ISAAC hosts many informative and well-attended webinars each year.

Registration for live webinars is open to everyone.

All webinars, unless otherwise indicated, are recorded and will be made available for later viewing. Most are archived for members only. You can see the members only archive here.

Become a member of ISAAC to watch all of ISAAC’s webinars!

Upcoming webinars

Creating Empowering Environments: Safeguarding children, youth, and adults who need AAC from victimization in institutional settings

May 26, 2026

12:00 p.m. EDT

Presented by: Dr. Juan Bornman, Dr. Ingeborg Thummel and Dr. Kathy Look Howery

About the presenters:

Dr Juan Bornman

Division of Speech-Language and Hearing Therapy
Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Stellenbosch University
SOUTH AFRICA
E-mail: Juanb@sun.ac.za

Juan Bornman, PhD, is a speech-language therapist, audiologist, and Professor at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. With over 30 years’ experience in the field of communication disability, her work centres on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) as a pathway to participation, voice, and human rights. She has a particular interest in improving access to justice for persons with communication disabilities across criminal justice, education, and healthcare contexts. Her work is grounded in real- world, multilingual, and low-resource settings, where she collaborates with stakeholders to develop contextually relevant AAC practices. Juan served as President of the International] Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) from 2020 to 2022, and her work continues to shape policy, practice, and advocacy internationally. At the heart of her work is a simple belief: every person has something to say—sometimes we just need to listen differently.

PhD habil. Ingeborg Thümmel

Institute of Special and Rehabilitation Education
Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg
E-mail: ingeborg.thuemmel@uni-oldenburg.de

Ingeborg Thümmel, PhD, habil. is a special education teacher for students with intellectual and communication disabilities and holds a diploma in Educational Sciences, with a focus on speech-language pathology. She is an extraordinary professor at the University of Oldenburg.

With more than 40 years of experience in the field of communication disabilities – particularly working with individuals with complex disabilities – her work centers on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) as a powerful enabler of inclusion, participation, and independent living grounded in human rights. She is dedicated to ensuring that individuals are given a voice and the opportunity to achieve greater autonomy and quality of life.

She has a particular interest in improving access to justice for persons with communication disabilities across criminal justice systems, as well as in prevention, intervention, education, and healthcare contexts. Her work is grounded in real-world practice. She serves as an editor of a special education journal and collaborates with national and international, interdisciplinary teams to develop, evaluate, and implement AAC practices across educational systems, sheltered workshops, residential homes, and healthcare institutions (both outpatient and inpatient).

Her guiding principle is reflected in the words of Salman Rushdie: “Those who cannot tell their story do not exist.” Therefore, her work strives to ensure that all individuals are given a voice to tell their stories and, in doing so, achieve visibility.

Dr. Kathy Look Howery

Consultant, kATe Consulting, Inc.
Lecturer, University of Alberta, Faculty of Education
Edmonton AB Canada
Email: khowery@ualberta.ca

Kathy began her career over 40 years ago focusing on finding ways for students with the extensive support needs share their voices in the world.  She received her PhD in Special Education from the University of Alberta in 2017. Her doctoral research drew upon hermeneutic phenomenology to seek to understand what it is like for young people with complex communication needs (CCN) to speak with (or is it through) speech generating devices.  While her doctoral research was not exploring issues of maltreatment and mental health concerns for young people who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), these stories emerged.  This has led to Kathy’s more recent research interest in the mental health and well-being of children and youth who need AAC.

Kathy is President of ISAAC Canada. She also is an active member of the ISAAC International Research Committee.

Kathy has presented nationally and internationally and has published in both the area of AAC and Universal Design for Learning.

In addition, Kathy provides consultation to several Alberta school jurisdictions in supporting children and youth with CCN in developing communication, language and literacy skills. She has extensive experience in the areas of UDL and inclusive education. She has developed and taught numerous graduate level courses including the Teaching Students with Complex Communication Needs Master’s Certificate at the University of Alberta. 

Kathy is thrilled to be sharing information about AAC whenever and wherever she can.

Moderators: Karen Congram / Michelle Phillippy

Webinar Description:

Persons who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) are at a higher risk of abuse, which can have long-lasting effects on their health and well-being. This increased risk is due to several factors, such as limited opportunities to develop the communication skills needed to convey information that could help reduce the risk of abuse (Brewer & Hendrikse, 2023). Additionally, individuals who use AAC may experience social isolation, having few trusted communication partners with whom they can interact regularly. This isolation can make them more vulnerable to abuse, as offenders may believe that the victim has no one to disclose the abuse to.

This presentation will focus on creating supportive environments to protect children, youth, and adults with Complex Communication Needs (CCN) from abuse in institutional settings. We will start by discussing universal prevention strategies implemented at schools to prevent abuse. These strategies have proven effective in increasing children’s awareness and safety skills, thereby reducing their risk of abuse. Next, we will explore selective prevention strategies that schools and parents can use specifically for children and youth who use AAC, given their higher risk of abuse (Nyberg et al., 2023). Finally, we will cover indicated prevention strategies designed to support individuals who are already identified as at risk, aiming to facilitate their disclosure of abuse. The three levels of prevention (universal, selective, and indicated) will be illustrated through a case study of Valerie, a 12-year-old girl who uses AAC.

Webinar objectives:

1. To create awareness of the factors that put persons who use AAC at risk of abuse.
2. To share universal strategies that support prevention of abuse.
3. To share selective protection strategies that can be employed by parents and educators specifically for students who need AAC.
4. To share strategies that can support disclosure by individuals who have experienced abuse.

Time Ordered Outline

5 minutes: Introduction

45 minutes: Presentation 

10 minutes: Q & A 

To register for this webinar please go to the following link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_UEPODOwjQ-q6KGx95HDmgw#/registration

Please note: Only the first 150 attendees to log into the webinar will be guaranteed spots.

Using Picture Books to Enhance Communication Skills for Students who use AAC

May 27, 2026

7:00-8:00 p.m. EDT

Presented by: Jane L. Gebers and Betsy Corporale

About the presenters:

 Jane L. Gebers, M.A., SLP has been a practicing speech-language pathologist for over 50 years, working primarily with the pediatric population. Her first book, Books Are for Talking, Too! A Sourcebook for Using Children’s Literature in Speech-Language Remediation, was published in 1990. As research expanded and continued to validate the uses of children’s literature in speech, language, and literacy, she authored three updated editions. She has been an adjunct professor at St. Mary’s College Moraga, where she taught courses in Language Development, Assessment and Intervention, and a visiting lecturer and presenter at other Bay Area colleges. She has a private practice in Northern California and continues to update her website page, Book Talk, where she provides a lesson plan with a Picture Book Selection of the Month. This page provides viewers with multiple possibilities to support children’s literacy and communication skills using a popular, low-text picture book.

Betsy Caporale, M.S., CCC-SLP has worked in the field of AAC/AT for over 30 years. She earned her Competency Certificate in Communication Assistive Technology Applications from The National Association of State Directors of Special Education and an Assistive Technology Specialty Certificate in Communication Services from the University of South Florida. While working for the California Department of Education she developed and taught an AAC Assessment and Services Certification Course, certifying over 200 SLPs in educational settings. Betsy is the owner of Augmentative Communication Solutions, LLC, which supports students with complex communication and learning needs in school districts throughout California. She currently serves as the Director of Professional Affairs for USSAAC.

Seminar description:

Picture books are an excellent tool for promoting interaction and facilitating communication, particularly for individuals who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). This session will focus on using classic picture books to enhance communication and literacy skills for students with complex communication needs, incorporating the use of AAC tools and strategies to target key areas such as phonological awareness, vocabulary development, sentence formulation, problem-solving, and pragmatic language. During the webinar, presenters will demonstrate joint reading techniques with AAC users across various ages and skill levels. Practical resources to guide in the implementation of these strategies will be provided and research supporting the use of picture books to develop communication skills will be shared.

Moderated by: Nicole Gallagher

Participants will be able to:

1. Describe 3 ways picture books can be used to enhance communication skills.
2. Identify 3 features to look for when selecting a picture book to support communication skills.
3. Cite relevant research regarding the use of picture books to enhance communication for students of all ages.
4. Explain how picture books can be implemented with students who use AAC.
5. Define specific communication skill sets that can be targeted using picture books.

Time ordered agenda:

5 minutes: Introduction of speakers, USSAAC and topic

5 minutes: The power of picture books

10 minutes: Research supporting the use of picture books

10 minutes: Picture books and AAC

15 minutes: Demonstration of joint reading techniques using picture books, implementing AAC

10 minutes: Q & A

ASHA CEUs

SLPs who are USSAAC/ISAAC members may have their participation in this webinar reported for ASHA CEUs at no charge. Non-members must pay a $25 reporting fee.

This course is offered for 0.10 ASHA CEUs (Introductory level; Professional area).

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) CEUs in speech-language pathology and audiology are awarded by the ASHA CE Registry upon receipt of the CEU Participant Form from the ASHA Approved CE Provider, USSAAC. CEU Participant Forms are available online at Registration or via the QR Code displayed during the presentation. ASHA CEUs are provided to full registrations. This program is offered for .10 ASHA CEUs (Introductory Level, Professional Area). Participants must stay for the entire presentation and complete the questionnaire at the end of the webinar.

ASHA Disclosures:

Speakers: 

Financial:

Jane L. Gebers is the author of Books are Talking Too and the owner of SoundingYourBest.com, her website for Speech and Voice Therapy, including special pages entitled Book Talk.

Betsy Caporale is the owner of Augmentative Communication Solutions, LLC.

Nonfinancial:

Betsy Caporale is a USSAAC board member and chairs the Education Committee. Jane L. Gebers has no nonfinancial disclosures to report.

Moderator:

Financial:

Nicole Gallagher is a full-time salaried employee for the state of CT in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at the University of Connecticut.

Nonfinancial:

Nicole Gallagher is a member of the USSAAC Education Committee.

To register for this webinar please go to the following link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_23DJff2aQeO2R2ATscltLQ#/registration

Please note: Only the first 150 attendees to log into the webinar will be guaranteed spots.

Download the flyer

USSAAC Education Committee:

Amy Bereiter, Betsy Caporale, Kate DeJarnette, Nicole Gallagher, Richard Hurtig, Michelle Phillipy, Wendy Quach, Sharon Redmon

Information about ISAAC webinars