ISAAC BUILD AAC

15/01/2022

Have you seen the latest issue of CSWN newsletter? Don't miss some great AAC news! https://isaac-online.org/english/news/cswn-newsletter/

The International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) works to improve the lives of children and adults who use AAC. ISAAC’s vision is that AAC will be recognized, valued and used throughout the world. ISAAC’s mission is to promote the best possible communication for p...

23/11/2021

Today we had a meeting of the BUILD committee with members from Chile, Brazil, Bulgaria, USA, South Africa, Philippines, Croatia... The strength of ISAAC is in its members!

29/10/2021

We have some great news to share during the AAC awareness month!
Thanks to great people from The Nika Project a donation of AAC equipment was shipped from USA to University of the Philippines Manila. It arrived safely and it will be used at UP CAMP Clinic for Therapy Services for the benefit of children with complex communication needs in the Philippines.

28/10/2021

Dear AAC colleagues,

We would like to invite you to the
13th Eastern and Central European Regional Augmentative and Alternative Communication Conference (ECER AAC 2021), 12-14 November 2021:
https://eceraac2021.assistfoundation.eu/

The conference will take place ONLINE via Zoom.
The conference website is eceraac2021.assistfoundation.eu.

Initiated and first organized in 1997, the conference aims at raising awareness about AAC in the countries in Eastern and Central Europe. It has become a major event where the development and the best practices from around the world and the region are shared. The focus of the conference this year is ‘AAC in Inclusive Education’.

This 13th ECER AAC Conference is organized by "ASSIST - Assistive Technologies" Foundation with the financial support of the Ministry of Education and Science, Bulgaria and UNICEF, and with the support of ISAAC - International.

Among the invited speakers are Dr. Sophia Kalman, Dr. Judy Wine, Prof. Stephen von Tetzchner, Prof. Juan Bornman, Prof. Anna Sikardi, Prof. Krisitne Stadtkleiv., Dr. Adi Ne'eman, Dr. Gail Teachman, and Dr. Liya Kalinnikova.

The working language of the conference is English. Simultaneous translation from Bulgarian will also be available.
Important: If a group of participants can arrange for a translation from English to another language, a Zoom translation channel can be provided.

In order to get access to the conference, participants must register (the registration is free) at eceraac2021.assistfoundation.eu.

For more information:
- conference website: eceraac2021.assistfoundation.eu
- email: eceraac2021@assistfoundation.eu
- phone: (+359) 878645696, 888760476, 884747144

ECER AAC 2021 is the 13th Eastern and Central European Regional Augmentative and Alternative Communication Conference. The Conference presents  contemporary approaches and technologies for children and adults with communication difficulties – cerebral palsy, autism, multiple disabilities, intelle...

30/07/2021

Join us at ISAAC Connect 2021

“I feel like I am the only one and I am struggling with the AAC world in my country”
“I would like to meet other people from Emerging AAC Countries!”
“I would like to help the AAC work in Emerging AAC Countries”
“I am just curious about the AAC work in other parts of the world!”

If you have ever thought or said any of these phrases, then we would invite you to join us at the BUILD Meeting at ISAAC Connect. We are offering 2 time slots for this meeting so you can join wherever you are in the world.

BUILD is a committee within ISAAC that focuses on the work of the AAC Emerging Countries, finding practical ways to offer them support. These include Developing Countries and also countries where the AAC work is beginning or emerging.

During the meeting you will:
Get to know the BUILD committee members
Discuss challenges and opportunities in BUILD Countries
Be introduced to the BUILD roadmap for 2020/2021 and the BUILD mentoring program
Network and meet new friends

01/06/2021

ISAAC Connect is our first-ever fully virtual global event, taking place between August 9th and August 12th, 2021.
Join us!

After a disruptive year, we need to connect more than ever, bridging concepts and conversations to keep the momentum going. ISAAC Connect will virtually bring together key contributors to the field of AAC to share their efforts and solutions. Check out our growing roster of invited speakers: https://bit.ly/3gZaajo

15/05/2021

New ISAAC CSWN Newsletter has been published!
https://isaac-online.org/english/news/cswn-newsletter/

A wealth of information on AAC around the world is contained in these pages. This issue features articles from Brazil, Canada, Chile, The Philippines, and Norway, as well as online resources and news about our upcoming virtual event, ISAAC Connect (August 9 - 12, 2021).

The International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) works to improve the lives of children and adults who use AAC. ISAAC’s vision is that AAC will be recognized, valued and used throughout the world. ISAAC’s mission is to promote the best possible communication for p...

09/04/2021

[WORLD OF AAC PROFESSIONALS]

My name is Nothando Mtungwa. I am based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. I am a Special Education Needs and Inclusion Educator by profession. I am currently pursuing a PhD in Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication at University of Pretoria in South Africa. I completed an MA in Special Educational Needs and Inclusion at the University of Northampton in United Kingdom between 2018-2019. I have taught in rural schools in Zimbabwe for 5 years as a high school teacher. Furthermore, I taught in a special school for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in South Africa as a Special Needs educator and Behavior specialist. I provided interventions for learners with intellectual disabilities such as ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Severe, Multiple and Profound Disabilities, Social Emotional Mental Health and other learning difficulties. I am passionate about providing communication interventions for individuals with communication challenges in hard-to-reach areas where children with disabilities are still excluded from accessing education and healthcare. My interests are to create low-cost communication interventions for children with complex communication needs. I am actively involved in raising awareness on disability and context specific interventions in Southern Africa as there are still challenges in identification, assessment and lack of adequate professionals and facilities to cater for children with disabilities.

20/03/2021

COMMUNICATION MATTERS, 13-17 SEPTEMBER 2021, VIRTUAL
The Communication Matters International AAC Conference is the UK’s leading annual AAC event. Over the course of five half days online, participants will enjoy a diverse programme of keynotes, plenaries, presentations, posters and talks from AAC supplier companies.
https://www.communicationmatters.org.uk/what-we-do/conference/
The Call for Papers for submission of the presentation ideas is open until April 23rd.

We have been advised that sadly it will not be possible to have any face-to-face element of the Communication Matters conference again this September. This is a huge disappointment, but the decision has been made with the safety of everyone involved in mind. What this does mean is that we have six m...

06/03/2021

[WORLD OF AAC PROFESSIONALS]

Strength of ISAAC is in its members. Meet Ellyn, member of ISAAC BUILD committee...

Ellyn Cassey Chua is a speech-language pathologist based in the Philippines. She graduated from the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila in 2013 and taught undergraduate students in the same institution for 6 years. In addition to classroom teaching, she supervised interns rotating at an NGO-funded cleft of the lip and palate clinic, a university outpatient clinic, and a nursing home. She also did private practice focused on providing services to children and adolescents with hearing Impairment, intellectual disability, and autism, as well as adults with neurologic conditions. She became interested in AAC some time in 2013-2014, when there was an opportunity to collaborate on a Tagalog core board with a then-PhD-student at the University of Pittsburgh (Dr. Thomas Kovacs, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire). To enable her to better serve individuals with complex communication needs, she took UP Manila's AAC certificate course (remotely taught by Terese Manalansan, a Filipino speech-language pathologist based in New Jersey) and became one of the first seven AAC-trained SLPs in the Philippines. Her interest in the field was further strengthened by her consequent work as the local coordinator of the TinigAAC project (http://tinigaacproject.com/), the service arm of the aforementioned certificate course. Seeing the need for AAC solutions that are appropriate for the local setting, she sought further training in conducting AAC research. With a scholarship from the Department of Science and Technology, she was able to take and complete the MSc AAC program of the University of Dundee.

Ellyn is now rendering her return service at UP Manila, where she teaches topics on AAC, clinical writing, typical cognitive and linguistic functioning, acquired cognitive-linguistic disorders, etc. Her research interests lie in designing AAC systems in Tagalog and other Philippine languages, exploring local AAC service delivery issues, and exploring the cognitive-linguistic demands of existing AAC solutions for people with aphasia and dementia.

05/03/2021

Con mucho gusto queremos compartirles este maravilloso proyecto del Grupo Académico de ISAAC Español: “seCuenciAA de webinars” en el que a través de 6 webinars, expertos en el area de la CAA, hablarán de aspectos importantes como mitos, evaluación, posicionamiento, herramientas, tecnologías e intervención.
Estos webinars se ofrecerán de manera gratuita a todos los miembros de ISAAC, así que ya saben, regístrense para poder acceder a este y todos los beneficios que nos da pertenecer a esta maravillosa comunidad de familias, profesionales, investigadores y desarrolladores de tecnología.
Los esperamos en nuestro primer Webinar este 19 de marzo.

https://isaac-online.org/english/members-only/isaac-webinars/?lang=eng

21/01/2021

I am Carla van Nieuwenhuizen from South Africa. I am a proud AAC user. This has opened a world of communication to me. I am unable to speak normally and I rely on my AAC device and communication board completely.

My greatest wish is that every disabled person would have access to a facility that could assist them in getting an AAC device like I did. If it wasn't for The Department of Communication at the University of Pretoria I would never have been able to break the silence and frustration of not being able to communicate. A world of possibility is now at my feet.

So please, if there is anyone out there in the world that can assist by funding or donating a device to someone in need, please don't hesitate. It can be the miracle that person needs.

Greetings out of South Africa

07/11/2020

https://en.aac2020.assistfoundation.eu/
Third International Conference on Augmentative and Alternative Communication which will be held ONLINE on 20-22 November 2020. The working languages of the conference are English and Bulgarian.

The Conference is targeted not only towards professionals who work with people with disabilities but also towards the families and the people with disabilities themselves.

“ASSIST – Assistive Technologies” Foundation organises the 3rd International Conference on Augmentative and Alternative Communication – AAC2020 with the support by UNICEF – Bulgaria Ministry of Education and Science ISAAC – International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communica...

08/10/2020

06/10/2020

This week's free Wednesday webinar has Professor Janice Murray talking about 'AAC and Clinical Decision Making', with a focus on identifying appropriate symbol communication aids for children who are non-speaking. Wednesday 7th October 4.00-4.30pm. .

https://www.callscotland.org.uk/professional-learning/webinars/WEB177/

06/10/2020

🌟 THE CM SESSIONS 🌟

Don’t miss our LIVE social session CM Bingo on Thursday with Francesca & Afonso.
Bingo cards will be emailed in advance. Eyes down for a full house 👀🏠!!!

https://communicationmatters.org.uk/what-we-do/the-cm-sessions/

05/10/2020

🌟 THE CM SESSIONS 🌟

This Thursday Prof Gloria Soto will be exploring the principles of a culturally and linguistically responsive approach to AAC and the existing evidence supporting that course of action

We look forward to seeing you all there!

https://communicationmatters.org.uk/what-we-do/the-cm-sessions/

02/10/2020

Friday Announcements – 2 October 2020 August 7, 2020/in 2020, News /by office1. Assistive Communication Service – Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist – Fixed term contract/secondment 2. Save the dates: AssistiveWare’s AAC Month Discount 3. EyeOn and EyeOn elite by EyeTech now dir...