ALS, Communication and All That Jazz

Date/Location:

June 9-10, 2017, New Orleans, LA

Description:

National speakers will provide information in a lecture, lab and hands-on format on communication assessment and intervention for persons with ALS (pALS). Professionals need to maintain current knowledge of evidence-based assessment and intervention practices in AAC/AT for pALS. Professionals need to build interprofessional knowledge and skills to conduct assessments and interventions for AAC/AT systems used by pALS. Professionals need to know how to apply person and family-focused services when providing AAC/AT services to pALS.

Speakers:

Speakers can be found at: https://www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu/

Learning Outcomes:

  1. List no –tech, low tech and high tech augmentative communication strategies
  2. Detail the steps for pro-active message banking.
  3. Describe the feature matching process for assessment and evidence based trials
  4. Discuss benefits of proactive intervention to successful use of computer/AAC device strategies throughout the course of the ALS disease.
  5. Describe at least four strategies for computer/AAC device access that can be introduced to people facing the loss of functional upper extremity motor control.
  6. Discuss at least four considerations regarding mounting/positioning of AAC devices.
  7. Describe at least four AAC positioning devices and strengths/challenges inherent in the design.
  8. Define environmental controls and home automation.
  9. Develop a basic knowledge of different protocols used in environmental controls.
  10. Identify strengths and weaknesses of a self-install, or using a company to install environmental controls
  11. State 5 mainstream tasks people with ALS rate as highly important in addition to verbal communication.
  12. Identify 3 parameters (hardware and software) that can be changed on various SGDs to facilitate access.
  13. Explain 2 ways the Communication Needs Questionnaire can be used to provide data for an AAC evaluation
  14. Describe 3 tasks that would be appropriate for evaluating communication skills in pALS
  15. Demonstrate the ability to set up and calibrate a high-tech SGD
  16. State 3 considerations in calibrating a high tech eye gaze system

CEUs

This activity is offered for up to 0.9 CEUs (9.0 hours of instruction). To register for CEUs:
  1. Download, and complete the following forms.
  2. Save the files names: 170610_HDC_Lastname-Firstname
  3. Send both files to ceus@aacinstitute.org
  4. CEU certificate will be sent after submitting the two forms

Note: If any difficulty is encountered in using this form, write to ceus@aacinstitute.org to request an alternative file format.