Jennifer Seale, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email: jseale@wisc.edu
The AAC Program impacts individuals across the lifespan who are experiencing significant communication difficulties. This anchor program provides the infrastructure needed to test new approaches to practice as well as providing a model direct service for training future and current professionals. It includes all four UCEDD core functions (service, training, research and information dissemination) in its program design. The AAC program includes: a direct model service through the Communication Aids & Systems Clinic (CASC); an educational component through ECHO-AAC; and the community outreach services of the AAC-Partnership and the Communications Development Program (CDP). A description of each area is detailed below.
AAC Clinic
Communication Aids & Systems Clinic (CASC)
The Waisman Center Communication Aids & Systems Clinic (CASC) is a partnership with the UW Rehabilitation Department of the UW Hospital & Clinics (UWHC). The CASC team’s speech-language pathologists and occupational therapist partner with families to provide highly specialized, cutting-edge augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for children and adults experiencing significant communication difficulties. CASC provides services for people who have a range of disabilities that include: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), spinal cord injuries, aphasia, traumatic brain injuries, cerebral palsy, autism, Rett syndrome, Down syndrome, and multiple disabilities.
AAC Education
ECHO projects aim to improve and expand teletraining services and build statewide capacity. Project ECHO (the mantra for which is “All teach, all learn”) uses video-conferencing technology to provide education and case consultation on best practice clinical services, training, and resources for individuals with specific healthcare needs that are difficult to meet locally. The Waisman Center ECHO platform serves as a diagnostic and treatment training hub to share the center’s expertise on intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout the state and beyond. This is especially important when access to specialized care and resources are limited for communication disorders.
AAC Outreach Services
The AAC-PP initiative serves as an opportunity for school teams to collaborate with CASC clinicians to support individual students who need AAC as part of their educational plan. Initial evaluation and devise trials are completed with each student and their school team at CASC. Following this initial evaluation, the speech-generating device acquisition process is carried out by the student’s school team with consultation from CASC clinicians. Participation includes school staff independent self-learning and 1:1 mentorship between CASC clinicians and school team members. Participating teams gain a deeper understanding of all stages of the AAC evaluation process including funding and implementation. This work is supported by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Communication Development Program (CDP)
CDP is an AAC community outreach service that provides a community-based service, training and technical assistance to build the capacity to meet the needs of AAC users in Dane County. CDP uses a team approach to support individuals who use AAC, their families, speech-language pathologists, case managers, teachers, occupational therapists, and/or other community-based team members. The teams develop goals together with the individual and family at the center. This is a fee for service (FFS) program provided in collaboration with Dane County Human Services.