AAC
Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC) can be a powerful option for students with significant communication challenges due to autism and related disabilities. However, between behavioral issues, difficulties with engagement, and limited time for preparation, SLPs often struggle to develop effective AAC therapy sessions for students with autism who are minimally verbal/nonverbal. This session covers essential ingredients for smooth and efficacious AAC sessions and discusses key intervention strategies. Considerations for how to differentiate AAC supports for learners across a range of communicative abilities will also be reviewed along with suggestions for developing and implementing visual supports. Resources for free and low-cost materials that can help clinicians develop engaging, age-respectful activities will also be shared.

Managing Behavior Online:
Challenging behavior can be disruptive to critical treatments including speech therapy. Now with many speech sessions occurring remotely, having a foundational understanding of problem behavior, why they occur, and why they persist, is of great importance. In addition, having a toolkit of evidence-based prevention, prompting, and reinforcement strategies can assist with making online speech sessions engaging, successful, and fun. This presentation outlines ways to prevent and manage problem behaviors so that speech sessions will be optimally productive and fun. Participants will learn about the basic functions of behavior, ways to prevent problems before they occur, and how to maximize learning time in sessions while using evidence-based interventions. Participants learned how to implement specific strategies throughout online sessions for best outcomes.