The AAC-RERC is a Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center that functions as a collaborative research group dedicated to the development of effective AAC technology. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) refers to ways (other than speech) that are used to send a message from one person to another.

 Recent activities ...

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 State of the Science Conference
The State of the Science Conference for the AAC-RERC will be held on Thursday June 28 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, 700 Aliceanna Street, Baltimore, MD. The conference will include presentations by leading AAC researchers, responses from invited panelists, and organized small group discussions with conference participants.

patient provider webcast

Patient-Provider Webcast

We have created a series of videos, hosted by Sarah Blackstone, on the topic of patient provider communication. Speakers include Amy Wilson-Stronks, Richard Hurtig, Paul Rao, Karin Ruschke, and John Costello.

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Mobile Devices and Communication Apps: Current Trends and Future Directions

Howard Shane, Jessica Gosnell, David McNaughton, and Sam Sennot discuss the use of mobile communication technologies (e.g., the iPad) by children with complex communication needs. 

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AAC TechConnect

AAC TechConnect, Inc. provides innovative clinical tools which simplify your augmentative communication (AAC) evaluations. Try the new AAC Apps Assistant.

 

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AAC and Children
This new webcast on AAC and Children (20 minutes) by Kathy Drager, Janice Light, and David McNaughton provides an introduction to AAC.

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Join us on Facebook
The AAC-RERC is on Facebook! Please friend our page to receive updates on AAC-RERC activities, and information on new resources

atia 2012

ATIA 2012

Join us at ATIA 2012 (Orlando, Florida) for presentations by Jeff Higginbotham and David McNaughton

 

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AAC and Aphasia
In this new webcast, Melanie Fried-Oken provides data and video evidence to demonstrate the benefits of AAC Interventions for Persons with Primary Progressive Aphasia

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ASHA 2011

AAC-RERC partners presented at ASHA 2011 in San Diego, California. 

 

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 White Paper on Mobile Devices and Communication Apps
Based on interviews with 25 AAC “thought leaders” between January and March, 2011, the AAC-RERC has prepared a White Paper on Mobile Devices and Communication Apps.

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Tech Watch Blog
The Tech Watch blog, developed and maintained by Jeff Higginbotham (University of Buffalo), disseminates information on new technology research and devices relevant to the AAC community. The comments feature has been enabled to provide a forum for discussion on technology innovations.

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Webcasts and Certificates of Completion
The AAC-RERC provides 17 free webcasts on a variety of AAC topics. In order to support the use of the webcasts by university faculty, we have developed on-line quizzes that can be used in conjunction with the webcasts. Students who successfully pass the quiz (80% or higher) can print a certificate of completion, and email their score to an instructor.

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E-Blast

To receive our e-blast with regular updates from the AAC-RERC, please send an email to aac.rerc@gmail.com with the word "subscribe" in the subject line.  

 

 

Recent Presentations and Publications

Beukelman, D., Childes, J., Carrell, T., Funk, T., Ball, L., & Pattee, G. (2011). Perceived attention allocation of listeners who transcribe the speech of speakers with ALS. Speech Communication, 53, 801-806.(abstract)

Blackstone, S., Pressman, H., & Costello, J. (November, 2011). Providing communication access: Converging solutions to patient-provider communication breakdowns. Presentation at ASHA, San Diego, CA (Handout)

McNaughton, D. & Kennedy, P. (November, 2011). Communication, self-determination, and community: AAC strategies to support transition. Presentation at the Pennsylvania Initiative on Assistive Technology Lecture Series on Disability. (presentation resources)

Quinn, E., Beukelman, D. & Thiessen, A. (2011).  Remote Instruction of Potential AAC Support Personnel.  Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 20, 97-101. (abstract)

Schlosser, R., Kou, R., Shane, H., Sorce, J., Hotz, L., Brock, K., Tempesta, R., Moerlein, D., Schneck, S., Flynn, S., Laubscher, E., Abramson, J., & Fadie, H. (November, 2011). Effects of animation: A comparison of two graphic symbol sets. Presentation at ASHA, San Diego, CA (Handout)

Shane, H., Laubscher, E., Sorce, J., Abramson, Flynn, S., Schlosser, R., & Fadie, H. (November, 2011). Effects of a Visual Immersion Experience on communication in autism. Presentation at ASHA, San Diego, CA.  (Handout)

Thiessen, A., Horn, C., Beukelman, D. & Wallace, S. (2011). Adults learning and AAC. Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 20, 69-74. (abstract)

Wilkinson, K., & Light, J. (2011). Preliminary investigation of visual attention to human figures in photographs: Potential considerations for the design of aided AAC visual scene displays. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 54, 1644-57 (abstract)

David McNaughton

Content for this website is developed and maintained by David McNaughton (Penn State University)

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