ASHA Learning Pass

These Perspectives (SIG 2) articles review and present current issues related to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) across different patient populations, as well as identifies and discusses team-based interprofessional practice approaches for managing individuals with complex communication needs within both pediatric and adult populations. In the first article, Shannon Taylor, Sarah Jane Wallace, and Sarah Elizabeth Wallace explore factors that influence successful use of high-technology AAC in persons with poststroke aphasia via a literature review and narrative synthesis methodology. Lori Marra and Katie Micco present a clinical focus article that assesses communication partner’s perception regarding the effectiveness of a training model to support AAC use within a parent–adolescent communication pair. Michelle Westley, Dean Sutherland, and H. Timothy Bunnell examine the experience of healthy voice donors during the ModelTalker voice banking process for New Zealand-accent synthesized voices. Sarah Diehl and Michael de Reisthal describe the complex symptoms associated with Huntington’s disease and how they influence implementation of AAC to address the communication needs of this population. Kristen Abbott-Anderson, Hsinhuei Sheen Chiou, and Brooke N. Burk address interprofessional practice via a multidisciplinary patient-centered engagement experience entitled Spring EngAGEment that serves individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease or other associated dementias. Finally, Laura Hinkes Molinaro, and Wendy Stellpflug discuss a team approach for education and support of patients and families with postoperative pediatric cerebellar mutism syndrome.

Learning Outcomes
You will be able to:

• identify factors that influence successful use of high-technology AAC in persons with poststroke aphasia
• identify and describe an 8-stage communication partner strategy instruction protocol for teaching aided language modeling
• describe the voice banking process for New Zealand-accent synthesized voices context
• identify four major challenges for implementing AAC services with individuals with Huntington’s disease
• describe an interprofessional practice engagement experience for individuals living with Alzhiemer’s disease or other associated dementias
• describe a team-based protocol that prepares, educates, and supports families through the early management of postoperative pediatric cerebellar mutism syndrome

Related Courses

This course is part of the Aphasia Intervention learning path. What is a learning path? A learning path is a curated set of courses on an essential topic, designed for you to take in order—or in whatever order you wish—as you have time in your schedule. Our learning paths identify sets of key courses so you can get on your way to mastering particular areas of practice according to your needs, priorities, and interests.