Name: A Discussion on Intimate Relationships for AAC Users
Start: 2024-11-07T13:45:00-0500
End: 2024-11-07T15:00:00-0500

NEW FOR 2024!

Pre-Conference Workshops - Select ONE 4-hour Pre-Conference workshop that will be held IN-PERSON on Wed, November 6th, 2024 from 12 pm - 4 pm at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing, MI. To attend all 3 days of the conference, you must purchase BOTH one Pre-Conference Workshop ticket and one IN-PERSON 2-day conference ticket. (Please note Pre-Conference Workshops will not begin until 12 Noon on Wednesday, November 6th to provide out-of-areas additional travel time to East Lansing.) Pre-Conference Workshop Registration $80
Networking Event - For those attending a Pre-Conference Workshop or arriving in East Lansing early, please join us on Wednesday, November 6th, at 7 pm EST in the auditorium at the Kellogg Center for a free viewing party of the film This is Not About Me sponsored by AssistiveWare. This documentary follows the story of Jordyn Zimmerman who shares what it is to be autistic and non-speaking. Light snacks will be provided with time to connect with the #TalkingAAC community.
ON-DEMAND Content - A new, separate asynchronous learning option has been added this year with FOUR (4) ON-DEMAND 75-minute, pre-recorded sessions. BONUS: All IN-PERSON attendees will also receive access to this recorded content included with their 2-day conference registration! The ON-DEMAND sessions will be accessed through the Sched registration portal. Recordings will be available beginning at the end of the conference on November 8, 2024 through December 31, 2024. There will be NO live-streaming of sessions in 2024. On Demand Content Registration $60
Swag - #TalkingAAC merchandise will be available on-site for purchase.
Streamlined Registration - Conference registration, ticket sales, and your in-person 2-day conference session planning guide will all occur in one platform this year - Sched. Below, click the green "log in" box if you have a Sched account already or click the green "sign up" box to create a new Sched account, then proceed to purchase ticket(s). 2-Day In Person Conference Registration $265

MEALS, PARKING, & LODGING FOR 2024!
1. Breakfast - a light continental breakfast will be available on Thursday and Friday at no additional charge.
2. Lunch - participants will receive a lunch and drink on Thursday and Friday at no additional charge.
3. Parking - is expedited and included with your registration fees.
Parking - Overnight Guests-: Upon checking into your hotel, you will receive a parking pass. Please display this pass on your dashboard.
Parking - Non-Overnight Guests: You will not need to use the parking kiosks. Instead, you will find signage at and near the registration table with a QR code to register your vehicle. Please have your license plate number ready for this process.
VERY IMPORTANT: All attendees driving to the Kellogg Center will need their license plate number. Please consider carpooling to reduce the number of vehicles on campus. Please be mindful of this process and do not register your vehicle more than once per day. We appreciate your cooperation in following these parking guidelines. If you have any questions, please contact info@talkingaac.org. The #TalkingAAC Team will be available during registration to assist you in this process.
4. Lodging - for lodging information, view the 2024 #TalkingAAC lodging options document for a list of hotels with blocks reserved and discount lodging codes for this conference. For those attending a Pre-Conference Workshop, please note sessions will not begin until noon on Wednesday, November 6th to provide out-of-town/state attendees additional travel time to East Lansing.

Event Instructions or Terms and Conditions

#TalkingAAC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established for continued education.

5. REFUNDS & TICKET TRANSFERS

Refunds are available up to 10 days before the event. SCHED & STRIPE fees are non-refundable.
Registration transfers (changing the name on the registration to a coworker, for example) may be considered before October 28, 2024.

6. CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS & HOURS

SCECH will be offered for educators licensed in Michigan.
While ASHA CEU’s are not provided to SLPs for this course, participants will be given an ASHA "Verification of Attendance" form to self-track these hours.
Every attendee will receive a certificate of attendance.

As the date for this conference approaches, you will receive updates from #TalkingAAC and SCHED. Stay tuned for additional session information!

In late October, you will select your sessions and plan your conference agenda.

Questions? Check out www.talkingaac.org or email info@talkingaac.org

Thursday November 7, 2024 1:45pm - 3:00pm EST

104 A/B

This session explores the challenges AAC users face in finding, building, and maintaining intimate relationships. It is very easy to become hyperfocused on the technology, vocabulary, and other minutiae of AAC. Everyone supporting an AAC user needs to take a step back and remember the purpose of AAC is to form relationships. It is very important not to neglect relationship goals that AAC users might have. It is also important to remember that AAC users have the same emotional needs as everybody else, and we all need to help support them so they can participate in the fullest possible range of human experiences. To that end, participants will leave the session being more mindful of the importance of supporting their clients’ development of communicative competence.

A discussion of communicative competence will be at the beginning of the session as it is the foundation for building any type of relationship. It is composed of three constructs: functionality of communication, adequacy of communication, and sufficiency of knowledge, judgment, and skill. In addition, there are psychosocial factors such as motivation, attitude, confidence, and resilience. The presentation will explore these areas.
There are many possible reasons an AAC user could find it challenging to form intimate relationships. There can be physical, developmental, or cognitive differences on top of the communication differences, and the presenter will explore some of these potential challenges. These challenges may include:
• Pragmatic and receptive language challenges
• There is often uncertainty around when and how to disclose a disability before or during the first date.
• Understanding safe sexual practices and consent
• For individuals needing a personal care attendant, it can be a challenge to get privacy with a potential partner and to negotiate boundaries with a PCA
• Social Security rules that disincentivize disabled adults getting married
• Being in the LGBT community
• Societal attitudes towards the sexuality of persons with disabilities
There is a myriad of potential challenges. It is the presenter’s goal to inspire attendees to think more about how AAC can be utilized to increase the quality of life of AAC users. The presenter wants the participants to understand potential barriers and to support whatever steps are necessary for an AAC user to have emotional experiences which are as rich and broad as possible. Furthermore, the presenter wants the participants to understand that many AAC users want a partner and to experience the same intimate bond that most people have the luxury of taking for granted.

Presenters

Lance McLemore

Ambassador, PRC-Saltillo

Lance McLemore is a man on the autism spectrum who uses Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). He currently lives in Alabama. He is an ambassador for the Prentke Romich Company and the Center for AAC and Autism.Lance states, "Before I had a way to meaningfully communicate... Read More →

Thursday November 7, 2024 1:45pm - 3:00pm EST
104 A/B

Special Interest

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#TalkingAAC 2024

Lance McLemore

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