AAC Partnership Program

• Introduction to the Program
• Making a Referral
• Meet the Team

The AAC-PP is designed to support SLPs, and other team members, working with children who need an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) evaluation. It was developed with aims to: (1) increase access to AAC services for individuals across the state, (2) provide teams with recommendations to continue growing their student’s communication skills, and (3) increase the statewide capacity of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to provide AAC services.

When individuals are referred to the AAC-PP, the clinical team in the Communication Aids & Systems Clinic (CASC) at the Waisman Center reviews the intake information provided by the referring/partner SLP to determine the most appropriate service model for that child. Service models in the AAC-PP include:

Direct Supports: This service model consists of a one-time feature-matching evaluation completed at the Waisman Center attended by:

• The child
• Their Family
• The partner SLP
• Any other team members who wish to join (e.g., teachers, PTs, OTs, etc.).

During this assessment, it is likely (but not guaranteed) that the student will be feature matched to an AAC system to begin the speech generating device (SGD) acquisition process. The subsequent rental period, purchase documentation, and ongoing intervention are carried out by the student’s partner SLP. Immediately following the assessment, the clinical team at CASC will provide the partner SLP with a “road map” that includes resources, checklists, templates, etc. to support the remaining steps in the SGD acquisition process. The partner SLP can reach out to the clinical team at CASC as well as SGD vendors with questions and support as needed throughout the process. A primary goal of this service delivery model is to provide resources and empower partner SLPs to complete this process as independently as possible, so they feel confident in their ability to do so in the future! Please note, teams are expected to commit and participate for the full duration of the Partnership Program which is designed to be approximately 3-6 months in length. A more detailed timeline of this service model will be provided either upon request or once your student has been placed into this service delivery model.

Consultative Service Model (currently for school-based teams only): This service model is a way to provide support to teams looking for guidance with “next steps” on a student’s communication journey such as:

• Introducing AAC to individuals with complex vision, hearing, and motor needs
• Initiating the SGD acquisition process for a current AAC user
• Advancing or supporting use of an already-existing AAC system

This consultative support will consist of a 1-time 45-minute virtual meeting between the clinic team at CASC, the partner SLP, and any other team members who wish to join (e.g., family members, teachers, PTs, OTs, etc.). Immediately following the meeting, the clinical team at CASC will send the partner SLP a summary of the meeting that includes:

• Resources for strategies and ideas discussed
• Agreed upon “next steps” (i.e., when to re-refer the student to the AAC-Partnership for a direct service, feature matching assessment if appropriate).

A more detailed timeline of this service model will be provided either upon request or once your student has been placed into this service delivery model.

Referrals are accepted by a child’s speech-language pathologist.  For questions about the appropriateness of a referral, or about the program in general, please email aacpartnershipprogram@waisman.wisc.edu.  Note, there is no cost to a referring provider or organization to participate in this program. The services are billed through the individual’s medical insurance and/or the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), which is confirmed prior to scheduling.

To refer a client to the Waisman Center AAC-Partnership, please complete this form:

This form serves as a referral intake questionnaire to help gather more information related to your student/client’s communication needs. There are six sections to complete: 1) Student/Client Basic Information, 2) Student/Client Language Background, 3) Use of Communication System, 4) Access Needs, 5) Family Background and 6) Form Submissions including a release of information and AAC-Partnership Program Agreement

Please have the releases of information for verbal and written communication completed before beginning the form.