By Katya Hill

The field of augmentative and alternative communication is making a paradigm shift toward applying the principles of evidence-based practice (EBP).  Two events supported by the AAC Institute highlight this development.  In May, Barry Romich and Katya Hill completed a lecture tour on evidence-based practice and performance measurement across the United Kingdom.  Their workshops on "New Tools to Support AAC Evidence-Based Practice" were given to capacity crowds in London, Oldham, and Oxford, England, Edinburgh, Scotland and Cardiff, Wales.  In June, the AAC Institute held the 2nd Annual Symposium on AAC Evidence-Based Practice preceding the annual RESNA (Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America) Conference in Orlando, Florida.  The questions "What does EBP mean to clinical practice? (Of course, my clinical work is based on evidence!)" and "Why is EBP important to AAC? (Didn't we always use evidence?!)" are being asked and answered on both sides of the Atlantic ocean.

Larry Higdon, current President of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) gave the keynote address along with Carolyn Wiles-Higdon.  Both long-time ASHA members and advocates have been involved in actively promoting research, policies, and practices to support EBP and improve the quality of life for people with communication disorders.  Leonard Gibbs, author of "Evidence-Based Practice for the Helping Professions", was a special guest speaker talking on what EBP offers to professionals and clients.  Other invited faculty included David Chapple, an individual who relies on AAC, Roger Smith and Sally Fennema-Jansen, from the Assistive Technology Outcomes Measurement Project (ATOMS), Heidi Horstmann Koester, Koester Performance Research, and Katya Hill, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.  Those unable to attend the Symposium may download Proceedings documents by visiting the AAC Institute website at http://www.aacinstitute.org. 

EBP goes beyond reading the research and involving the client or family in a personal choice among several AAC interventions.  Rather, all stakeholders need to be informed about the outcomes to be expected through the use of specific AAC interventions for a person.  These outcomes need to be defined in relationship to performance differences that may exist as an assurance that teams are exercising a person's right to the most effective communication.

Mr. Romich and Dr. Hill co-founded the AAC Institute several years ago as a nonprofit, charitable organization dedicated to the most effective communication for individuals who rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).  Romich and Hill collaborated on two grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded to the Prentke Romich Company of Wooster, Ohio.  Research projects have resulted in the release of various resources and tools to support evidence-based practice for AAC clinical services to persons with severe communication disorders.  An estimated 2 million persons in the United States have significant communications disorders and could benefit from AAC.

For additional information on the tools and resources available to support AAC EBP and for information about next year's Symposium preceding the Pittsburgh Employment Conference for Augmented Communicators (PEC) in August 2005 visit the AAC Institute web site at http://www.aacinstitute.org

Contact:

Katya Hill, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Executive Director
AAC Institute
338 Meadvville Street
Edinboro, PA 16412
814-392-6625
khill@aacinstitute.org