Guest: Elizabeth Davis, MS, CCC-SLP
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In this exciting episode, Carolyn sits down with special guest Elizabeth (Liz) Davis, a seasoned Speech Language Pathologist and Assistive Technology Specialist from Connecticut. Elizabeth shares her journey and expertise in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The discussion covers comprehensive decision-making, collaboration within school teams, feature matching, and practical strategies for incorporating AAC devices to help complex communicators. Tune in to learn how to effectively support students with diverse communication needs and enhance their educational experience.
Episode Timeline:
00:00 Welcome and Introduction
00:15 Guest Introduction: Elizabeth Davis
03:01 Liz's Journey into AAC
07:42 Understanding AAC: Basics and Importance
10:18 Types of AAC Systems
13:33 Acquiring AAC Devices
17:07 Collaborative Approach to AAC
22:02 Feature Matching and Vocabulary Selection
25:19 Teaching and Implementing AAC
32:43 Motivation and AAC
33:07 Understanding the Motivation Formula
34:05 Personalized Motivators for Complex Learners
34:31 Success Stories: Real-Life Examples
37:12 Collaboration and Team Buy-In
44:08 Modeling and Aided Language Input
48:22 Data Collection and Tracking Progress
52:38 Mealtime Communication Strategies
58:04 Final Thoughts and Resources
About the Guest: Elizabeth (Liz) earned her Master’s in speech-language pathology in 2013 from Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU). She has been at one of Connecticut’s regional education service centers, LEARN, since 2016. Liz first served as a speech-language pathologist and has been in a coordinator position since 2019. She has worked with students from preschool through transition age, with complex medical, learning, and communication needs, including those requiring augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). She earned her graduate certificate in assistive technology from SCSU in 2022 and now also serves as the regional assistive technology specialist at LEARN. This unique position grants Liz the opportunity to not only work directly with students, but also complete assistive technology evaluations, and provide coaching, consultation, and professional development to regional district partners.
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