Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) refers to a variety of communication techniques used by people who are unable to engage in verbal communication. The International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) has been working to improve the lives of children and adults who use AAC.
Joining hands with the India Chapter of ISAAC, the Centre for AAC and Sign Language, Centre of Excellence, AIISH, Mysuru, is organising a two-day ISAAC India AAC conference 2024 on January 11 and 12. The theme of the conference is “Bridging the gap: Empowering Diverse Communicators with Recent Trends in AAC”. The conference is part of the Continual Rehabilitation Education (CRE) of the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI).
“AAC is being used by more people in India and is becoming increasingly important for successful communication for persons with communication disorders. However, caring for persons who utilise AAC in India presents certain difficulties for both professionals and parents/caregivers. Hence, it is essential to disseminate the knowledge on recent trends in AACs and also to understand the difficulties of Indian AAC users and professionals,” a press release from AIISH said.
Effective solutions
Also, understanding these issues will help the Indian scientists and technologists to develop effective solutions which would benefit AAC users, their caregivers and the professionals who deal with them, it added.
The conference aims to provide a platform for all the stakeholders in the field of AAC to initiate a focussed effort towards advancement of the field in India, which will benefit persons with communication disorders, said the AIISH.
The conference has four scientific sessions, five keynote lectures, three industry presentations and 20 research paper presentations. The keynote speakers from India and abroad include Bhavna Botta (president, ISAAC India Chapter), David Goldberg (RESNA, New Jersey, USA), Vicki R. Casella (Bridge School, California), Rajinder Kaul (University of Texas, Austin, USA), and Sudha Kaul (Founder and Former Director, Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy, Kolkata), the press release said.
Industry representatives will be participating and sharing their thoughts. A panel discussion on “Challenges towards effective use of AAC in India” has also been included. The conference will be attended by about 100 delegates from various parts of the country. The delegates include persons with disability who are using AAC, their caregivers, rehabilitation professionals, social workers, technologists, speech language pathologists, special educators, the release stated.
Ms. Kaul will inaugurate the conference on January 11 at 9.30 a.m. at the Seminar Hall, Academic Block, AIISH here. Ms. Botta will preside. Mr. Goldberg will be the guest of honour. Dr M. Pushpavathi, Director, AIISH, will be present.
