AAC Learning Center

Educational resources for AAC

Disability representation and inclusivity in research (Forber-Pratt, 2024)

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Anjali Forber-Pratt

Anjali J. Forber-Pratt, Ph.D. is a disability activist, former faculty member, 2-time Paralympic medalist and the Director of Research at the American Association on Health & Disability. Dr. Forber-Pratt was formerly the Director of the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). As a faculty member, her primary area of research relates to disability identity development and is author on over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles and numerous chapters. As a wheelchair-user herself for over 35 years, and a two-time Paralympian and medalist, Dr. Forber-Pratt is also nationally and internationally recognized as a disability leader and mentor. 

Webcast Description

Anjali describes the fundamental importance of the full and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of disability research. This presentation was first made at the Future of AAC Research Summit on May 13, 2024.

Cite as
Forber-Pratt, A. (2024, May 13). Disability representation and inclusivity in research [Video recording]. Future of AAC Research Summit, Arlington, VA. https://tinyurl.com/AAC-Forber-Pratt-2024

(Transcript as pdf)

Video production by Rylie Mueller (Penn State University)

Additional Resources

Heumann, J., Jones, K., & Forber-Pratt, A. et al (2022) What is disability? [YouTube video]

“Alternative” ways to access AAC technologies (Ramirez, 2024)

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Pancho Ramirez

Pancho Ramirez is the current Vice Chair of CommunicationFIRST’s Board of Directors. As a Mexican immigrant farmworker, he acquired his speech disability in 2003 at age 20 from a brain stem stroke after a car accident. Mr. Ramirez has become an instrumental member of a research team at the University of California, San Francisco, that is developing groundbreaking communication technology to produce words from thought. 

Webcast Description

Pancho describes the impact of AAC technology on his communication and life experiences. This presentation was first made at the Future of AAC Research Summit on May 14, 2024.

Cite as
Ramirez, P. (2024, May 13). “Alternative” ways to access AAC technologies (Ramirez, 2024) [Video recording]. Future of AAC Research Summit, Arlington, VA. https://tinyurl.com/AAC-Ramirez-2024

(Transcript as pdf)

Video production by CommunicationFIRST

Additional Resources

Pancho Ramirez [website]

Evolving voices: Embracing change in AAC technology, the keyboard to my success (Jin, 2024)

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Tim Jin

Tim Jin is a Communication Expert and Advocate who serves on several boards, government taskforces. and committees, and routinely speaks professionally at conferences and training seminars about his passion to expand communication access for everyone. Additionally, he directs Empowerment Programs at Disability Voices United and actively pursues personal fulfillment through the Self-Determination Program.

Webcast Description

Tim describes the impact of AAC technology on his communication and life experiences. This presentation was first made at the Future of AAC Research Summit on May 14, 2024.

Cite as
Jim, T. (2024, May 14). Evolving voices: Embracing change in AAC technology, the keyboard to my success [Video recording]. Future of AAC Research Summit, Arlington, VA. https://tinyurl.com/AAC-Jin-2024

Video production by Rebecca Wood (Penn State University)

Additional Resources

Tim Jin: Ability Magazine

Tim Jin – 40 Years of AAC use. LOMAH Disability Podcast

Jin, T. (2021). “Toxic Conservatorships: The Need for Reform”: Submitted Testimony to Senate Judiciary Subcommittee [YouTube}]

How ableism impacts people who use AAC (McLeod, 2024)

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Lateef McLeod

Dr. Lateef McLeod is building his career as a writer and a scholar. He has earned a BA in English from UC Berkeley and an MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College. He recently earned his doctorate in Anthropology and Social Change at California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. He has published three books of poetry and is currently writing a novel. He was in the 2007 and 2016 annual theater performances of Sins Invalid and also in their artist-in-residence performance in 2011 entitled Residence Alien. In 2019 he started a podcast entitled Black Disabled Men Talk. In 2022 he was an award recipient of the Wynn Newhouse Award for his long career as a disabled artist.

Webcast Description

Lateef describes the impact of ableism on his communication and life experiences. This presentation was first made at the Future of AAC Research Summit on May 13, 2024.

Cite as
McLeod, L. (2024, May 13). How ableism impacts people who need and use AAC [Video recording]. Future of AAC Research Summit, Arlington, VA. https://tinyurl.com/AAC-McLeod-2024

(Transcript as pdf)

Video production by Kelsey Steffen (Penn State University)

Additional Resources

Lateef McLeod: Ability Magazine

McLeod, L. (2024) See us – Hear us. [YouTube video]

McLeod, L. (2020) “Why Are You Scared of Me?” from Zoeglossia: Poem of the Week, Aug. 6, 2020

Using Visual Scene Displays While Working with Young Children who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

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adult and child with video vsd

This module provides information on strategies and tools professionals can use while using visual scene displays with young children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). These evidence-based strategies and tools have been shown to be effective in children and adults and across varying cognition and language levels and diagnoses, but we are focusing specifically on studies conducted with young children in this module. This module consists of readings and interactive material to support translation of research to practice.

To view this article bundle, please register and log in to the AAC Learning Center

Learning Outcomes
 You will be able to: 

  • Discuss how visual scene displays can support individuals in both participating in the activity and as a communication support. 
  • Describe the interventions using visual scene displays with young children who rely on AAC across diagnoses 
  • Explain how to incorporate visual scene displays into activities with individuals who rely on AAC 

Prerequisites 
None 

Assessment Type 
At the end of the module, you will complete a short quiz. You must achieve 80% accuracy to earn CE credit 

Accommodations  
If you need special accommodations, please contact Beth Frick Semmler at bfs5682@psu.edu or Kelly Webb at kdw5@psu.edu. 

Target Audience 
Speech-language pathologists looking for evidence-based strategies in AAC and who work with individuals with complex communication needs. 

More Information 
For more information about this program, please contact Beth Frick Semmler at bfs5682@psu.edu or Kelly Webb at kdw5@psu.edu. 

Grievances and Complaints 
If you have a complaint regarding registration, delivery process and procedures, facilities, access, service, or any other grievance about the program please submit your written complaint via email to Kelly Webb at kdw5@psu.edu within 30 days after program completion. Upon request, Kelly will provide a copy of how complaints are addressed for any continuing education program offered by the Penn State Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. 

Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination 
Please visit https://affirmativeaction.psu.edu/welcome/statements/ to view information regarding affirmative action and Penn State’s nondiscrimination policy. 

If you do not have an ASHA Member Number or are not an ASHA certificate holder, please review the following link which contains ASHA’s Eligibility to Earn ASHA CEUs Online Form. This should be completed as part the reporting process. 

Contents in This Course 
– Patenaude, D., McNaughton, D., & Liang, Z. (2024). Using visual scene displays with young children: An evidence-based practice synthesis. Journal of Special Education Technology, 0(0), 1-13, 
– Chapin, S.E., McNaughton, D., Light, J., McCoy, A., Caron, J., & Lee, D.L. (2022). The effects of AAC video visual scene display technology on the communicative turns of preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder. Assistive Technology, 34(5), 577-587. doi:10.1080/10400435.2021.1893235.  
– Laubscher, E., Barwise, A., & Light, J. (2022). Effect of video augmentative and alternative communication technology on communication during play with peers for children with autism spectrum disorder. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 53, 1101-1116. https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_LSHSS-21-00136 
– Bhana, N., McNaughton, D., Raulston, T., & Ousley, C. (2020). Supporting communication and participation in shared storybook reading using visual scene displays. Teaching Exceptional Children, 52(6), 382-391. doi:10.1177/0040059920918609. 

Grievances and Complaints 

Text BoxIf you have a complaint regarding registration, delivery process and procedures, access, service, or any other grievance about the program please submit your written complaint via email to Kelly Webb at kdw5@psu.edu within 30 days after program completion. Upon request, Kelly will provide a copy of how complaints are addressed for any continuing education program offered by the Penn State Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. 

Time Ordered Agenda (based on word count and Moodle data) 
66 Minutes – Patenaude et al., (2024) Article and blog (63 + 3)  
78 Minutes – Chapin et al., (2021) Article and blog with videos (72 + 6)  
89 Minutes – Laubscher et al., (2022)  
43 Minutes – Bhana et al., (2020) 
TOTAL: 4.6 hours 

Disclosures and Author Information  
The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (RERC on AAC) is a multi-site team of researchers, individuals with disabilities, clinicians, engineers, clinicians, educators, and professions who share the goal of researching and designing AAC that meets the communication and participation needs of individuals with disabilities. The contents included in this module were developed under grants from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grants # 90RE5017, #90REGE0014). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.   

None of the authors have a financial interest in the AAC applications discussed in this module. 
Emily Laubscher – no financial or non-financial disclosures related to report 
Allison Barwise – no financial or non-financial disclosures related to report 
Janice Light – no financial or non-financial disclosures related to report 
David McNaughton – no financial or non-financial disclosures related to report 
Shelley E. Chapin – no financial or non-financial disclosures related to report 
Ashley McCoy – no financial or non-financial disclosures related to report
Jessica Caron – no financial or non-financial disclosures related to report 
David L. Lee – no financial or non-financial disclosures related to report 
Dana Patenaude – no financial or non-financial disclosures related to report
Zhigao Liang – no financial or non-financial disclosures related to report   

The contents of this website are a joint offering of Penn State University and the RERC on AAC. They were developed, in part, under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90REGE0014) to the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (RERC on AAC). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this website do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, or HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
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