Guest: Elizabeth Davis, MS, CCC-SLP

Earn 0.1 ASHA CEU for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/collaboration-and-decision

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.