Join the Family Resource Center of San Mateo County (FRC) and Bridge to Life to learn about Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) — what it is, how it supports children’s communication, and practical ways to use it at home and school.

This session is designed for parents and caregivers of children who use or may benefit from AAC and for the professionals who support these families.

In this training participants will:

• Gain an understanding of AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) and why different forms of AAC may be helpful for children.
• Explore multimodal communication, considering how a variety of communication methods such as gesture, signing, symbols, and communication devices, can support a child to express themselves and be understood.
• Learn about total communication; an approach which emphasizes the need to equally value all of the communication modalities and attempts made by a child, and how this can be incorporated throughout a child’s entire day.
• Discover interaction strategies and practical ideas that make communication more accessible for children with support needs.
• Understand the different ways to begin an AAC assessment and how to get connected to the right process.
• Become familiar with local resources that can support continued learning and implementation.

Presenters:

• Dr. Pippa Bellamy CCC-SLP Speech-Language Pathologist
• Dr. Vicki Casella Executive Director, Bridge to Life
• Betsy Holquist, Parent of a Bridge School alum who uses AAC

Please note: If you need Spanish interpretation to participate, we require you to indicate this on your registration at least 7 days prior to the training.

For any questions, concerns, or accommodation requests, please contact us at info@smcfrc.org or 650-259-0189.