Anne Addison & Emma Doherty explain the occupational therapy role in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), consider access to technology for children with physical difficulties and discuss how to utilise high-tech AAC to increase engagement in occupation and support participation.
About this Event
This webinar will explain the role of the occupational therapist in AAC, focusing on how the use of an occupation-centred approach can support children and young people to develop independence. With a focus on children with complex communication difficulties who have a physical disability, the webinar will detail how to assess for an individual’s most effective means of physically accessing technology and consider other factors that need to be taken into account when using these skills to communicate. Different access methods, including switching and eye-gaze technology, will be presented through case studies and demonstrations. This event will be particularly relevant for anyone working with children and young people with physical difficulties, who are based in special schools or who are particularly interested in utilising technology to enable engagement in meaningful occupation.
Learning Objectives:
- To gain an understanding of the role of the occupational therapist in the field of AAC and the link between occupation and communication.
-To learn about the different ways in which a child or young person with a physical disability can be supported to use technology.
-To develop physical access assessment skills that will enable you to make decisions about how best to support individual children and young people’s access to technology.
- To gain knowledge about technological resources (apps and software) you can use to support skill development.
Speaker Biographies:
Anne Addison is the Joint Head of Occupational Therapy at Great Ormond Street Hospital and the current Chair of the CYPF National Executive Committee. She has worked with children and young people with neurodevelopmental disabilities for 17 years in both community and acute settings, and is a Clinical Specialist in AAC.
Emma Doherty is an Occupational Therapist working in two highly specialist NHSE nationally commissioned services at Great Ormond Street Hospital. She has worked in both acute inpatient and outpatient settings, specialising in working with children and young people with physical disabilities with complex needs.