Our training projects focus on developing the skills and knowledge of specific stakeholder groups, recognizing that a variety of methods are required to accommodate different levels of expertise and styles of learning. Our training projects are a component of our overall Knowledge Translation Plan. They include teaching university classes at the graduate and undergraduate levels to engineers, speech-language pathologists, educators, occupational therapists, as well as conducting workshops, presenting at conferences, publishing articles, etc. RERC II training projects include High School Training in AAC/AT; the AAC-RERC Writers Brigade; ACETS Online Through e-coaching; the Webcast Series; and the AAC-RERC State of the Science Conference. In Year V we collaborated with AAC TechConnect to bring information about current AAC technologies more available. Each is described in more detail below.

High School Training in AAC/AT

This project introduced AAC and rehab engineering (RE) training to area middle and high school students. Under the direction of Gary Ybarra, the NSF funded Duke-NCSU Engineering Teaching Fellows in Elementary Education Program provides Engineering Teaching Fellows from Duke's School of Engineering to work at four schools in three NC counties. Fellows provide science expertise and develop/execute hands-on science lessons and experiments to enhance the way science is taught in the schools. This project is an extension of this work and will introduce RE, universal design, and the needs of individuals with disabilities to the students. We will also develop accessible methods and materials for the existing program to encourage students with disabilities towards science and engineering.

For more information about this project, contact Kevin Caves.

AAC Users Writer's Workshop

This training and dissemination project supports individuals who rely on AAC to disseminate ongoing information about the research and development activities underway within the AAC-RERC. Specifically, the project aims to develop the technical writing and job skills that participants need to write and publish articles on a variety of topics for a variety of publications. Sarah Blackstone is the project Director; Johana Schwartz is the project manager.

After four years of the AAC-RERC Writers Brigade, Ms. Schwartz has mentored/is mentoring eleven individuals who rely on AAC technologies and strategies (Tracy Rackensperger, Joe Hemphill, Tom Younkerman, Bill Geluso, David Chapple, Matt Kim, Lateef McLeod, Lauren Baxter, Rebecca Barbush, Mick Joyce and Pamela Kennedy). The project is managed through e-mail and participants also correspond through a list serv. Under the direction of Ms. Schwartz, Project Manager, each participant writes several technical articles describing various projects underway within the AAC-RERC. Articles are then published in various electonic and non-electronic media. Participants are paid as they complete each part of this process. To date, AAC-RERC Writers Brigade participants have more than 100 citations in more than twelve publications.

In March 2007, USSAAC honored the AAC-RERC Writers Brigade at Bubbly Ball in Los Angeles (March 2007). AAC-RERC WB member Lateef McLeod presented on behalf of other members at the CSUN conference in 2008. A copy of the slides from that presentation is available. Click here. Johana Schwartz and Lateef McLeod presented some of the Writers Brigade outcomes in Montreal in August, 2008 at the ISAAC Conference. Ms. Schwartz began work on a manual designed to aid other organizations/entities to develop a similar program to (1) help to disseminate information and knowledge more widely to different stakeholder groups and (2) develop the skills and abilities and social networking of people who rely on AAC technologies to increase their employment options.

For more information about this project, contact Johana Schwartz or Sarah Blackstone.

ACETS Online through E-Coaching

ACETS Online applies lessons learned implementing an electronic format program beyond geographical boundaries. This will be two 9-month training programs, each with 10 voice output AAC users throughout the U.S. who have literacy and communication skills allowing them to participate. Participants must be interested and committed to finding employment. The training includes development of employment-related goals, increasing job skills, social networking online, ongoing participation through the use of listserv, email, online "chatting" and teleconferencing programs. Ongoing feedback will be provided regarding completion of participant goals, problem solving to eliminate barriers, locating resources, facilitating team building, and ensuring follow-up assistance takes place.

For more information about this project, contact Diane Bryen.

Webcast Series

This project built upon a series of webcasts developed with our former partner, the Kornreich Center and the National Center for Disability Services (NCDS) from 1998-2003. Th goal was to create accessible webcasts that appeal to multiple stakeholder groups and inform the AAC community about ongoing AAC-RERC projects and their results as well as bring important issues to the field. A webcast series is both a cost-effective and accessible way to reach all AAC stakeholder groups.

On February 1, 2005 , the first webcast went live. Since then, we have produced 7 webcasts and are getting ready to launch 4 more. The topics report on important AAC-RERC projects (e.g., AAC technologies and young children, adults with aphasia, adolescents/adults in transition, literacy issues and AAC) as well as topics important to the field (e.g., funding issues and AAC) and webcasts developed by individuals who rely on AAC (with cerebral palsy, ALS). These webcasts are widely viewed--some have more than 1000 hits since they were posted. Utilization includes a "guest lecturer" in a graduate course and use during workhops as well as the more traditional use of webcasts as personal or small group learning opportunities. The American Speech - Language - Hearing Association is offering some of the webcasts for CEUS. Click here to view the RERC Webcast Series

For more information about this project, contact David McNaughton.

State of the Science Conference

The AAC-RERC conducted a State of the Science Conference (SOSC) in Communication Enhancement/AAC in 2006 and published a comprehensive report on final outcomes in a special 2007 issue of the international journal...Augmentative and Alternative Communication--Volume 23(3). The conference included keynote speakers, submitted papers, and expert panels. Both USSAAC and CSUN had expressed interest as potential collaborators and we worked closely with these organizations, our partners, advisory board, and other stakeholders groups to determine the focus, content, organization, and execution of this conference. The SOSC was attended by about 75 individuals representing a variety of key participants from the AAC industry, AAC consumer groups, practitioners, researchers, developers, family members, etc.

For more information about the SOSC, contact Frank DeRuyter.

AAC TechConnect