This session is part of two comprehensive series:
Therapies in the School 25th Annual Conference PROGRAM A – ON-DEMAND 11
and
Therapies in the School 25th Annual Conference 2024 – ON-DEMAND 11
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will compare more outdated approaches or strategies for communicating with complex communicators, including AAC users, to those that foster truly inclusive environments and provide autonomy and flexible language use for our students. The latter are best practices that are grounded in contemporary, cutting-edge evidence, and are backed by the experiences of Autistic and neurodivergent adults. The underlying intention of this course is to provide school-based providers with the evidence to understand the short- and long-term effects of various approaches for our students, as well as to create a “tool box” for them to implement in their work with complex communicators in the school setting.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Recognize what a complex communicator is and that their communication remains valid despite looking or sounding different from others.
- Identify the difference between a strategy that is neurodiversity-affirming in nature and one that is not.
- Select a strategy when working with a complex communicator that promotes flexible language use and autonomous communication (as opposed to a compliance-based interaction).
- Modify an approach “in the moment” based on the feedback obtained from a complex communicator.
- Recognize that the way we interact with our students NOW impacts the way they will communicate and view themselves in the future.
AUDIENCE
School-Based Therapists
COURSE OUTLINE
90 minute session:
15 minutes: Defining and describing a complex communicator.
5 minutes: Outdated forms of practice, including compliance-based approaches, and more importantly why they don’t work with neurodivergent students and complex communicators.
10 minutes: Neurodiversity-affirming approaches, and what truly makes a strategy, a therapy, or an interaction “neurodiversity affirming” in nature –
30 minutes: Specific strategies for positive, successful interactions with complex communicators, including AAC users –
20 minutes: Case Applications- implement and modify strategies to foster authentic communication.
10 minutes: Why it All Matters and the importance of listening to Autistic and neurodivergent adults about their childhood experiences.
Alexandra “Alex” Nelson is a current Speech-Language Pathologist for a public school system, and a prospective Special Education administrator eager to share her extensive knowledge base acquired through the support of, programming for, and deeply rooted relationships with a wide range of disabled students, ages 3-22. Alex has also done contract-based work to provide comprehensive AAC evaluations to students in the public-school setting. She is an ardent advocate for neurodiversity, accessibility, and inclusive practices, specifically with respect to students who may have distinct learning styles, complex communication needs, and/or may be doubly marginalized. Alex loves the school setting primarily because of the ability to collaborate with various professionals more efficiently for the greater good of the student. To best meet all of her students’ needs and facilitate a “reframing” of their profiles from a strengths-based lens, Alex has orchestrated several building-based Professional Development sessions about neurodiversity and inclusive practices for classroom teachers, and designed and implemented communication boards for all preschool, elementary, and town park playgrounds in her past school district to enhance communication among neurotypical and neurodivergent peers through play. Above all, Alex enjoys collaborating with families and students, and facilitating PPTs for students with more complex profiles to ensure that students’ desires are amplified, and programming is comprehensive and aligned to general education standards.
Alexandra Nelson receives an honorarium from Education Resources.
Alexandra Nelson has no relevant nonfinancial relationships to disclose.
Once you purchase an online course you will have access to the course materials. If you have purchased this course, please ensure you have logged in to your account in order to take the exam.
Once you purchase an online course, you will have the opportunity to take an exam to test your retention of the material. If you have purchased this course, please ensure you have logged in to your account in order to take the exam. The exam must be completed with a pass rate of 80% or more in order to receive your certificate of attendance.
