Virtual Pittsburgh AAC Language Seminar Series (PALSS)
Virtual PALSS will cover a range of topics over the course of 3 days using a variety of formats including lecture, breakout activity sessions, and hands-on follow along instruction with devices/software. Each day includes a lunch break and several short duration breaks. Registered participants will receive a detailed agenda.
Registration Fee: $224.00
DAY 1 – (10AM – 5:30PM EST)
Core Vocabulary
Language Acquisition
Communication Partner Training
UNITY® Language System – Hands-on Time
DAY 2 – (10AM – 5:30PM EST)
Guest Speaker Presentation (Details Below)
DAY 3 – (10AM – 5:30PM EST)
Recognition Memory and Motor Automaticity
Language Development in the Classroom
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Conversation with Chris Klein (individual who uses a UNITY® system)
PASS Software Training
Natural Polysemy
Guest Speaker Presentation:
Training the Trainer: Pre-Service Instruction of Minspeak®
Meher Banajee, PhD, CCC-SLP
This presentation will focus on how to teach the Minspeak language system using adult learning strategies at the pre-service and in-service level. Although this encompasses a variety of stakeholders including students, faculty, colleagues and parents; the underlying concepts and methods are inter-related. Resources for the development of teaching strategies and materials, as well as assessment tools for individuals using the Minspeak language system will be demonstrated. This presentation will further discuss the possibility of developing a mentorship program for collaboration between special and general education teachers as well as speech-language therapists, paraprofessionals, and parents. In the present day of ever-changing technology, it is important to bridge distance between providers and their clients as well as other professionals or parents who support the client. Principles incorporating Telepractice (or TeleMinspeak) will be used to provide information to bridge this gap.
