ConversAACion

image of hands pointing to AAC device

Description

ConversAACion - An AAC Conversation Club, is a twice-weekly virtual conversation group for school-age participants who use speech-generating devices to support communication. It is run by graduate student clinicians under the supervision of Elena Dukhovny. Our focus is on helping participants use their speech-generating devices to express their thoughts and grow the complexity of their language in authentic age-appropriate activities like movie discussions, games, and virtual field trips.

Group types include:

  • Social group (not supervised by a speech-language pathologist): This is a weekly online video call where teenagers who use AAC or SGDs can freely communicate with similar aged peers. The conversation topics and online activities are chosen by the club members and are mediated by a CSUEB graduate student. Parents are welcome to observe or support their child if needed. This is a great opportunity for teenagers to make friends and socialize with others familiar with AAC. 
  • Supported language group (includes clinical goals and is supervised by a speech-language pathologist). The group’s primary purpose is to aid participants in communicating their own thoughts, so all assistance respects each participant’s communication autonomy. Supports typically include visual sentence templates, aided language modeling, picture-supported choices and more. Parents are invited and coached to play a supporting role.

Schedule

The supported language group meets Mondays & Wednesdays OR Tuesdays & Thursdays from 4:00 - 5:00pm. The social group meets Thursdays from 4:00 - 5:00pm.

How to Apply

  • Submit a complete application.
  • Turn it in to us by email. 
    • Email: clinic@csueastbay.edu
      • We are not able to accept application pictures; please scan the application.
      • Note: When you send us an application by email, the information that is sent is not necessarily encrypted. This means a third party may be able to access the information and read it since it is transmitted over the internet. 
    • Mail: Cal State East Bay Rees Clinic, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd. MB1099, Hayward CA 94542
  • Include supporting papers such as the client’s most recent available language assessment reports.
  • Wait for us to contact you, typically within 3 weeks.
  • There is a $25 fee for an evaluation.

For further information, contact the clinic at (510) 885-3241 or clinic@csueastbay.edu.