the most consistent bilingual communication, with more spontaneous exploration and intentional messages. proloquo4text enabled substantial text-based output but focused on restricted-interest content. flexspeak supported emerging bilingual communication with moderate engagement and variable independence. results on the eou differed: avaz (m = 3.8) and flexspeak (m = 3.7) were highest, touchchat was moderate (m = 3.0), and proloquo4text was lowest (m = 1.5), indicating greater navigation demands and increased need for partner support. krippendorff\u2019s alpha was used to calculate interrater reliability between three raters and there was perfect agreement (\u03b1 = 1.00). discussion, limitations, and clinical implications aac system design influenced expressive output, multilingual access, and usability. avaz showed the strongest support for bilingual communication and vietnamese access, likely due to easier editing navigation and stronger multilingual vocabulary availability. proloquo4text showed promise for generative text-based communication but was less easy to use for this beginning communicator and had more restricted-interest output. flexspeak offered relatively strong usability with smaller language gains, while touchchat had limited expressive output and no vietnamese access. limitations include the single-case design, limited generalizability, and the inability to draw causal conclusions. additionally, exposure to aac outside sessions and subjective interpretation of qualitative data may have influenced results. future research should include larger samples and more controlled comparative designs. clinically, results support feature matching that prioritizes access to both languages, efficient partner bilingual ali, and flexible language switching. translanguaging-informed intervention, support for user autonomy, and ongoing system optimization with caregiver input may improve bilingual communication.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/a-10-week-systematic-comparison-of-three-aided-language-applications-for-supporting-vietnamese-english-vocabulary-development-a-descriptive-case-study\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">A 10-Week Systematic Comparison of Three Aided Language Applications for Supporting Vietnamese-English Vocabulary Development: A Descriptive Case Study<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Jessica Tran, Lisa Erwin-Davidson<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">09:00 \u2013 09:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"capturing and creating visual supports together: using a participatory action framework with an adolescent aac user in community recreation andrew mutolo david hajjar this session will share the story about a creative project involving an adolescent skier, students from ithaca college, and community volunteers from an adaptive snow sports program. the project was grounded within a participatory action framework and focused on the skier and his family as they built community, active participation, and communication through their shared interest of skiing. during the presentation, the aac user and the slp mentor\/supervisor will present the process for capturing and creating personalized digital media as a tool to visually support communication and recreational participation. the purpose of the project was to engage in a collaborative process with three different stakeholder groups; an adolescent aac user and his family, students and faculty from ithaca college, and volunteers from a community-based recreation program. each stakeholder group worked towards shared outcomes supporting the collection, development, and dissemination of personalized digital media captured during recreational activities (i.e., adaptive snow sports\/skiing). the captured photos and videos were used to create visual supports including a short documentary film titled: \u201cno community without communication\u201d. the film highlights the recreational pursuits of the aac user embedded within a community based adaptive sports program. using a participatory approach, the team gathered ideas and feedback from the three stakeholder groups throughout the duration of the project. the entire team was immersed into the adaptive ski community by participating in snow sport lessons with the aac user, family and community volunteers. digital media was collected during the recreational activity from multiple perspectives, including the aac user, family members, college students and community volunteers from greek peak adaptive snowsports(gpas). during slp clinic sessions at ithaca college, the captured media was organized, selected and developed into visual supports for communication and sharing. both the adolescent aac user and family members were involved across many aspects of the process. visual supports were developed during clinic sessions with the student, family members, slp mentor, \u00a0and college students. over the course of the project, the aac user and his family helped to select photos, text, and provide ideas about the general design for visual supports, including visual scene displays (vsds). there was a strong emphasis on collaboration with the aac user and his caregivers to select relevant and motivating digital images and text for the purpose of expressive communication. also, the social networks inventory (blackstone &amp; hunt berg, 2003) was used to consider potential partners with whom to share different types of digital media. using the circles of communication partners framework helped the team to identify specific partners, such as extended family, peers, community members, and school-based staff. \u00a0the aac user and family made the ultimate decisions about who and how they preferred to share different types of digital media, including the film and vsds. during the presentation, clips from the short documentary film will illustrate the story about the aac users\u2019 participation in the community based recreational program. both the aac user and the lead faculty supervisor will share their perspectives and ideas related to capturing and creating digital media and the importance of communication to build community. attendees will learn about the overall process for capture and collection and gain ideas about using digital media to develop\u00a0visual supports such as vsds and short video clips. \u00a0furthermore, the presenters will focus on how visual supports can enhance communication, make shared connections with others, and increase knowledge and understanding about aac. in conclusion, this presentation will provide an overview of a creative and collaborative project centered on an adolescent aac user and his recreational participation in his community. the perspectives and experiences of the aac user, faculty supervisor, ic students, and volunteers will provide the aac community, with a better understanding of how to engage with recreational programs and consider how to capture and share relevant digital media. attendees will learn about the process to develop personalized visual supports through a shared interface design approach that promotes literacy, communication, and social engagement. the presenters will discuss how using a participatory approach was effective to support the collection and development of aac visual supports for the purpose of sharing, storytelling, and making social connections.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/capturing-and-creating-visual-supports-together-using-a-participatory-action-framework-with-an-adolescent-aac-user-in-community-recreation\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Capturing and Creating Visual Supports Together: Using a Participatory Action Framework with an Adolescent AAC User in Community Recreation<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Andrew Mutolo, David Hajjar<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">09:00 \u2013 09:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"empowering partners: cascading coaching to enhance caregiver use of aac-embedded ndbi strategies cathy binger ciara ousley cindy gevarter jaime branaman aim:\u00a0naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (ndbis) target skills across learning domains by emphasizing developmental progression within naturally occurring routines (shreibman et al., 2015). although ndbis often\u00a0facilitate\u00a0language growth in young autistic children, they rarely incorporate alternate communication modalities for children without functional speech (kasari et al., 2014). pope et al. (2025) found that integrating augmentative and alternative communication (aac) into ndbis improves outcomes for non\u2011speaking autistic children; however, none of the reviewed studies involved caregivers as the communication partner. caregiver involvement is essential for young autistic learners, yet caregivers\u00a0frequently\u00a0report insufficient training as a barrier to aac implementation (kim &amp; soto, 2024). this study examined the feasibility of coaching caregivers to use adapted ndbi strategies that incorporate their child\u2019s aac system. research questions included: (1) what impact do caregiver\u2011implemented ndbi\u2011aac strategies have on autistic children\u2019s communication outcomes? (2) how effectively do caregivers implement ndbi strategies that incorporate aac support for non\u2011speaking autistic children? method:\u00a0a multiple\u2011probe across communication partner design was used to evaluate implementation of adapted ndbi\u2011aac strategies. a cascading coaching model was employed: the\u00a0experienced speech-language pathologist (slp)\/researcher coached a\u00a0slp\u00a0graduate student clinician, who then coached the caregiver. participants were three triads consisting of a graduate student clinician, a caregiver, and an autistic preschooler. graduate student clinicians were recruited based on interest in pediatric intervention and completion of aac and autism coursework\u00a0or related clinical experience. caregivers and children were recruited through convenience and purposeful sampling. children\u00a0were required\u00a0to be 2.5\u20136 years old, have a diagnosis or indicators of asd,\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0symbolic communication (communication matrix levels 5\u20136), and benefit from aac. the study occurred during a four\u2011week summer camp (3 days\/week). child participants engaged in two daily 15\u2011\u00a0to 30\u2011minute sessions\u2014one with the clinician and one with the caregiver. each session included a 15\u2011minute play routine aligned with ndbi principles. coaching sessions were extended to 30 minutes and included planning, visual\u00a0supports, in\u2011session modeling, and performance\u2011based feedback. communication temptations (e.g., delayed\u00a0assistance, interrupted routines) were paired with individualized communication functions (e.g., requesting help, commenting) selected through intake, parent report, and baseline assessment. fidelity was measured using a pre\u2011defined checklist and the ndbi fidelity rating scale (ndbi\u2011fi; frost\u00a0et al., 2020). social validity was assessed through semi\u2011structured caregiver and clinician interviews. results:\u00a0preliminary analyses indicate positive effects of caregiver coaching on communication.\u00a0all children\u00a0demonstrated\u00a0increases across multiple communicative functions (e.g., requesting items out of sight, requesting help, commenting) with both communication partners. adult behavior measured by the ndbi\u2011fi showed increased strategy use\u2014including following the child\u2019s lead, positioning at the child\u2019s level, using communication temptations, and responding to communication attempts\u2014with average implementation fidelity of 92.5%. although clinicians showed slightly higher fidelity than caregivers, both exceeded baseline levels. conclusion:\u00a0findings suggest that caregiver\u2011implemented ndbi\u2011aac strategies taught through cascading coaching are\u00a0feasible, effective, and supportive of communication growth for non\u2011speaking autistic children\u00a0who use aac. these results reinforce the study\u2019s aim by\u00a0demonstrating\u00a0that integrating aac into ndbis\u2014and equipping caregivers to deliver these strategies\u2014can meaningfully enhance communication outcomes within naturalistic routines. citations: frost, k. m., brian, j.,\u00a0gengoux, g. w., hardan, a., rieth, s. r., stahmer, a., &amp; ingersoll, b. (2020).\u00a0identifying\u00a0and measuring the common elements of naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions for autism spectrum disorder: development of the ndbi-fi. autism, 24(8), 2285\u20132297. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1362361320944011 kasari, c., kaiser, a., goods, k., nietfeld, j., mathy, p., landa, r., &amp; almirall, d. (2014).\u00a0communication interventions for minimally verbal children with autism: a sequential multiple assignment randomized trial.\u00a0journal of the american academy of child &amp; adolescent psychiatry, 53(6), 635\u2013646. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j. jaac.2014.01.019 kim, j., &amp; soto, g. (2024) a comprehensive scoping review of caregivers\u2019 experiences with augmentative and alternative communication and their collaboration\u00a0with\u00a0school professionals.\u00a0language, speech, and hearing services in schools, 55, 607-627, https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1044\/2024_lshss-23-00117 pope, l., light, j., &amp; laubscher, e. (2025) the effect of naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions and aided aac on the language development of children on the autism spectrum with minimal speech: a systematic review and meta-analysis.\u00a0journal of autism and developmental disorders, 55, 3078-3099. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10803-024-06382-7 schreibman, l., dawson, g., stahmer, a. c., landa, r., rogers, s. j., mcgee, g.\u00a0g., &amp; halladay, a. (2015). naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions: empirically validated treatments for autism spectrum disorder. journal of autism and developmental disorders, 45(8), 2411\u20132428. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/ s10803-015-2407-8\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/empowering-partners-cascading-coaching-to-enhance-caregiver-use-of-aac-embedded-ndbi-strategies\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Empowering Partners: Cascading Coaching to Enhance Caregiver Use of AAC-Embedded NDBI Strategies<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Cathy Binger, Ciara Ousley, Cindy Gevarter, Jaime Branaman<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">09:30 \u2013 11:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"beyond the sgd: sisters co-constructing meaning with unaided aac karen erickson suzanne feinstein aim\u00a0 communication is a shared, co-constructed act between two or more people. individuals who cannot rely on speech alone to be heard and understood often use aided augmentative and alternative communication (aac) as one component of multimodal communication. despite the potential impact of aided aac, many aac users demonstrate or express preferences for unaided forms of aac, such as gestures, body movements, vocalizations, and facial expressions (e.g., williams et al., 2023). however, the presence of a speech-generating device (sgd) may lead communication partners to attend primarily to device output while overlooking unaided forms of communication. siblings are unique lifelong communication partners who often develop a shared, intuitive sibling culture through years of shared experiences and interactions. although sibling relationships have been studied across the lifespan, limited research has examined interactions between adult siblings when one person cannot rely on speech alone to be heard and understood. the aim of this study was to begin to address this gap by examining how one adult sibling dyad used multimodal communication to co-construct meaning during interaction. method\u00a0 this qualitative single case study examined aac-mediated interactions between sadie (pseudonym), an adult with an intellectual and developmental disability (idd), and her sister, laura (pseudonym), a speech-language pathologist. the sibling dyad completed two structured interaction tasks in laura\u2019s home: a communication preferences survey and an extended discourse task focused on a shared personal experience. interactions and sgd use were video recorded and synchronized using a picture-in-picture format that allowed simultaneous viewing of participant interaction and device activity. analysis followed an inductive whole-to-part approach (erickson, 2006) with detailed transcription and microanalysis informed by talk-in-interaction methods (higginbotham, 2009). transcriptions captured speech, sgd output, vocalizations, eye gaze, body movements, facial expressions, and other forms of unaided communication, emphasizing the importance of multimodality and collaboration in real-time interactions. results\u00a0 across the two interaction tasks, 76 segments were identified in which sadie and laura co-constructed meaning through a highly individualized form of partner-assisted scanning (pas), which they referred to as \u201cusing our hands.\u201d the dyad integrated pas with various forms of unaided aac and sgd use. the sisters drew upon shared experiences and used pas to clarify, expand, and negotiate meaning throughout their interactions. although this deep, shared familiarity often supported efficient collaborative meaning making, findings also suggested that familiarity may influence how communicative acts are interpreted, highlighting the potential for asymmetry between partners. detailed microanalysis illustrates how the dyad coordinated multimodal communication use. analysis revealed that sadie\u2019s sgd use represented only a portion of the interaction and that unaided aac played a substantial role across both tasks. rather than relying on a single modality, the dyad flexibly combined and coordinated unaided aac, pas, and sgd use with sadie often initiating a topic using her sgd and then working with laura to draw upon shared experiences to establish meaning through pas and embodied cues. in other moments, laura controlled the interaction using pas independently of the sgd. the sisters explicitly indicated the goal of reducing effort or resolving ambiguity, but in some occasions the impact may have resulted in asymmetry of content and control. notably, laura continued to attend to sadie\u2019s unaided communication even when sadie was engaged with her sgd, integrating information across communication modes rather than focusing exclusively on device output. conclusion\u00a0 findings underscore the important role familiar communication partners can play in supporting individualized, multimodal co-construction. shared experiences and familiarity shaped how the sisters clarified, expanded, and negotiated meaning throughout their interactions. at the same time, findings highlighted the need to critically consider issues of asymmetry and communication partner assumptions, even within highly familiar relationships. communication partners should be encouraged to recognize and respond to unaided communication alongside aided aac, while also creating opportunities for ongoing collaboration across communication modalities. although familiarity may support efficient communication, communication partners must remain attentive to potential asymmetries by creating intentional space and opportunities for aac users to shape, redirect, and influence the direction and focus of interactions. this study contributes to the aac literature by demonstrating how one adult sibling dyad combined unaided aac, partner-assisted scanning, and sgd use to support meaningful communication and co-construct meaning beyond the device alone. findings challenge traditional sender-receiver models of communication and highlight the important responsibility of communication partners to shift interactions toward collaborative meaning-making across communication modalities. references\u00a0 erickson (2006)higginbotham (2009)williams et al. (2023)\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/beyond-the-sgd-sisters-co-constructing-meaning-with-unaided-aac\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Beyond the SGD: Sisters Co-constructing Meaning with Unaided AAC<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Karen Erickson, Suzanne Feinstein<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">09:30 \u2013 11:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"comunica\u00e7\u00e3o aumentativa e alternativa na educa\u00e7\u00e3o infantil: promovendo a comunica\u00e7\u00e3o funcional em crian\u00e7as com tea n\u00e3o verbais nelma montemor rosangela trabuco malvestio da silva resumo:\u00a0crian\u00e7as com transtorno do espectro autista (tea) n\u00e3o verbais enfrentam barreiras di\u00e1rias que impactam sua comunica\u00e7\u00e3o e participa\u00e7\u00e3o plena na vida escolar. este estudo apresenta um projeto de pesquisa qualitativa em andamento, aprovado pelo comit\u00ea de \u00e9tica em pesquisa sob o parecer n\u00ba 7.880.312, que visa analisar como o uso de estrat\u00e9gias de comunica\u00e7\u00e3o aumentativa e alternativa (caa) pode apoiar e transformar a comunica\u00e7\u00e3o funcional de crian\u00e7as n\u00e3o verbais na educa\u00e7\u00e3o infantil. desenvolvido em uma escola p\u00fablica do estado do paran\u00e1, brasil, o estudo segue todas as diretrizes \u00e9ticas para pesquisa envolvendo seres humanos. o processo metodol\u00f3gico envolve o desenvolvimento, a implementa\u00e7\u00e3o e a avalia\u00e7\u00e3o de materiais de baixo custo baseados em figuras, elaborados para estimular intera\u00e7\u00f5es mais naturalistas na rotina escolar. o principal objetivo \u00e9 dar voz a essas crian\u00e7as, ampliando sua capacidade de expressar necessidades, fazer escolhas e interagir com professores e colegas. resultados preliminares indicam que o uso consistente desses materiais aumentou as iniciativas comunicativas das crian\u00e7as, melhorou o engajamento e ampliou a participa\u00e7\u00e3o em atividades dentro e fora da sala de aula. os resultados tamb\u00e9m mostram que o afeto e a media\u00e7\u00e3o intencional do professor s\u00e3o essenciais para o sucesso da abordagem. como contribui\u00e7\u00e3o para a comunidade escolar, a pesquisa produzir\u00e1 um guia instrucional com diretrizes te\u00f3rico-metodol\u00f3gicas e sugest\u00f5es pr\u00e1ticas para aplica\u00e7\u00e3o. conclui-se que a caa representa um caminho vi\u00e1vel, acess\u00edvel e humanizado para garantir o direito \u00e0 comunica\u00e7\u00e3o, inclus\u00e3o e autonomia de crian\u00e7as n\u00e3o verbais com tea desde a educa\u00e7\u00e3o infantil. palavras-chave:\u00a0comunica\u00e7\u00e3o aumentativa e alternativa; transtorno do espectro autista; educa\u00e7\u00e3o infantil; inclus\u00e3o.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/comunicacao-aumentativa-e-alternativa-na-educacao-infantil-promovendo-a-comunicacao-funcional-em-criancas-com-tea-nao-verbais\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Comunica\u00e7\u00e3o Aumentativa e Alternativa na Educa\u00e7\u00e3o Infantil: Promovendo a Comunica\u00e7\u00e3o Funcional em Crian\u00e7as com TEA N\u00e3o Verbais<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Nelma Montemor, Rosangela Trabuco Malvestio da Silva<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">09:30 \u2013 11:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"an aided language modeling intervention to support slps and caregivers sarah douglas family supports are essential to the communication development of children who use augmentative and alternative communication (aac). evidence suggests that children\u2019s communication development hinges upon training provided to families (dempsey &amp; keen, 2008) and that children experience the best outcomes when family members are well-trained and highly engaged (seligman &amp; darling, 2017). however, families are rarely provided with necessary training to support aac (lund &amp; light, 2007).\u00a0despite the benefit of support and training for families of children who use aac, the majority of research has focused narrowly on mothers(kent-walsh et al., 2015), with limited research supporting fathers (douglas at al., 2017a; douglas at al., 2017b) and siblings(douglas at al., 2018). few interventions exist to fill this need in the literature. in this session, we will share the initial findings from our ies funded study which includes implementation of the famtam intervention with slps and caregivers. we will detail the components of the intervention and the online training format and structure. we will also detail results from our single case studies including outcomes for slp coaching fidelity, caregiver alm implementation, and child communication skills. \u00a0given the call within the literature to provide training support for all communication partners and a lack of transparency in the literature related to intervention development processes, our research fills an important gap investigating the best approaches to improve outcomes for children who use aac. based on results from this project, schools and therapeutic organizations may want to consider adopting aac interventions to practitioners, family members, and children who use aac.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/an-aided-language-modeling-intervention-to-support-slps-and-caregivers\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">An aided language modeling intervention to support SLPs and caregivers<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Sarah Douglas<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">09:30 \u2013 10:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"navigating high-tech aac: the accessibility of toddlers&#8217; first words on widely used speech-generating device systems ashleigh hayward access to aac during early intervention (i.e., birth-to-three programs) facilitates language growth (romski et al., 2010). one high-tech form of aac is speech-generating devices (sgds). improvements in technology has increased accessibility of sgds (ganz et al., 2017). many sgd programs can be accessed via lower cost options such as an apple ipad compared to using insurance to fund dedicated devices. however, clinicians and families experience difficulties deciding which programs to buy and which programs meet their child\u2019s needs. although aac during early intervention is reported (lorang et al., 2022), evidence is sparse in early intervention implementation of aac (romski et al., 2015), particularly related to implementing sgds. aim: this study measures the number of navigational hits (i.e., number of selected icons) required to access typically developing toddlers\u2019 first 100 words using a variety of sgd programs downloaded to ipads. method: typically developing toddlers\u2019 first 100 words were selected from the wordbank database (frank et al., 2017). wordbank contains information from thousands of administrations of the macarthur-bates communicative development inventory (mb-cdi), a commonly used assessment for early intervention. five widely used sgd apps were selected and downloaded on an apple ipad: td snap core, lamp words for life, proloquo2go, touchchat, and grid. navigational hits were tallied for each vocabulary word on each sgd program with grid sizes containing between 70-80 buttons. programs were not modified or customized; page layouts were the preloaded templates. results: navigational hits for two of the five systems (i.e., lamp words for life and proloquo2go) have been tallied. the remaining three systems will be tallied prior to this presentation. of the first 100 words, 10 words are animal sounds and 1 is the child\u2019s name. none of these words are preprogrammed on lamp or proloquo2go. additionally, modifications to vocabulary words are required for certain vocabulary that do not match exactly (i.e., accessed \u201cmom\u201d for \u201cmommy\u201d). only one word is typically pre-programmed for vocabulary corresponding to two labels (i.e., \u201ccat\u201d but not \u201ckitty\u201d). planned analyses include describing variance between programs using descriptive statistics (i.e., range of hits per words, averages number of hits), determining if there is a statistically significant difference between the number of hits across programs and words, and determining overlap between core vocabulary words and the first 100 words. although all systems to be evaluated are taxonomically organized (i.e., categories), the author hypothesizes significant variance between programs in the number of navigational hits required to access the vocabulary. conclusion: typically developing children do not start mastering 2-step directions until between 24 and 36 months of age. if sgd systems require greater than 2 hits to navigate to select common age-appropriate vocabulary, this could suggest that first words for typically developing peers are inaccessible on sgd systems. findings may support the use of visual scene display systems or low-tech aac with younger children requiring aac to communicate, particularly during early intervention. references frank, m. c., braginsky, m., yurovsky, d., &amp; marchman, v. a. (2017). wordbank: an open repository for developmental vocabulary data.\u00a0journal of child language, 44(3), 677\u2013694. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1017\/s0305000916000209 ganz, j. b., morin, k. l., foster, m. j., vannest, k. j., gen\u00e7 tosun, d., gregori, e. v., &amp; gerow, s. l. (2017). high-technology augmentative and alternative communication for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and complex communication needs: a meta-analysis.\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication,\u00a033(4), 224-238. lorang, e., maltman, n., venker, c., eith, a., &amp; sterling, a. (2022). speech-language pathologists\u2019 practices in augmentative and alternative communication during early intervention.\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication,\u00a038(1), 41-52. romski, m., sevcik, r. a., adamson, l. b., cheslock, m., smith, a., barker, r. m., &amp; bakeman, r. (2010). randomized comparison of augmented and nonaugmented language interventions for toddlers with developmental delays and their parents.\u00a0journal of speech, language, and hearing research,\u00a053(2), 350-364. romski, m., sevcik, r. a., barton-hulsey, a., &amp; whitmore, a. s. (2015). early intervention and aac: what a difference 30 years makes.\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication,\u00a031(3), 181-202.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/navigating-high-tech-aac-the-accessibility-of-toddlers-first-words-on-widely-used-speech-generating-device-systems\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Navigating High-Tech AAC: The Accessibility of Toddlers&#8217; First Words on Widely Used Speech-Generating Device Systems<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Ashleigh Hayward<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">09:30 \u2013 11:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"listen, look, link: adapting aac for children with hearing loss collin shield lauren yoshihiro because communication for deaf and hard-of-hearing (dhh) children is never &#039;one-size-fits-all,&#039; intervention must accommodate complex individual needs. while modern screenings catch hearing loss earlier, 95% of these infants are born to hearing families, and 30\u201340% present with co-occurring behavioral, developmental, or genetic diagnoses that further impact language acquisition (gallaudet research institute, 2013; richlin, b et al., 2022). navigating these compounding variables requires flexible tools and specialized expertise. this session frames how clinicians can collaborate with families to build tailored, multi-modal communication plans that optimize functional communication outcomes at any age. one approach to consider is the utilization of a total communication (tc) approach, including low-, mid-, and high-technology aac and\/or sign language in conjunction with spoken language (hall et al., 2017). while tc is universally applicable, implementing it for the dhh population requires distinct clinical considerations that honor both technology needs and the unique cultural and linguistic components of the deaf community. while typically hearing children utilize tc to reinforce spoken language, dhh children rely on it as a primary gateway to sensory and linguistic access. within this framework, specific listening and spoken language (lsl) strategies, such as creating a listening sandwich, acoustic highlighting, and auditory bombardment, can be implemented in any setting, regardless of the child&#039;s expressive modality. this foundational pairing of auditory and tc strategies establishes the clinical scaffolding necessary to select and implement the low- and high-tech assistive technology and aac options detailed in the second half of this session. when introducing an aac system for a child with hearing loss, it is important to consider accommodations that may support their language and device skills. accommodations for low-tech, mid-tech, and high-tech aac will be discussed in this presentation. for example, real pictures and pictures of sign language signs can be incorporated in low-tech choice boards or core boards. mid-tech aac accommodations for this population include visual and\/or tactile feedback when pressing the switch button and adding picture icons to buttons. there are a variety of options to support children with hearing loss who use high-tech aac. some devices allow the user to stream the auditory feedback directly to their hearing aids via bluetooth while allowing the speaking voice output to come through the device speaker. visuals can be incorporated to support user comprehension, such as adding symbols in the speech bar, changing button icons to include sign language icons, real picture icons, or video icons. clinicians can program self-advocacy language, such as \u201ctoo loud\/too quiet,\u201d \u201cears (hearing aids) on\/ears off,\u201d \u201ci can\u2019t hear you,\u201d \u201chelp with ears,\u201d etc. rather than relying on auditory feedback for icon selections, visual and tactile feedback may be added via changing the color of the selected icon or programming haptic feedback. three case studies will highlight opportunities to support children with hearing loss using low-tech and high-tech aac with a variety of language abilities and communication needs.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/listen-look-link-adapting-aac-for-children-with-hearing-loss\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Listen, Look, Link: Adapting AAC for Children with Hearing Loss<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Collin Shield, Lauren Yoshihiro<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">09:30 \u2013 10:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"engineering digital equity: free, input-agnostic aac for everyday life cliff kushler kirk skye for literate individuals living with severe motor and speech impairments in low-resource settings, the prohibitive cost of hardware, the lack of access to skilled professionals, and myriad systemic funding barriers create significant obstacles to meeting even their most basic daily communication needs (alant, 2005). without augmentative and alternative communication (aac) tools they can physically access, these individuals risk severe educational and social marginalization (mphahlele et al., 2024). introducing sustainable aac solutions in low- and middle-income countries (lmics) has been shown to drastically improve communication outcomes and social participation for aac users (dada et al., 2022) in addition to reducing isolation and social stigma for their caregivers (bunning et al., 2017). this interactive seminar introduces a novel input-agnostic aac application that transforms everyday consumer smartphones and tablets into professional-grade communication and digital access tools. the presentation will focus on the clinical implementation and technical architecture of this smartphone- and tablet-based solution. this seminar explores the application&#039;s revolutionary &quot;no-click,&quot; 8-key interface, specifically engineered to increase typing speed and reduce physical fatigue for users with complex motor profiles. the technology also includes a system navigation mode that allows users to interact with the entire operating system using the input method of their choice. the session demonstrates how to accommodate an individual\u2019s fluctuating physical needs by offering a host of input methods, including on-device camera head tracking, wheelchair joystick, standard joystick, adaptive switches, direct touch, and a novel touchscreen activation technique. the seminar will include a live demonstration of each of these input methods and a discussion of the populations that typically use them. by utilizing low-cost and readily available consumer hardware familiar to caregivers and local community workers, the training burden is shifted away from scarce and often inaccessible specialists. offering home-based aac training leverages the existing care structures and is especially crucial in low-resource environments, where it creates a more distributed support network, reduces the isolating burden put on caregivers, and helps the individuals themselves integrate into their communities (bunning et al., 2017). this technology eliminates the need to pay for expensive medical hardware and specialized training, providing immediate communication and digital access to the individual rather than waiting for broken, often non-existent funding pathways, especially in lmics. to make the seminar interactive, the presenters will offer a live \u201cclinical sandbox\u201d demonstration of the technology, actively configuring the application in real-time based on the physical and linguistic clinical profiles provided by the virtual audience via chat and polling. attendees will leave with a practical understanding of how leveraging consumer technology can redefine independent communication access for people all around the world. references alant, e. (2005). aac in developing countries: the centre for aac at the university of pretoria, south africa.\u00a0perspectives on augmentative and alternative communication. bunning, k., et al. (2017). a home-based intervention using augmentative and alternative communication (aac) techniques in rural kenya: what are the caregivers&#039; experiences?\u00a0child: care, health and development. dada, s., et al. (2022). a scoping review of augmentative and alternative communication (aac) interventions in low- and middle-income countries (lmics).\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication. mphahlele, r., et al. (2024). augmentative and alternative communication strategies for learners with diverse educational needs in african schools: a qualitative literature review.\u00a0education sciences.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/engineering-digital-equity-free-input-agnostic-aac-for-everyday-life\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Engineering Digital Equity: Free, Input-Agnostic AAC for Everyday Life<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Cliff Kushler, Kirk Skye<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">09:30 \u2013 10:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"infusing t2l literacy supports into aac for individuals with developmental disabilities with different needs and skills beth frick semmler christine holyfield erik jakobs janice light jessica caron lauramarie pope savanna brittlebank susannah boyle literacy skills are essential for full participation in education, employment, and independent living (light &amp; mcnaughton, 2013). for people who benefit from aac, functional literacy skills are also critical for generative, independent communication as literacy offers a modality for accessing receptive and expressive language. unfortunately, these same individuals are often left out of literacy instruction and enter adulthood without functional literacy skills (foley &amp; wolter, 2010). functional literacy skills require the integration of multiple skills (e.g., phoneme segmentation, letter-sound correspondence; adams 1990). direct instruction in foundational literacy skills, including letter-sound correspondence and decoding, has been shown to be effective for people who use aac across a wide range of diagnoses when adaptations are made to facilitate participation (yorke et al., 2021). however, many individuals who are preliterate use picture-based aac systems and these systems often do not provide supports for learning literacy skills. technology supports built into aac systems offer a promising addition to traditional literacy instruction to facilitate the acquisition of literacy skills by aac users. specifically, the development of transition to literacy (t2l) features that can be infused within aac displays may be highly effective for targeting early literacy skills including sight word reading (e.g., caron et al., 2020; holyfield et al., 2020), letter sound correspondence (pope et al., under review), and single word decoding (e.g., brittlebank &amp; light, 2025; holyfield et al., 2024) the design of the t2l feature was guided by what is known about basic visual-cognitive processing and early literacy learning. specifically, the t2l features use motion with text enlargement, luminance, and speech output to support visual attention to the written word and phonological recoding of the text. additionally, these features can support comprehension by connecting the written text with a known symbol. the transition to literacy (t2l) features can be integrated into aac applications to support formative literacy skills to supplement systematic, direct literacy instruction. research shows that these t2l features support increased sight word, letter-sound correspondence, and decoding skills for individuals with developmental disabilities. in this session, we aim to: (1) demonstrate and describe the evidence-based transition to literacy (t2l) features within the context of literacy instruction for individuals who benefit from aac; and (2) provide an overview of different applications of the t2l features for people who benefit from aac with a wide range of needs and skills. to date, research has demonstrated the effectiveness of the t2l features across a range of children, adolescents, and adults with developmental disabilities (e.g., down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy) who use and benefit from a range of aac systems, including both direct access and alternative access techniques. these t2l features have successfully been embedded within visual scene display systems (mandak et al., 2020; holyfield et al., 2020); video visual scene displays (holyfield et al., 2019); and grid-based systems (caron et al., 2018; caron et al., 2020) to support sight word learning. more recently, t2l features have also successfully been implemented to support letter sound correspondence, decoding, and encoding. further, we will examine the context in which these skills were targeted. thus far, the t2l features have been implemented with individuals in a range of appropriate activities including shared book reading (pope et al., under review), seek and find (brittlebank &amp; light, 2025), conversational tasks (holyfield et al., 2024), and funny animal videos (brittlebank et al., in preparation). with each of the studies we highlight, we will discuss the individuals , the literacy skills targeted, and the context and activities used in the interventions. we aim to provide examples of ways we have used the t2l feature to increase exposure to literacy skills for individuals with a wide range of needs and skills who benefit from aac. in doing so, we will highlight a number of studies that have been conducted by this research team all using the t2l features to target literacy skills. in this presentation, we will share information on the aspects of the t2l feature and how they specifically support literacy learning. additionally, we will outline the wide range of intervention tasks and activities we have used to naturally incorporate the t2l feature. this presentation will highlight a wide range of studies that have been conducted investigating the t2l features and discuss how individuals (not just speech-language pathologists) can use these features to support literacy learning for individuals who benefit from aac.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/infusing-t2l-literacy-supports-into-aac-for-individuals-with-developmental-disabilities-with-different-needs-and-skills\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Infusing T2L Literacy Supports into AAC for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities with Different Needs and Skills<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Beth Frick Semmler, Christine Holyfield, Erik Jakobs, Janice Light, Jessica Caron, Lauramarie Pope, Savanna Brittlebank, Susannah Boyle<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">10:00 \u2013 11:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"determining and validating fringe vocabulary categories and items appropriate for children who require aac from a sepedi language background keamogetswe makena kerstin t\u00f6nsing ngwanamashiane mothapo purpose and aim:\u00a0\u00a0while aac tool developers often use the core vocabulary approach as a starting point when selecting and providing access to vocabulary, various authors have cautioned against the exclusive provision of core vocabulary to children requiring aac. access to fringe vocabulary, in combination with core, allows children in need of aac to compose more complex sentences and communicate about their own contexts and life. various pre-designed electronic and non-electronic core-fringe-based aac tools are available, specifically in european languages.\u00a0\u00a0while fringe vocabulary is typically customized to the individual, preselected fringe provides a helpful starting point in the form of various words and categories that can then be customized. south africa consists of a linguistically and culturally diverse population. \u00a0however, at present, no pre-designed core-fringe based aac tools exist for any of the african languages spoken in the country. \u00a0a sepedi core board was co-developed with stakeholders to bridge this gap. \u00a0however, pre-selected fringe vocabulary has not been included to this aac tool. this study aimed to identify and validate fringe vocabulary categories as well as exemplar fringe vocabulary items for children aged 4-12 years requiring aac from a sepedi language background to inform the design of a core-fringe sepedi aac tool by (a)\u00a0determining \u00a0fringe vocabulary categories as well as possible fringe vocabulary words from word frequency lists derived from transcripts of speech samples of sepedi-speaking grade r learners and (b) validating the appropriateness of the fringe words and categories for children aged 4-12 years by obtaining the perspectives of sepedi-speaking speech-language therapists (slts). method:\u00a0a descriptive multi-method design was used to address the two sub-aims.\u00a0to develop the list of fringe vocabulary categories and exemplary items, secondary data analysis was used. both qualitative and quantitative analyses of de-identified sepedi transcripts and word lists generated by moswathupa (2024) and mothapo (2019)\u00a0from six grade r learners from lebowakgomo (capricorn district municipality) and six grade r learners from sekhukhune in limpopo (south africa) were undertaken to identify the possible fringe vocabulary categories and items. the unique words from each set of transcripts were combined into one consolidated word list with combined frequency counts. these words were then classified into 20 semantic-syntactic categories using a combination of in- and deductive categorization. to validate the determined fringe vocabulary categories and items, eight sepedi speaking slts were recruited through non-probability sampling techniques. the slts validated the fringe vocabulary categories and items through a predominantly quantitative online survey, providing ratings using a 4-point likert scale. results:\u00a0twenty fringe vocabulary categories and 353 possible vocabulary items were determined from the secondary data analysis. regarding the validation, results indicate that sepedi-speaking slts rated most categories included in the survey to be either quite (3) or very important (4). the average importance rating for the categories was 3.5 (1 =\u00a0not at all important; 4 =\u00a0very important). overall, the category of \u2018home\u2019 received the highest overall importance rating (m\u00a0= 3.88), while the categories \u2018abstract words\u2019 and \u2018celebrations\u2019 received the lowest overall importance rating (m =\u00a03.13). regarding the vocabulary items, an average rating of 3.4 was received across all words. average ratings per word ranged from 2.13 for the code switch \u2018social\u2019 to 13 words receiving an average rating of 4.0. interestingly, four came from the category \u2018animals and nature\u2019 and consisted of the sepedi words for \u2018wind\u2019, \u2018tree\/plant\u2019, \u2018dog\u2019, and \u2018cow\u2019. slts also suggested additional vocabulary items for various categories, notably for the categories \u2018animals and nature\u2019 (10 additional words), \u2018action words\u2019 (9 additional words) and \u2018people\u2019 (also 9 additional words). conclusions:\u00a0while fringe vocabulary is deemed personal and specific to an individual, slts found the suggested fringe vocabulary items and categories important to include on a sepedi core-fringe-based aac system. the study thus suggests that the provision of a framework in the form of predetermined categories and items can be a starting point to assist slts in selecting appropriate vocabulary when customizing aac tools for children who require aac from a sepedi language background.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/determining-and-validating-fringe-vocabulary-categories-and-items-appropriate-for-children-who-require-aac-from-a-sepedi-language-background\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Determining and validating fringe vocabulary categories and items appropriate for children who require AAC from a Sepedi language background<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Keamogetswe Makena, Kerstin T\u00f6nsing, Ngwanamashiane Mothapo<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">10:00 \u2013 10:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"is modeling enough? balancing implicit and explicit instruction in aac. euan robertson rachael langley the field of aac has become increasingly comfortable with the idea of &quot;modeling without expectation&quot; as a primary strategy for implementing aac. while modeling is critical, is it enough to &quot;model, model, model&quot; and expect our learners to develop meaningful communication skills? explicit instruction is frequently perceived as an inflexible practice that has a focus on mastery. aac professionals often disregard explicit instruction in favor of in-the-moment modeling and other implicit strategies. in this workshop, we will examine the balance required between explicit and implicit instruction to ensure well-rounded aac intervention. this session will highlight features of explicit instruction that support strengths-based interventions. presenters will share examples of explicit instructional routines while providing flexibility to clinicians and aac learners. this will include in-depth discussion on the role of a well-designed vocabulary in leveraging opportunities for learning. join us as we share ideas and strategies which highlight the benefits of explicit instruction while maintaining therapeutic rapport and following the learners lead.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/is-modeling-enough-balancing-implicit-and-explicit-instruction-in-aac\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Is Modeling Enough?  Balancing Implicit and Explicit Instruction in AAC.<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Euan Robertson, Rachael Langley<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">10:30 \u2013 11:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"teaching language stimulation strategies to parents of aac users: an exploratory a-b single-case study ruth candela background and rationale communication partners play a pivotal role in supporting language development in children who use augmentative and alternative communication (aac). despite growing evidence on the effectiveness of partner training programs (kent-walsh et al., 2015), there remains a need for exploratory research examining the feasibility, cultural adaptation, and functional impact of structured parent training in naturalistic settings. this study investigates the implementation of an aided language stimulation program targeting parents of young aac users. objectives this study aimed to: (1) explore the feasibility of a structured parent training program in aided language stimulation strategies using dynamic voice output communication aids; (2) assess fidelity and reliability of strategy implementation by parents; (3) examine the impact of strategy use on the communicative behaviour of children who use aac; and (4) evaluate the social validity and cultural adaptation of the program from the families&#039; perspective. method an a-b single-case design with multiple cases (n = 3 families) was used. each parent\u2013child dyad completed two baseline sessions (phase a) and between three and five intervention sessions (phase b), followed by two follow-up sessions. sessions lasted approximately 10 minutes and were video-recorded in naturalistic play contexts. the intervention was introduced simultaneously across all three families. the intervention was structured in three phases based on senner et al. (2016): (1) a group training day including theoretical explanation, video modelling, and verbal practice of strategies; (2) individual online coaching sessions with controlled practice and feedback; and (3) video-based feedback sessions with progressive fading of instructor support. target strategies included aided modelling, expansion, reformulation, responsive interaction, expectant delay, environmental arrangement, and a prompting hierarchy. sessions were coded using elan software with a validated observation system. effect sizes were calculated using three non-overlap statistics: percentage of non-overlapping data (pnd; scruggs &amp; mastropieri, 1998), non-overlap of all pairs (nap; parker &amp; vannest, 2009), and tau-u with baseline trend correction (parker et al., 2011). social validity and cultural adaptation were assessed through a purpose-designed questionnaire administered to participating families after the intervention. results preliminary results from two families indicate differentiated acquisition patterns across strategies. aided modelling showed large effect sizes in both families (nap \u2265 90%). prompting frequency showed a statistically significant change in one family (tau-u = 1.10, p = .033). child communicative responses via aac increased substantially in one dyad (pnd = 100%, nap = 100%), with maintenance at follow-up. families reported high levels of satisfaction with the program and perceived it as culturally responsive and applicable to their everyday routines. results from the third family are currently under analysis. conclusions and implications findings suggest that a structured, coaching-based parent training program is feasible and produces meaningful changes in aided modelling and prompting behaviours. the cultural adaptation questionnaire highlights the importance of incorporating family perspectives and everyday contexts from the earliest stages of program design. the impact on child aac use varied across dyads, underscoring the relevance of baseline communicative profiles when planning intervention intensity. implications for family-centred, culturally responsive aac clinical practice will be discussed. references kent-walsh, j., murza, k. a., malani, m. d., &amp; binger, c. (2015). effects of communication partner instruction on the communication of individuals using aac: a meta-analysis. augmentative and alternative communication, 31(4), 271-284 parker, r. i., &amp; vannest, k. (2009). an improved effect size for single-case research: nonoverlap of all pairs. behavior therapy, 40(4), 357-367. parker, r. i., vannest, k. j., &amp; davis, j. l. (2011). effect size in single-case research: a review of nine nonoverlap techniques. behavior modification, 35(4), 303-322. scruggs, t. e., &amp; mastropieri, m. a. (1998). summarizing single-subject research: issues and applications. behavior modification, 22(3), 221-242. senner, j. e., &amp; baud, m. r. (2016). the use of an eight-step instructional model to train school staff in partner-augmented input. communication disorders quarterly, 38(2), 89-95.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/teaching-language-stimulation-strategies-to-parents-of-aac-users-an-exploratory-a-b-single-case-study\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Teaching Language Stimulation Strategies to Parents of AAC Users: An Exploratory A-B Single-Case Study<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Ruth Candela<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">10:30 \u2013 11:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"the aac access gap: population-level evidence of underutilization of aac services among children in the united states andrea barton-hulsey brianna coltellino michelle therrien while children with developmental delays and disabilities who are eligible for augmentative and alternative communication (aac) services should receive intervention, many do not access these supports (davidoff, 2017). andersen\u2019s behavioral model of health service use provides a useful framework for understanding patterns of service utilization by considering environmental factors, predisposing characteristics, enabling resources, and perceived or evaluated need (andersen &amp; newman, 1973; lederle et al., 2021). the current study used medicaid claims data from two states within the united states of america to examine aac service utilization among medicaid-enrolled children, including those involved in the child welfare system. medicaid represents a major source of health care coverage for children with disabilities in the u.s. (binger, 2007).\u00a0 additionally, the included states provide important contexts for this investigation because both have elevated rates of child maltreatment and foster care placement relative to national trends (williams et al., 2024). data were drawn from the child and caregiver outcomes using linked data (ccould) project, which links child welfare and medicaid claims data across the states of florida and kentucky. the sample included 45,082 children involved in the child welfare system and 59,072 children not involved in child welfare, all of whom were medicaid beneficiaries and had at least one medicaid claim related to developmental, speech-language, or aac services. variables extracted from medicaid claims included sex, age, race, ethnicity, medicaid managed care enrollment, children&#039;s health insurance program enrollment, foster care status, medicaid eligibility due to disability, and developmental diagnoses commonly associated with aac use. analyses included descriptive statistics, binary logistic regression, and decision tree machine learning algorithms. aac service utilization was strikingly low across children with and without child welfare involvement. only 0.43% of children involved in child welfare (n = 194) and 0.47% of children not involved in child welfare (n = 272) had at least one medicaid claim for an aac-related service. the mean age of aac service use was 7.6 years (sd = 3.6), and most who used these services were male (68.6%). approximately half had a diagnosis of expressive language disorder\/developmental language disorder (51.5%). most children utilizing aac services were enrolled in medicaid managed care (92.8%), while relatively few were enrolled in chip (3.8%) or foster care (5.7%). several factors were associated with aac service utilization. children involved in the child welfare system had 28% lower odds of receiving aac services than children not involved in child welfare (95% ci: 0.55\u20130.93, p &lt; .05). children enrolled in medicaid managed care had 68% lower odds of aac service utilization than those not enrolled in managed care (95% ci: 0.22\u20130.47, p &lt; .001). compared with children ages 0\u20132 years, children in all older age categories were more than 14 times as likely to utilize aac services. among diagnostic factors, children with cerebral palsy were nearly 4.5 times more likely to receive aac services than those without cerebral palsy (95% ci: 3.30\u20136.11, p &lt; .001). race and ethnicity were not significant predictors of aac service utilization. most notably, aac service utilization was exceedingly low relative to estimated need. less than one-half of one percent of children in the sample received an aac-related service despite estimates that approximately 1.5% of individuals in the united states could benefit from aac supports (beukelman &amp; light, 2020). among children with autism spectrum disorder, only 0.47% had a medicaid claim for an aac evaluation or treatment service (n = 136), despite estimates suggesting that 50\u201360% of individuals with autism may benefit from aac (rehabilitation engineering research center on aac, 2019). these findings suggest substantial unmet need for aac services among medicaid-enrolled children. additionally, children ages 0\u20132 years appeared to be at greatest risk for not receiving aac services, underscoring the importance of increasing awareness, referral, and provision of aac within early intervention systems. findings have important implications for improving equitable access to aac services for children with communication disabilities across healthcare and service delivery systems.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/the-aac-access-gap-population-level-evidence-of-underutilization-of-aac-services-among-children-in-the-united-states\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">The AAC Access Gap: Population-Level Evidence of Underutilization of AAC Services Among Children in the United States<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Andrea Barton-Hulsey, Brianna Coltellino, Michelle Therrien<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">11:00 \u2013 12:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"the communication bill of rights, 3rd edition: guidance for advocacy and practice to support children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities andrea barton-hulsey beth mineo karen erickson maryann romski rose sevcik yuping chen the ability to communicate is critical to the development, education, employment, community participation, and integration in society for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (idd). some individuals with idd present with significant speech and language impairments that impact their ability to communicate, either through speech or other means. individualized systems of supports and accommodations serve to promote development, interests, and enhance personal well-being (schlalock et al., 2021). the national joint committee for the communication needs of persons with severe disabilities (njc) is an interdisciplinary group representing eight national organizations that interface with communication for persons with idd, established in 1987. the njc advocates specifically to ensure that the unique communication needs of individuals with idd are acknowledged and addressed across the lifespan. the proposed presentation will provide a framework and an overview of the most recent resources developed by the njc that are available for stakeholders to use to support communication and advocacy. particular attention will be devoted to detailing the new guidance document for advocacy and practice. for more than 30 years, the njc has advocated for communication by developing materials to address issues and concerns about the communication needs of people with idd. these include training materials, video resources, information about accessing services, intervention issues and practices, and the communication bill of rights. the njc has disseminated these resources through presentations, papers, books, and a website (www.asha.org\/njc). in 1992, the njc published the original communication bill of rights (njc, 1992). it underscored the rights of all individuals to be supported in developing effective communication regardless of their nature or severity of their disability. for example, the original bill of rights highlighted an individual\u2019s fundamental right to affect their daily life through communication. this was one of several specific rights that need to be recognized in everyday interactions. in 2016, the njc produced a revised version, adding three new rights (brady et al., 2016). recently, the njc recognized that the communication bill of rights needed to be revised again to make the concepts accessible to a broader audience and reflective of contemporary understandings of disability. as a result, the njc focused on using simpler language to describe each right, and consolidated the list of rights, resulting in the\u00a0communication bill of rights-3rd\u00a0edition\u00a0(njc, 2024), which underscores the rights of all individuals to be effective communicators regardless of their age, disability, or its impact.\u00a0other features of the 3rd\u00a0edition of the communication bills of rights include an emphasis on the need to (a) foster respect for cultural and linguistic differences; (b) support greater inclusiveness for persons across the lifespan; (c) provide more opportunities to engage; and (d) focus on broader acceptance from the community. the new bill of rights reflects advances in research and practice as well as the dynamic nature of human rights. to provide additional guidance for advocacy and practice in upholding communication rights, we developed the\u00a0communication bill of rights (3rd edition): guidance for advocacy and practice\u00a0(njc, 2025).\u00a0this document reviews each of the updated 12 rights, explains why each right was included and provides a\u00a0\u2018bottom line\u2019 intended when upholding the right and actions that can be taken to uphold each right across settings. the guidance document can be useful to teams as they reflect on and improve their own practices. it is also helpful when explaining the bill of rights to individuals with idd seeking to understand or advocate for their rights. the njc has always stressed that services must be based on the needs of individuals and not on arbitrary criteria such as the age or disability status. no one is too young, too old, or too disabled to benefit from communication supports. research finds that communication interventions are effective with this population regardless of age and status (e.g., sevcik et al., 2022; sevcik &amp; romski, 2016). these resources, available at no financial cost, can be accessed to assist advocates, family members, and professionals in supporting communication across the lifespan. \u00a0the proposed poster will (a) provide information about the 3rd\u00a0edition of the updated communication bill of rights and (b) describe the content of the guidance document and how it can be applied by caregivers and practitioners. practitioners will learn how to access the 3rd\u00a0edition of the communication bill of rights and the guidance document to support advocacy and practice with individuals with severe disabilities.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/the-communication-bill-of-rights-3rd-edition-guidance-for-advocacy-and-practice-to-support-children-and-adults-with-intellectual-and-developmental-disabilities\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">The Communication Bill of Rights, 3rd Edition: Guidance for Advocacy and Practice to Support Children and Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Andrea Barton-Hulsey, Beth Mineo, Karen Erickson, MaryAnn Romski, Rose Sevcik, YuPing Chen<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">11:00 \u2013 12:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"let&#8217;s talk about sex baby, let&#8217;s talk about it on aac jae handler aac users are at a higher risk for sexual assault and abuse. disabled adults also face greater odds of victimization than minors, suggesting that unlike the general population, disabled people remain at elevated or increased risk throughout their lives (mailhot amborski et al., 2022). collier et al. (2006) found that across 26 aac user survey participants, the majority (73\u201388%) had no means to communicate about sexuality or safeguarding. the lack of relevant vocabulary on aac devices left individuals unable to report abuse, seek help, or recognize abusive situations. most participants received no sexuality education from family, school, or healthcare providers. slps are in a unique position to make a difference in aac user\u2019s safety, as we are the primary professionals programming vocabulary on devices. author donnie denome, an aac user, highlights in his blog, how do you symbolize intimacy? for many aac programs, not particularly\u202fwell (2020), that when vocabulary is absent from a device by default, the responsibility for adding it falls to whoever manages and programs the device, and for many aac users, that is an slp or another professional, not the user. the author makes clear this creates a serious problem: many aac users do not have the literacy or technical skills to edit their own devices. this means the slp or another adult communication partner effectively controls the entire vocabulary corpus, everything the user can say. this places an enormous ethical responsibility on slps. an slp who does not proactively program vocabulary around abuse, body parts, sexuality, puberty, consent, and reporting must reckon with the fact that their inaction can leave a client unable to disclose abuse or communicate about their own body and health. the author is explicit: a communication partner who does not want an aac user to communicate about these topics, whether out of discomfort, assumption, or intent, can effectively silence them on these issues entirely. a survey study of 83 north american slps covering their practice patterns, beliefs, perceived barriers, and sense of professional role in addressing sex education for their clients with communication disorders found that slps on average actually addressed the topic of consent with 37.4% of clients, addressed body autonomy with 27.6% of clients, and addressed sex ed topics with only 10.1% of clients (wolford and jansen, 2024). looking at the reported perceived barriers may give us some answers and directions to address this gap. the second highest reported barriers for slps in the 2024 survey were a lack of knowledge or training in the topic and a lack of available resources. this poster will help close the research to implementation gap, teaching clinicians about the importance of sexual health literacy and present research that addresses two questions: (1) are the top 100 csd graduate programs, as designated by the u.s. news and world report, covering this topic in their aac courses and if not, why not? (2) how much education and what types of resources would slps believe to be enough to change their own practice patterns? references: collier, b., mcghie-richmond, d., odette, f., &amp; pyne, j. (2006). reducing the risk of sexual abuse for people who use augmentative and alternative communication.\u202faugmentative and alternative communication,\u202f22(1), 62\u201375. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/07434610500387490 denome, d. t. (2020, june 15). how do you symbolize intimacy? for many aac programs, not particularly well.\u202fmumblings from an autistic fairy. https:\/\/donnie.lgbt\/2020\/06\/14\/how-do-you-symbolize-intimacy-for-many-aac-programs-not-particularly-well\/ mailhot amborski, a.,\u00a0bussi\u00e8res, e.-l., vaillancourt-morel, m.-p., &amp; joyal, c.\u00a0c. (2022). sexual violence against persons with disabilities: a meta-analysis.\u202ftrauma, violence, &amp; abuse,\u202f23(4), 1330\u20131343.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1524838021995975 wolford, l. l., &amp; jansen, k. l. (2024). who helps children with communication disorders access sex education? practice patterns of speech-language pathologists and psychologists.\u202famerican journal of speech-language pathology,\u202f33(2), 848\u2013865. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1044\/2023_ajslp-23-00326\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/lets-talk-about-sex-baby-lets-talk-about-it-on-aac\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Let&#8217;s Talk About Sex Baby, Let&#8217;s Talk About it on AAC<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Jae Handler<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">11:00 \u2013 12:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"from gatekeeper to gate opener: using ai to expand language, preserve authorship, and support co-construction in aac brenda del monte artificial intelligence (ai) is rapidly becoming embedded within augmentative and alternative communication (aac) systems, creating both excitement and concern among clinicians, educators, and families. while much of the current discussion has focused on ethical considerations, authorship, and the potential risks of ai-generated language, less attention has been given to ai&#039;s potential as a therapeutic tool for language intervention. this presentation proposes a shift from a gatekeeping perspective - where ai is viewed primarily as a threat to authentic communication -to a gate-opening framework in which ai serves as another communication partner that supports language development while preserving the individual&#039;s authorship, identity, and communicative intent. communication has never been an entirely independent act. human language is inherently co-constructed through interaction with communication partners who naturally interpret, expand, clarify, scaffold, and negotiate meaning (bruner, 1983; vygotsky, 1978; bakhtin, 1986). these co-constructive processes begin in infancy and continue throughout adulthood in everyday conversations, collaborative writing, text messaging, predictive text, and supported communication. within aac intervention, clinicians routinely model language, expand utterances, clarify intent, and support conversational repair. viewed through this lens, ai does not introduce a fundamentally new process; rather, it represents an additional communication partner capable of participating in the co-construction of language when its role is intentionally designed to preserve the aac user&#039;s agency. a central concept explored in this presentation is &quot;communication compression&quot; -\u00a0the natural tendency for aac users to communicate using highly efficient, abbreviated messages that reflect the physical, cognitive, visual, or temporal effort required to generate language. this phenomenon is particularly evident among individuals using alternative access methods such as eye gaze, switch scanning, head pointing, or other indirect selection techniques, where producing each additional word requires measurable physical effort. rather than reflecting limited linguistic competence, these compressed messages often represent sophisticated language economy in response to access demands. unfortunately, communication partners may mistakenly interpret these abbreviated messages as reflecting limited language or limited intent. ai offers an opportunity to reduce the motor and cognitive burden associated with message generation without assuming authorship of communication. rather than generating language on behalf of the user, ai can provide multiple possible expansions of a compressed message, allowing the communicator to select, reject, modify, or combine options until the output accurately reflects their intended meaning. the communicative act therefore remains user-directed, with authorship residing in the individual&#039;s decisions rather than in the ai-generated suggestions. this process closely mirrors natural conversational co-construction, in which listeners routinely propose interpretations that speakers confirm, reject, or refine. the presentation will demonstrate practical intervention strategies for incorporating ai into language therapy beyond simple rate enhancement. examples will illustrate how ai can support vocabulary expansion, narrative development, emotional expression, self-advocacy, conversational repair, inferencing, perspective taking, and flexible language generation. participants will examine how ai-generated alternatives can expose communicators to multiple linguistic forms, emotional tones, and pragmatic choices, providing rich opportunities for explicit language instruction while maintaining user control over the final message. special consideration will be given to maintaining ethical implementation through transparent authorship, user-directed decision making, and the preservation of communicative competence (light, 1989; light &amp; mcnaughton, 2014). rather than asking whether ai should generate language, clinicians are encouraged to ask how ai can facilitate richer opportunities for authentic language learning and meaningful participation. as ai continues to evolve within aac technology, clinicians have an opportunity to move beyond viewing ai as either a replacement for communication or merely a rate-enhancement feature. instead, ai can become an intentional therapeutic partner that reduces communication burden while expanding opportunities for language development, identity expression, and authentic participation. this gate-opening framework positions ai not as a substitute for human communication, but as a tool that supports individuals in saying more of what they have always wanted to say. references bakhtin, m. m. (1986).\u00a0speech genres and other late essays. university of texas press. bruner, j. (1983).\u00a0child&#039;s talk: learning to use language. w. w. norton. david r. beukelman, d. r., &amp;\u00a0pat mirenda, p. (2020).\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication: supporting children and adults with complex communication needs\u00a0(5th ed.). paul h. brookes. janice light, j. (1989). toward a definition of communicative competence for individuals using augmentative and alternative communication systems.\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication, 5(2), 137\u2013144. janice light, j., &amp;\u00a0david mcnaughton, d. (2014). communicative competence for individuals who require aac: a new definition for a new era of communication?\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication, 30(1), 1\u201318. lev vygotsky, l. s. (1978).\u00a0mind in society: the development of higher psychological processes. harvard university press.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/from-gatekeeper-to-gate-opener-using-ai-to-expand-language-preserve-authorship-and-support-co-construction-in-aac\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">From Gatekeeper to Gate Opener: Using AI to Expand Language, Preserve Authorship, and Support Co-Construction in AAC<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Brenda Del Monte<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">11:00 \u2013 12:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"beyond communication: rethinking participation, identity and everyday life through aac alicia alverson amanda grabiner aac is often discussed in terms of communication access, language development, and successful message transmission. while these outcomes remain essential, they represent only part of what aac makes possible. for many individuals, aac is equally a tool for developing relationships, expressing identity, participating in communities, pursuing hobbies, managing everyday life, and making meaningful choices. this interactive session invites participants to reconsider what successful aac intervention looks like across everyday life. using a participation-focused framework informed by the international classification of functioning, disability and health (icf), attendees will explore how communication supports can extend beyond conversation to facilitate belonging, autonomy and quality of life. rather than presenting a single model of intervention, this session combines brief presentations with facilitated discussion, audience polling, case-based problem solving and collaborative reflection. participants will examine real-world scenarios across the lifespan and discuss practical ways clinicians can expand intervention goals beyond communication accuracy alone. discussion topics include supporting participation in hobbies and recreation, community engagement, employment, relationships, digital communication, self-advocacy, daily routines and identity development. participants will also explore barriers that continue to limit meaningful participation despite successful aac implementation. attendees will leave with practical strategies, new perspectives, and ideas from colleagues around the world for supporting aac use in everyday life- today, tomorrow and beyond.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/beyond-communication-rethinking-participation-identity-and-everyday-life-through-aac\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Beyond Communication: Rethinking Participation, Identity and Everyday Life Through AAC<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Alicia Alverson, Amanda Grabiner<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">11:00 \u2013 12:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"communication access as protection: aac, safeguarding, and trauma nadja burgio people with disabilities are disproportionately affected by violence, abuse, and other potentially traumatic experiences. at the same time, there are significant barriers when it comes to reporting boundary violations and experiences of violence, communicating personal boundaries, seeking help, or gaining access to the legal system. as a result, the consequences of trauma may go unrecognized, and trauma-related reactions may be mistakenly interpreted as manifestations of the disability. while communication access in the field of aac is primarily associated with participation, inclusion, and self-determination, this contribution foregrounds its protective function and explores the intersections of aac, trauma, and safeguarding. communication barriers can increase vulnerability to violence, victimization, and retraumatization, while access to effective aac may function as a key protective factor. the session examines how communication systems can support people with complex communication needs in expressing fear and distress, communicating consent and refusal, disclosing boundary violations and experiences of violence, seeking help, and exercising self-determination. particular attention is given to trauma- and safeguarding-related vocabulary as a prerequisite for disclosure, protection, and self-advocacy. the contribution further highlights practical implications for the design of communication aids, safeguarding frameworks in service settings, and access to support services and the justice system. the ability to communicate experiences of violence and abuse, provide testimony, and be understood in interactions with police, counselling services, or courts is a fundamental prerequisite for protection, access to justice, and the exercise of basic human rights. against this backdrop, the contribution argues that communication access should be understood not only as a prerequisite for participation, inclusion, and self-determination, but also as a prerequisite for safety, protection from violence, and access to justice. in doing so, it positions communication access as a form of protection at the intersection of aac, safeguarding, trauma, and human rights. references badakhshiyan ss, naghavi a, jazayeri ra.(2024) systematic review overview: violence against adults with disabilities.\u00a0trauma violence abuse,\u00a025(5):3504-3514. doi: 10.1177\/15248380241253034 bornman, j. (2017). preventing abuse and providing access to justice for individuals with complex communication needs: the role of augmentative and alternative communication.\u00a0seminars in speech and language, 38(4), 321\u2013332.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1055\/s-0037-1604279 burgio, n. m. (2026).\u00a0dem trauma eine stimme geben: unterst\u00fctzte kommunikation in der traumap\u00e4dagogischen arbeit mit menschen mit komplexer behinderung\u00a0[giving trauma a voice: augmentative and alternative communication in trauma-informed practice with people with complex disabilities].\u00a0schweizerische zeitschrift f\u00fcr heilp\u00e4dagogik, 32(5), 45\u201350. hart, l. m., ngo, t., selwyn, p. a., &amp; klassen, s. a. (2024). trauma-informed language: from principles to practice.\u00a0bmc health services research, 24, 1573. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s12913-024-11850-7 jones, s., howard, l., &amp; thornicroft, g. (2008). \u201cdiagnostic overshadowing\u201d: worse physical health care for people with mental illness. in\u00a0acta psychiatrica scandinavica, 118(3), 169\u2013171. schr\u00f6ttle, m., arnis, m., herl, t., homann, t., kraetsch, c., la guardia, t., &amp; weis, c. (2024).\u00a0sexual harassment, violence and violence protection in sheltered workshops for people with disabilities\u00a0[original title:\u00a0sexuelle bel\u00e4stigung, gewalt und gewaltschutz in werkst\u00e4tten f\u00fcr behinderte menschen]. nuremberg: institute for empirical sociology (ifes).\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/communication-access-as-protection-aac-safeguarding-and-trauma\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Communication Access as Protection: AAC, Safeguarding, and Trauma<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Nadja Burgio<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">11:00 \u2013 11:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"bringing light to mental health access and complex communication: cross-continental perspectives and strategies for mental health access from pwuaac and mental health advocates daniela pizarro emily cunningham heather banet kim vuong luis carlos perez hernandez stephanie fassov tori &amp; leeann erwine an open-forum discussion regarding mental health needs, barriers to support services, and potential strategies for individuals with complex communication. representing north and south america, a trilingual team of adults who use aac, professionals, and allies analyze how cultural and systemic factors impact mental health and self-expression. the panel will provide personal experiences, challenges, and successes in their mental health journeys, as well as current research on best practices in the areas of psychology, speech-language pathology, art therapy, music and dance therapy, spiritual development, civil rights, and self-help, as relevant to communication limitations and prejudices. a short presentation will be followed by an open question and answer forum with the audience, in which topics can be presented for discussion or questions can be asked to a panel member. aac in everyday life: today, tomorrow, and beyond\u00a0is represented in this panel through lived experience and professional practices identifying structural, linguistic, and regional barriers to mental health equity. panelists will examine the cross-sections of mental health and complex communication: today\u00a0- understanding systemic challenges, such as adequately trained providers, prejudices, and exclusion of aac from standard talk-therapies. tomorrow\u00a0- culturally diverse views reflecting on infrastructures and socio-economic factors influence support access. and beyond\u00a0-\u00a0action and advocacy to create accessible mental health environments for multimodal self-expression, crisis counseling protocols, professional education, and therapeutic alliances focused on communication rights. the session will follow a moderated dialogue structure of these themes, where panelists share their prepared high-impact experiences and specific strategies they have learned while navigating access to adequate support. the rest of the session will engage attendees in a structured chat and text-based question and answer forum with multimodal participation. attendees are encouraged to participate in the discussion.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/bringing-light-to-mental-health-access-and-complex-communication-cross-continental-perspectives-and-strategies-for-mental-health-access-from-pwuaac-and-mental-health-advocates\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Bringing Light to Mental Health Access and Complex Communication: Cross-Continental Perspectives and Strategies for Mental Health Access from PWUAAC and Mental Health Advocates<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Daniela Pizarro, Emily Cunningham, Heather Banet, Kim Vuong, Luis Carlos Perez Hernandez, Stephanie Fassov, Tori &amp; LeeAnn Erwine<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">20:00 \u2013 21:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"the importance of friendships and social networks in the aac community cristina martin-valero drew boyle patrick regan sarah varon thanh diep ai has been receiving a great deal of attention for its potential to improve the experience of using synthesized speech generating devices, helping to increase speed of composition, accuracy and even access to foreign language support. but, such technological advances are only part of what aac communicators need to improve their lives and lived experiences using aac. \u00a0relationships with other aac communicators are extremely important for health and well-being, helping to combat the sense of loneliness and isolation that many aac users face and supporting personal growth. the panelists in this presentation will share their experiences with being in community with other aac communicators, demonstrating the value of lasting friendships between aac communicators, and the positive impact those friendships have on quality of life, aac communication skills and community participation.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/the-importance-of-friendships-and-social-networks-in-the-aac-community\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">The Importance of Friendships and Social Networks In The AAC Community<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Cristina Martin-Valero, Drew Boyle, Patrick Regan, Sarah Varon, Thanh Diep<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">20:00 \u2013 21:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 4\" data-search=\"from efficacy to implementation: video visual scene displays to support community participation and communication for adults who need aac beth frick semmler david mcnaughton erik jakobs janice light rebecca stroschein rebecca wood sharon redmon people with autism spectrum disorder (asd) and intellectual\/developmental disabilities (idd) who require augmentative and alternative communication (aac) continue to experience substantial barriers to employment, community participation, and independent living (koloni, 2025; mcnaughton et al., 2025). although video modeling has demonstrated promise for teaching community and vocational skills, traditional approaches rarely address the communication demands embedded within everyday activities. video visual scene displays (video vsds) were developed to address this gap by integrating video modeling with aac supports, allowing users to receive step-by-step participation assistance while simultaneously supporting context-specific communication through embedded speech-output hotspots (babb et al., 2019, 2020; light et al., 2015, 2019). this presentation will share the findings from three complementary studies evaluating video vsd intervention for adults and adolescents who need or use aac. together, these studies document efficacy of video vsd interventions, as well as the instructional procedures used to support community partners in developing and delivering video vsd interventions in real-world settings. study 1 evaluated the effectiveness of video vsd intervention with autistic adolescents and young adults (n=17) who required participation and communication supports. the intervention addressed individually selected vocational, community, and\/or social activities in authentic environments. \u00a0a randomized switching-replications design was used to investigate the impact of the video vsd intervention. results demonstrated substantial improvements by participants in the independent completion of participation and communication steps following only two instructional sessions in the use of video vsds. gains were maintained over time, and accompanied by strong evidence of social and ecological validity with both autistic participants and community partners. importantly, the intervention was effective across a diverse range of community contexts, suggesting that video vsds can provide integrated support for both activity participation and communication while reducing dependence on step-by-step prompting in a variety of activities. study 2 provides a replication of study 1 with adults and adolescents with intellectual\/developmental disabilities (n=16) who required aac. this study used the same intervention framework as study 1 to determine whether the benefits observed with autistic participants generalized across disability populations. as in study 1, participants demonstrated strong gains in targeted activities following the introduction of the video vsd intervention. the final portion of the session will focus on study 3, which addressed a key aspect of ecological validity: who delivers the intervention. whereas the first two studies employed experienced clinical researchers, study 3 evaluated whether family members, job coaches, and community professionals (n=24) could successfully create and implement video vsd interventions after completing an online training program. this implementation study examined facilitator fidelity to the video vsd development and delivery protocol, the impact of the video vsd intervention for the individual who needed\/used aac, and the feasibility of disseminating video vsd intervention by typical communication partners. we will discuss the implications of this coordinated program of research for aac intervention, transition services, and employment supports. by integrating participation supports with communication supports within a single technology, video vsds represent a practical approach to promoting greater independence, meaningful participation, and communication access in everyday community life. babb, s., gormley, j., mcnaughton, d., &amp; light, j. (2019). enhancing independent participation within vocational activities for an adolescent with asd using aac video visual scene displays.\u00a0journal of special education technology,\u00a034(2), 120\u2013132. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0162643418795842 babb, s., mcnaughton, d., light, j., caron, j., wydner, k., &amp; jung, s. (2020). using aac video visual scene displays to increase participation and communication within a volunteer activity for adolescents with complex communication needs.\u00a0aac: augmentative and alternative communication,\u00a036(1), 31\u201342. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/07434618.2020.1737966 koloni, r. (2025). to include us in our own worlds: aac is not optional.\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication,\u00a041(3), 226\u2013229. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/07434618.2025.2515283 light, j., mcnaughton, d., &amp; caron, j. (2019). new and emerging aac technology supports for children with complex communication needs and their communication partners: state of the science and future research directions.\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication,\u00a035(1), 26\u201341. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/07434618.2018.1557251 light, j., mcnaughton, d., &amp; jakobs, t. (2015, february 9). developing aac technology to support interactive video visual scene displays.\u00a0rehabilitation engineering research center on augmentative and alternative communication. https:\/\/rerc-aac.psu.edu\/development\/d2-developing-aac-technology-to-support-interactive-video-visual-scene-displays\/ mcnaughton, d., rackensperger, t., &amp; mclemore, l. (2025). supporting meaningful participation in society by adults with developmental disabilities who need and use aac: lived experiences, key research findings, and future directions.\u00a0augmentative and alternative communication,\u00a041(3), 250\u2013263. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/07434618.2025.2504497\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/from-efficacy-to-implementation-video-visual-scene-displays-to-support-community-participation-and-communication-for-adults-who-need-aac\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">From Efficacy to Implementation: Video Visual Scene Displays to Support Community Participation and Communication for Adults Who Need AAC<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Beth Frick Semmler, David McNaughton, Erik Jakobs, Janice Light, Rebecca Stroschein, Rebecca Wood, Sharon Redmon<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">20:00 \u2013 21:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 4<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"improve literacy instruction with practical tools and real-life, inclusive, and engaging, learning experiences tina lorenzana literacy is a fundamental right and a critical foundation for lifelong learning, communication, and self-advocacy. for children with disabilities\u2014particularly those with complex communication needs\u2014access to meaningful literacy instruction often depends on how effectively educators and families integrate augmentative and alternative communication (aac) with evidence-based teaching practices. too often, literacy and aac are addressed separately, leaving caregivers uncertain about how to support both in cohesive and practical ways. in this session, participants learn\u00a0how to apply the principles in the book comprehensive literacy for all by karen erickson and david koppenhaver. using a practical approach that incorporates the pillars of a literacy learning environment with the intentional use of aac,\u00a0literacy instruction becomes accessible and achievable\u2014particularly for families of children with disabilities. this presentation explores how comprehensive literacy principles can be intentionally paired with aac and supportive educational tools to create inclusive, engaging, learning experiences. with a clear, user-friendly framework, educators, caregivers, and practitioners can embed literacy opportunities into everyday routines, reduce barriers to participation, and foster confidence in teaching reading and writing skills. when aac is positioned not as an add-on but as an integral component of literacy instruction, families are empowered to nurture language development, independence, and meaningful engagement at home and in school. participants will learn a range of literacy activities designed to enhance communication and learning for children and individuals with disabilities such as shared reading and writing, phonics, alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness and vocabulary exploration. participants will gain insights into effective writing prompts, themes, and creative ideas that foster cognitive engagement and clarity. practical tools help to effectively support literacy development. participants will see examples of how to integrate aac with the instructional apps of assistiveware learning service to enhance literacy instruction both in school and at home.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/improve-literacy-instruction-with-practical-tools-and-real-life-inclusive-and-engaging-learning-experiences\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Improve Literacy Instruction with Practical Tools and Real-life, Inclusive, and Engaging, Learning Experiences<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Tina Lorenzana<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">20:00 \u2013 21:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"novel mobile technologies for family-implemented early language interventions in augmentative and alternative communication barbara weber oliver wendt background: the proliferation of mobile technology has made a strong impact on early intervention efforts based on augmentative and alternative communication (aac). aac specialists are increasingly being asked to serve inclining numbers of children with developmental delay or disability who are younger than age 3. early intervention has the potential to reduce severity levels of language and intellectual disability and is often associated with improved long-term intervention outcomes. the session will show a comprehensive intervention approach from targeting joint attention and social sharing skills to enhancing functional communication and parent-training. early communication and language intervention with young children can be optimized when parents learn to capitalize upon the child\u2019s strengths through the implementation of mobile aac technologies during daily family routines. to this extent, a suite of evidence-based tablet applications, speakall!, speakmore!, and speakplay!, was developed with funding from the national institutes of health to help minimally-speaking learners with developmental disabilities engage in functional communication, and acquire emerging language skills. as part of an open science approach, the app suite is available to the international aac community at no cost and can be downloaded in most countries\u2019 mobile app stores. a series of clinical studies seeks to document the impact of these novel technologies within a family-oriented early language program to facilitate communication and language development. method: community uptake of the app suite was evaluated through a data analytics tool known as google analytics for mobile apps. google analytics is a programmable service that takes data on the use of any feature within the app. this instrumentation allows collecting clinically relevant usage data such as, for example, time spent using the app during treatments sessions, most frequently chosen graphic symbols, additional steps completed for message construction, number of messages communicated per session, and message complexity. in addition, empirical evaluation involved a practice-based evidence (pbe) approach through participatory, single-subject research designs to compare the frequency of target responses from baseline to intervention. for the current effort, a series of pre-experimental a-b designs (aka simple time series designs) were implemented. in the a-b design, a research-practitioner engages in repeated observations of target behavior in baseline until data are stable, followed by intervention. during intervention, data is collected again repeatedly on the target behavior, using an identical measurement system. observed changes in the target behavior may be assumed to be a function of the independent variable (i.e., only correlational conclusions are possible). this design, although characterized by low internal validity and diminished confidence in conclusions, has practical value when more complex designs are impractical. particularly, a series of video cases of 10-15 min were recorded to target requesting, speech acquisition, and social interaction. inter-observer agreement (ioa) for dependent measures (i.e., frequency of target behavior) and treatment implementation was established by two clinicians independently scoring 40% of all sessions. mean ioa was 99% for requesting and social interaction, and 92% for emerging speech. treatment integrity ranged from 80-98% across parents. social validity of the technology-based interventions was assessed through a modified treatment acceptability rating form, administered with n=11 parents and clinicians. the survey elicited information on the perception of the app design and intervention outcomes asking questions about interface appeal, motivating elements, potential side effects, time needed to program, perceived skill improvement, etc. findings: google analytics data revealed consistent usage and improvement patterns across a period of six months, tracking more than n=16k learners. particularly noteworthy findings involved increasing complexity of utterances, user loyalty, weekly usage patterns, and average time engaged in app activities. a practitioner-friendly effect size metric (i.e., non-overlap of all pairs) was calculated for three cases to estimate treatment effect; nap values larger than 92% were interpreted as strong effects. in all three parent-child dyads infusing mobile aac technologies lead to positive outcomes: nap scores were 100% for requesting, 92% for emerging speech, and 90% for social interactions. the treatment acceptability survey revealed user rating means ranging from 4.4-4.9 on a 5-point likert-type scale indicating general satisfaction. conclusions: a comprehensive approach of embedding aac technology into proper family-centered instruction is key to strengthening the family\u2019s capacity for moving their child from prelinguistic stages to early language learning. a critical element is jointly determining how to begin infusing technology into daily routines and coaching caregivers accordingly. participatory research elements as part of language sampling and data tracking techniques can be used to document these efforts while making caregivers full partners in all aspects of assessment, intervention, and data collection. using this approach enables collection and documentation of pbe in natural settings.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/novel-mobile-technologies-for-family-implemented-early-language-interventions-in-augmentative-and-alternative-communication\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Novel Mobile Technologies for Family-implemented Early Language Interventions in Augmentative and Alternative Communication<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Barbara Weber, Oliver Wendt<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">21:30 \u2013 23:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 3\" data-search=\"parent and speech pathologists\u2019 expectations and experiences in implementing augmentative and alternative communication (aac) in ghana clancy conlon karen wylie tanja effing-tijdhof this study explored the perspectives of ghanaian speech pathologists (sps) and communication partners following participation in an aac implementation project. \u00a0the project was a partnership between an australian based not-for-profit organisation and the university of ghana and aimed to support aac implementation in ghana. the project included online training for slps, mentoring, and donation of mid-tech and high-tech aac systems to families. this presentation describes outcomes from the qualitative evaluation, which explored barriers, facilitators, and perceived impacts of the implementation of high-technology aac in ghana. ten slps and thirteen communication partners participated in semi-structured interviews conducted by a ghanaian research assistant at two time points: (1) prior to receiving the aac system and (ii) six months post-delivery. thematic analysis was used to analyse data. interviews were inductively coded by two researchers, using nvivo. codes were organised into themes using miro.com boards and collaboratively reviewed by three authors. the results reflected a complex interplay between contextual, cultural, and systemic factors. barriers included technological limitations (e.g., electricity, internet), financial constraints, and stigma surrounding disability and aac. facilitators included motivated clients, supportive families and schools, and personalised device features including language options. participants described the impact of aac on everyday communication, literacy, and participation of the aac user in community activities. communication partners played a pivotal role in device use. slps described a shift in their own practice, highlighting the importance of ongoing mentoring and training that can be adapted to a majority world context. findings offer insight into the dynamic nature of aac implementation with specific consideration of needs when introducing high-tech aac in majority world contexts. they underscore the need for culturally responsive training, ongoing support, and collaborative approaches to aac service delivery. this work contributes to a growing evidence base for sustainable aac implementation in under-resourced settings.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/parent-and-speech-pathologists-expectations-and-experiences-in-implementing-augmentative-and-alternative-communication-aac-in-ghana\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Parent and speech pathologists\u2019 expectations and experiences in implementing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in Ghana<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Clancy Conlon, Karen Wylie, Tanja Effing-Tijdhof<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">21:30 \u2013 22:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 3<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"literacy for all: enhancing science of reading instruction for aac users using free accessible tools kate ahern literacy is foundational for all aac users, yet individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (idd) are frequently denied systematic, in-depth instruction in decoding, encoding, and broader reading and writing skills. this session addresses that gap by introducing two free, fully accessible web-based tools \u2014\u00a0accessible letters tool (alt)and\u00a0readerbee\u00a0\u2014 designed to support science of reading-aligned literacy instruction for aac users. accessible letters tool (alt)\u00a0is a free, fully accessible website that replaces physical letter tiles, alphabet magnets, and handwriting for spelling activities such as word chains and word ladders.\u00a0readerbee\u00a0is a free online application for creating and reading accessible books. it includes over 200 sample books and robust supports for book creation, including diverse options for incorporating photos and symbols. both tools are designed for maximum access. accessibility features include supports for low vision and cvi, mouse and mouse emulator access, single- and dual-switch scanning with visual and auditory feedback, built-in dwell features for head tracking and eye tracking, and direct selection. both applications also support vocabulary development through visual supports, and readerbee includes a built-in dictionary feature. participants in this session will explore practical implementation of both tools across classroom, tutoring, and home settings, including sample literacy activities aligned to science of reading principles. dedicated time will be provided for exploring and customizing application settings to meet the specific access needs of individual learners, as well as an open q&amp;a to address participants&#039; questions about their own students.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/literacy-for-all-enhancing-science-of-reading-instruction-for-aac-users-using-free-accessible-tools\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Literacy for All: Enhancing Science of Reading Instruction for AAC Users Using Free Accessible Tools<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Kate Ahern<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">22:00 \u2013 23:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"a multimodal, on-device ai system for real-time, context-aware vocabulary suggestion on aac displays rishi karumanchi tanay vinaykya for many people who use aided aac, the hardest part of communication is not knowing what to say. it is reaching the words fast enough for the moment to be there still. most symbol-based systems present the same page organization regardless of setting, so a student who wants to answer a question in science class must navigate several levels of menus while the conversation moves on without them. the consequences of this friction are well documented: an estimated 4\u20135 million americans cannot reliably meet daily communication needs through speech, yet 30\u201335% of speech-generating devices are abandoned within a year, with context-mismatched vocabulary a frequently named cause. dedicated devices cost $4,000\u2013$12,000 and face reimbursement cycles of 3\u201318 months, and aac users typically communicate at roughly 10% of conversational speed. the field does not only need better devices; it needs devices that keep up with the moment, at a price schools and families can actually reach. voicelink addresses this timing problem by making the aac display aware of its context while deliberately leaving the user&#039;s core vocabulary untouched. the system has two parts. the first is a small wearable \u2014 a camera and microphone housed in a 3d-printed lanyard, built on an approximately $15 microcontroller \u2014 chosen over glasses or headsets because many users cannot tolerate head-worn hardware. the second is software running entirely on a consumer tablet the family or school already owns. the wearable streams to the tablet over a private, local network; no internet connection or external server is involved at any point. on the tablet, three models run fully on-device. a lightweight vision model identifies the setting and salient objects in view. a speech recognition model transcribes the surrounding conversation in real time. a distilled language model then fuses both streams with a personal context profile \u2014 a short form that a parent, teacher, or speech-language pathologist completes once, describing the user&#039;s current classroom topics, routines, sensory triggers, and communication preferences. the result is a small, continuously updated set of suggested words and phrases that fit the current situation: if the class is discussing photosynthesis, the relevant vocabulary is already on screen when the lesson begins. getting the suggestions right required more than raw prediction. early versions repeatedly surfaced near-duplicate hedge phrases (&quot;i don&#039;t know&quot; and its paraphrases) at the expense of substantive answers. we addressed this by semantically deduplicating the vocabulary and replacing simple top-k selection with a diversity-aware ranking strategy that guarantees room for genuine answers; redundant hedge suggestions in the top seven fell from 2.107 to 0.012 per query. to fit modest hardware, the language model was quantized to int8, compressing it 2.7-fold while preserving a 0.950 mean overlap with the full model&#039;s top-six rankings, and quantized on-device transcription outperformed a widely used optimized baseline (0.35 s versus 0.42 s per utterance). real-time, context-aware suggestion is achievable on affordable, already-owned hardware. a central design decision, shaped by feedback from speech-language pathologists, is that suggestions occupy a dedicated region of the display while core vocabulary remains fixed in place. motor planning is one of the strongest assets an experienced aac user has, and any system that rearranges familiar buttons risks doing more harm than good. voicelink only ever changes the suggestion strip. for communication partners, the same design reduces programming burden: rather than reprogramming boards mid-lesson, a teacher enters the week&#039;s topics once. because the system involves a camera and microphone worn by a child, privacy is architectural rather than promissory: all inference is local, audio and video are held only in ephemeral buffers with no persistent recording, a visible indicator light shows when the camera is active, a physical button cuts recording instantly, and the personal context store never leaves the device. we will argue that on-device processing should be the default standard forai-supported aac, particularly for minors and school deployment, where cloud-based tools raise consent and data-governance questions many districts cannot answer. voicelink was developed with input from families of aac users, educators, and speech- language pathologists, and reviewed with faculty mentors at emory university and duke\u00a0 university. our presentation covers the motivation, the multimodal pipeline, the reasoning behind our core design constraints, our quantitative system results, and our roadmap toward structured user evaluation \u2014 along with the question we most want the aac community&#039;s guidance on: what context-aware suggestion should and should not do, and who should control it.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/a-multimodal-on-device-ai-system-for-real-time-context-aware-vocabulary-suggestion-on-aac-displays\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">A Multimodal, On-Device AI System for Real-Time, Context-Aware Vocabulary Suggestion on AAC Displays<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Rishi Karumanchi, Tanay Vinaykya<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">23:00 \u2013 23:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 2\" data-search=\"the interactive periodic table of aac kate ahern the field of augmentative and alternative communication encompasses an enormous range of guiding beliefs, assessment considerations, access methods, instructional strategies, communication functions, and ongoing management tasks. for practitioners, educators, families, and aac users, navigating this breadth of knowledge can be overwhelming - and gaps in any one area can meaningfully limit a user&#039;s access to communication, language, and participation in everyday life. in 2012, kate ahern published the periodic table of aac as a free, downloadable poster on the blog teaching learners with multiple needs. drawing on the metaphor of the periodic table of elements, it organized the core concepts of aac practice into a single visual framework. the resource was widely adopted by slps, educators, and aac teams worldwide and has been cited and shared across clinical and educational communities for over a decade. the interactive periodic table of aac is a fully rebuilt, web-based evolution of that original resource. it organizes over 100 core concepts in aac practice into a single, navigable framework across six categories: guiding beliefs, communication competencies, communication functions, aac management and support tasks, assessment and access considerations, and instructional and implementation considerations. each element links to a detailed page with plain-language explanation, evidence-based context, and curated links to research, clinical resources, and practitioner guidance. the tool is designed to serve multiple audiences: slps and other professionals can use it to audit the comprehensiveness of an aac support plan or deepen knowledge in an unfamiliar area; educators and paraprofessionals can use it to strengthen implementation; families can use it to advocate more effectively; and aac users and self-advocates can use it to understand their own rights and options. the table reflects an evidence-based, rights-based philosophy of aac practice. guiding beliefs include presuming potential, the aac bill of rights, and the principle that aac does not suppress speech development. communication functions recognize that aac users communicate for the full range of human purposes - not only to make requests, but to argue, pretend, share ideas, express emotions, direct others, and participate in social closeness. assessment and access considerations address the full range of access methods - from direct touch to switch scanning, eye gaze tracking, head tracking, and mouse emulation - while explicitly rejecting the common error of treating vision or any other single factor as a gatekeeper to robust aac access. instructional considerations include strategies supported by research such as aided language modeling, recasting, motor planning approaches, gestalt language processing supports, and the explicit teaching of communication repair. the tool is fully keyboard-navigable, screen-reader compatible, and accessible on both desktop and mobile devices. it is hosted at a free, publicly accessible url with no login required. this short presentation will introduce participants to the interactive periodic table of aac, walk through its six sections, and demonstrate practical use cases for professionals, families, and teams. time will be provided for participants to explore the tool and identify elements most relevant to their own learners and caseloads.\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/the-interactive-periodic-table-of-aac\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">The Interactive Periodic Table of AAC<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Kate Ahern<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">23:00 \u2013 23:30<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 2<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"event-item\" data-day=\"2026-11-11\" data-room=\"Zoom Room 1\" data-search=\"adaptive gamified interface for identifying reading comprehension barriers in autism sreeja pal adaptive gamified interface for identifying reading comprehension barriers in autism reading comprehension is multifaceted and complex as it needs parallel processing of varied cognitive, lexico-semantic, and pragmatic faculties; it is important as it is intricately needed to acquire educational success, broader socio-economic, neurocognitive, and occupational competencies (kritsotakis, g., &amp; morfidi, e. (2025)). when these core processing faculties are compromised, then children are more likely to have educational underachievement, which is common among children who require special attention including those with autism spectrum disorder (asd) (davidson, m. m. (2021)) \u00a0within this population, reading for understanding is especially challenging stemming from deficits in communication, social-interaction and cognitive processing which current readability indices like flesch-kincaid fail to capture. this study aims to identify distinct cognitive boundaries by evaluating how structured multi-modal scaffolding affects comprehension and mental fatigue, while simultaneously documenting how specific linguistic boundaries inhibit reading fluency. to address this unresolved area, we have developed text detective, a hierarchically scaffolded assessment tool employing a selection-based response format on a personal computer framework. introducing the interface as a \u201cgame\u201d served as an essential behavioural catalyst, eliciting immediate attentional capture and intrinsic motivation. the system architecture features a three-tiered structure to methodically extract how multi-modal stimuli affect cognitive load while evaluating metrics across four salient linguistic barriers: lexical semantics (literal vs. figurative mapping), pragmatics (including irony and semantic anomalies), discourse processing (using anaphora resolution and temporal &amp; causal sequencing), and affective linguistic &amp; narrative perspective (including behavioural cue decoding, perspective-taking, emotional nuance calibration): level 1 (visual scaffolding):\u00a0questions were paired with visual hints such as when evaluating figurative language; a sad image accompanies the target idiom (&#039;feeling blue&#039;) with multiple-choice options (sad, happy, annoyed). level 2 (auditory reinforcement):\u00a0questions and options were supplemented by a slow, neutral ai-generated tts audio narration in an everyday indian english accent. level 3 (independent text):\u00a0questions were presented as text alone with options, removing external stimuli. the subjects were selected following an ablls-r framework to verify basic decoding skills. the experiment is under active data collection with an initial cohort of seven subjects. to mitigate unfamiliarity and random selection, participants completed a comprehensive interface orientation, were kept under supervision while playing the game, and asked to retake the level if arbitrary option selection was observed. the results were obtained anonymously in the form of a single excel sheet for each subject and a master excel sheet containing all the subjects\u2019 compiled data. using preliminary data, we found that 4 out of 7 subjects performed best on level 3 countering standard educational assumptions. this strongly suggests that multi-modal compounding offered severe sensory distractions. conversely, the remaining subjects performed well with the audio reinforcement in level 2, while none demonstrated peak performance with the visual images in level 1. syntactically, it was identified that sentences containing more than 2 to 3 verbs caused cognitive drift making them remember the final clause. finally, a significant pragmatic discrepancy was observed: while subjects were fully capable of identifying\u00a0why\u00a0a statement was &#039;funny&#039; when prompted, six out of seven subjects flatly responded &#039;no&#039; when simply asked\u00a0if\u00a0the statement was funny or not. in the future, we aim to build a customized readability index based on more data across all identifiable linguistic\u00a0feature sets, and finally develop an automated text simplification system using ai tools like ml and dl to ensure classic literature is fully accessible to autistic learners. references kritsotakis, g., &amp; morfidi, e. (2025). davidson, m. m. (2021).\">\n    <div class=\"event-main\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/event\/adaptive-gamified-interface-for-identifying-reading-comprehension-barriers-in-autism\/\">\n            <span class=\"event-hover-title\">Adaptive Gamified Interface for Identifying Reading Comprehension Barriers in Autism<\/span>\n        <\/a>\n        <span class=\"event-item__speakers\">Sreeja Pal<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"event-info\">\n        <span class=\"event-date\">11.11.2026<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-time\">23:30 \u2013 00:00<\/span>\n        <span class=\"event-venue\">Zoom Room 1<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n    <p class=\"event-search__empty\" hidden>No events found.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"footnotes":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":""},"class_list":["post-2","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","cat_isaac-virtual-conference-2026","cat_schedule"],"acf":[],"mb":[],"mfb_acf":[],"mfb_rest_fields":["title"],"ticketed":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1665,"href":"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2\/revisions\/1665"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/conference.isaac-online.org\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}