In this
course, three SLPs share their perspectives on working with multilingual
students and overcoming challenges and barriers to equitable and effective
augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions. The course
explores practical strategies, tools, and templates to help SLPs engage
students and families, support multiple languages in AAC devices for students
who are speaking or nonspeaking, and advocate for affirming practices that
center the whole child.
Learning
Outcomes
You will
be able to:
- Design and implement AAC
interventions that are culturally and linguistically affirming
- Engage families from
multilingual backgrounds in AAC assessment and intervention
- Select or customize AAC systems
to support clients’ heritage languages
- Advocate for inclusive AAC
access and challenge myths related to cultural and linguistic diversity in
AAC
Presenter
Information
Maria
De Leon MS, CCC-SLP, is a bilingual speech-language pathologist
and founder of VocesAAC, a private practice offering culturally affirming,
family- and person-centered AAC services. With over 10 years of experience, she
specializes in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and supporting
individuals with complex communication needs through collaborative,
evidence-based practices. Maria is passionate about equity, inclusion, and
empowering communication across diverse communities.
Disclosures:
- Founder and Clinical Director of
Voces AAC
- Co-founder of bilingue
AAC
- SLP for a nonprofit organization
in California
- Financial compensation from ASHA
for this presentation
- ASHA member
- Member of California Speech
Language Hearing Association (CSHA)
- ASHA SIG 12 affiliate
Vianca
Ocampo, MA, CCC-SLP, worked as a speech-language pathologist in
a private clinic in the Philippines for 3 years prior to moving to the United
States. She received her Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC)
Certificate from the University of the Philippines in 2021 and her
Master’s degree and Multicultural Certificate in Speech-Language
Pathology from Northern Illinois University in 2024. Vianca is currently a
full-time speech-language pathologist in DeKalb Community School District 428
where she works with elementary and high school students. She provides AAC
lectures and trainings to parent support groups and universities in the
Philippines. Vianca also serves as a consultant to start-up companies producing
Tagalog AAC devices.
Disclosures:
- Financial
compensation from ASHA for this presentation
- Recipient
of the 2023 ASHA Students Preparing for Academic-Research Careers (SPARC)
Award
Alan
Vu, MA, CCC-SLP, is a bilingual Vietnamese American
speech-language pathologist and the founder and CEO of Flexspeak, an artificial
intelligence (AI)-enabled multilingual AAC app designed to support nonspeaking individuals
from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Alan draws from both clinical
experience and lived experience as a person who stutters diagnosed with ADHD.
He previously worked in medical and school settings with his most recent
experience being at a special education school with primarily nonspeaking
students who use AAC. Alan is passionate about designing inclusive, culturally
responsive AAC tools that reflect the lived realities of multilingual
users.<./p>
Disclosures:
- Financial compensation from ASHA
for this presentation
- Founder and CEO of Flexspeak, an
AAC company
- Alan is a person who stutters
and brings lived experience with communication disabilities to his
work
Assessment
Type
Self-assessment—Think
about what you learned and report on the Completion Form how you will use your
new knowledge.
To earn
continuing education credit, you must complete and submit the learning
assessment no later than June 23, 2030.
Program
History and CE Information
Dates: June
23, 2025–June 23, 2030
