AAC Research and Innovation

In response to the pandemic, all academic and clinical instruction transitioned to the online environment in March, 2020. Faculty and students in SPED 743: Issues in AAC were challenged to complete teaching and learning. As a result, Project BB developed Tele Service-Learning in AAC. For more about Tele-AAC, see the AAC Telepractice Resource page.

A featured project in Tele Service-Learning in AAC was completed by two PBB scholars, Beth Lytle and Alisa Lego, who collaborated with AAC Mentor Michaela Sullivan, SLP, to create online core vocabulary resources to support facilitators and communicators during the school year. The result of their work is published by Carol Zangari, SLP on PrAACtical AAC in an article "PrAACtical Introductions: Meet…A Year of Core Vocabulary Words – School Edition." Congratulations to Michaela, Beth and Alisa for this tremendous contribution.

Beginning in the spring semester of 2020, the SFSU AAC program began hosting monthly online AAC Bootcamps featuring speakers and topics of high interest to our students and community. Beginning in Fall 2022, we have posted recordings of the speakers to share with their permission. Below are the Bootcamps to date from in descending chronological order:

• Cortical Visual Impairment and AAC: Emily Wilt and Becky Matthews (PBB Scholars, Cohort 4)
• AAC and Teletherapy: Brittany Davis  (PBB Scholar, Cohort 4)
• ALS and AAC: Lindsay Cheng  (PBB Scholar, Cohort 4)
• Autism and AAC: Julia Navarro  (PBB Scholar, Cohort 4)
• Conversation with Chris Klein on his use of Unity: Chris Klein and Michelle Caputo
• Device Exploration Day: Joan Sharp (PRC), Kelsey Dowler (LAMP), Rachel Shepard (Tobii Dynavox), RJ Cooper (RJ Cooper & Associates, Inc.), Katrina Borisov (Eyegaze) and Camber Moulton (Saltillo)
• AAC and Equity by Dr. Betty Yu, SFSU
• Spanish Bilingual AAC: Strategies for Classrooms and Families by Sarah Lee, Maria de Leon, Alma Partida and Melissa Tapia (Founders of Bilingüe AAC)
• Latinx Family Coaching in AAC by Dr. Shannon McCord and Lindsey Kent from Pajaro Valley School District
• Para Educator Coaching by Dr. Sarah Douglas from Michigan State University
• Project Cambodia Panel with the Nika Project and Project AAC for ALL, Cohort 2--Slides and Recording
• Multilingual AAC for the Monolingual Therapist with Kristen Monroe, MS, CCC-SLP with Children's Hospital of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University, Recording and Slides.
• Let's Build It! Foundations for School and Home Collaboration with Rebecca Matthews, MS, CCC-SLP with the Bridge School in Hillsborough, California.
• Partner Assisted Analysis of Language Sampling in Spanish (PAALSS) with Dr. Gloria Soto, San Francisco State University.  Slides and Recording.

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NIKA Project and Project AAC for ALL, CSHA Presentation 2024

John Kim, Dan Phillips, and Nancy Robinson presented an in-person seminar at the California Speech Language Hearing Association Annual Convention in March 2024. This seminar disseminated the international service-learning project in the Summer of 2023 in Cambodia. The presentation also shared its project measures from students involved with the NIKA Project and proposing a new cultural humility measure. See the link to the presentation below:

• Igniting Cultural Humility in AAC Practice

Project AAC for ALL, CSHA Poster Presentation 2024

John Kim and Nancy Robinson presented an in-person poster presentation at the California Speech Language Hearing Association Annual Convention in March 2024. The poster demonstrated the impact evaluation design of Project AAC for ALL. The impact evaluation design employs a logic model framework to identify project goals and to measure the elements of the project to effect change. Elements of the impact evaluation model are: (i) available resources (e.g., inputs), (ii) the notable project activities and participation (e.g., outputs), and (iii) the short, intermediate, and long-term project outcomes (e.g., outcomes). See the link to poster:

• Impact Evaluation to Build Capacity for AAC Services with Dual Language Learners

AAC Storytellers Club, CSHA Poster Presentation 2024

John Kim and six of his graduate students presented an in-person poster presentation at the California Speech Language Hearing Association Annual Convention in March 2024. The poster highlighted the participatory help-giving practices clinic model and its findings of the graduate student clinicians’ experiences. See the link to the poster below:

• Participatory Help-Giving Practices Model: Reflections of an AAC Clinical Practicum

Nika Project and Project AAC for ALL, ASHA Presentation 2023

Nancy Robinson, Gloria Soto, John Kim, Dan Phillips, and Michaela Sullivan presented an in-person seminar at the American Speech Language Hearing Association Annual Convention in November 2023.  The seminar featured the Bilingual AAC research and innovation (e.g., Bilingual School Year of Core Spanish), the Nika Project and its service learning project, the original school year of core, and the Project AAC for ALL evaluation with the next steps. Links to slides and handout are below:

• Project AAC for ALL: Igniting Cultural Humility in AAC Practice (Presentation)
• Project AAC for ALL: Igniting Cultural Humility in AAC Practice (Handout)

Project AAC for ALL, ASHA Poster Presentation 2023

John Kim, Gloria Soto, and Nancy Robinson presented an in-person poster presentation at the American Speech Language Hearing Association Annual Convention in November 2023. The poster demonstrated the impact evaluation design of Project AAC for ALL. The impact evaluation design employs a logic model framework to identify project goals and to measure the elements of the project to effect change. Elements of the impact evaluation model are: (i) available resources (e.g., inputs), (ii) the notable project activities and participation (e.g., outputs), and (iii) the short, intermediate, and long-term project outcomes (e.g., outcomes). See the link to poster handout:

• Impact Evaluation to Build Capacity for AAC Services with Dual Language Learners

Project AAC for ALL, OSEP Poster Presentation 2023

John Kim presented an in-person poster in Washington, D.C., for the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Program Directors’ Conference in July 2023. The poster demonstrated the impact evaluation design of Project AAC for ALL. The impact evaluation design employs a logic model framework to identify project goals and to measure the elements of the project to effect change. Elements of the impact evaluation model are: (i) available resources (e.g., inputs), (ii) the notable project activities and participation (e.g., outputs), and (iii) the short, intermediate, and long-term project outcomes (e.g., outcomes). See links to poster and handout below:

• OSEP 2023: Impact Evaluation to Build Capacity for AAC Services with Dual Language Learners (Poster)

Project AAC for ALL, CSHA Poster Presentation 2023

John Kim, Gloria Soto, and Nancy Robinson presented an in-person poster presentation at the California Speech Language Hearing Association Annual Convention in March 2023. The poster featured our first cohort’s pre-assessment data. See the link to the poster below:

• Project AAC for ALL (Access to Languages and Learning) for Dual Language Learners  (Poster)

Collaborating Across the Pacific Academy, AUCD Conference Presentation, 2022

May Okihiro, Julie Walsh, Mellanie Lee and Nancy Robinson presented an in-person seminar at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities Annual Conference in November 2022. The seminar featured the collaborative course in spring 2021 and fall-spring 2021-2022 with Pacific Teachers, University of Hawai`i interdisciplinary trainees and SLP scholars at San Francisco State University to assist Pacific Teachers in their work with families and children in their island communities. Links to the slides and handout are below:

• AUCD Conference, 2022:  Promoting Cultural Humility and Collaboration Across the Pacific to Foster Equity and Best Practices (Handout)
• AUCD Conference, 2022:  Promoting Cultural Humility and Collaboration Across the Pacific to Foster Equity and Best Practices (Slides)

Nika Project and Project AAC for ALL, ASHA Presentation 2022

Dan Phillips, Nancy Robinson, Judith Lunger and Sarah Leslie presented an in-person seminar at the American Speech Language Hearing Association Annual Convention in November 2022.  The seminar featured the development of the Nika Project, a non-profit group of volunteer specialists in AAC who collaborate with global partners to expand access to communication and learning. With the Nika Project, Project AAC for ALL has formalized scholar mentorship in international locations, resulting in ongoing learning in culturally affirming AAC practices for all participants. Links to slides and handout are below:

• ASHA Convention 2022: Advancing Global Equity for Communication and Learning through Mentoring (Handout)
• ASHA Convention 2022: Advancing Global Equity for Communication and Learning through Mentoring (Presentation)

Project AAC for ALL, ASHA Poster Presentation 2022

John Kim, Gloria Soto, and Nancy Robinson presented a virtual and in-person poster presentation at the American Speech Language Hearing Association Annual Convention in November 2022. The poster featured the overview of Project AAC for ALL including goals, interdisciplinary curriculum design, and competency areas to prepare graduates to provide AAC services that are culturally and linguistically affirming. See links to poster and handout below:

• ASHA Convention 2022: Project AAC for ALL: An Evaluation Tool to Assess Culturally Affirming AAC Practices (Handout)
• ASHA Convention 2022: Project AAC for ALL: An Evaluation Tool to Assess Culturally Affirming AAC Practices (Poster)

CAP Academy, ASHA Poster Presentation 2022

Nancy Robinson and Sarah Leslie presented a virtual and in-person poster presentation at the American Speech Language Hearing Association Annual Convention in November 2022. The poster featured the collaborative, online series of ZOOM sessions with Pacific Teachers, University of Hawai`i partners and AAC SLP scholars at San Francisco State working across the Pacific to assist teachers in their work with families and children in their island communities. Links to the eposter and handout are below:

• ASHA Convention 2022: Collaboration Across the Pacific (CAP) Academy: Sharing Design Thinking in Family-Centered Teams (Handout)
• ASHA Convention 2022: Collaboration Across the Pacific (CAP) Academy: Sharing Design Thinking in Family-Centered Teams (Poster)

Project Building Bridges, ASHA Presentation 2022

Graduates of Cohort 6 presented a live presentation featuring their experiences in the International and Domestic AAC internship during the summer of 2022 with travels to Peru and India as well as virtually to the Islands of Micronesia. This presentation featured a live Question and Answer with John Kim, Joseph Cachapero, Natalie Caro, Kelsey Ellison, Kelly Gong, Hannah Khorassani, Alejandra Pedroza, Jessica Ramirez, and Jadine Veluya. See links to presentation and handout below:

• ASHA Convention 2022: Project Building Bridges: Crossing Cultures and Languages in AAC Practice (Handout)
• ASHA Convention 2022: Project Building Bridges: Crossing Cultures and Languages in AAC Practice (Slides)

 Project AAC for ALL, OSEP Poster Presentation 2022

Nancy Robinson, Gloria Soto, and John Kim presented a virtual poster for the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Program Directors’ Conference in July 2022. The poster features the overview of Project AAC for ALL including goals, interdisciplinary curriculum design, and competency areas to prepare graduates to provide AAC services that are culturally and linguistically affirming. See links to poster and handout below:

• OSEP 2022: Project AAC for ALL (Access to Languages and Learning) for Dual Language Learners (Handout)
• OSEP 2022: Project AAC for ALL (Access to Languages and Learning) for Dual Language Learners (Poster)

Project AAC for ALL, Culminating Presentations, 2023

Each year, Project AAC for ALL Scholars present culminating portfolios of their work with individuals with complex communication needs and their families in culturally and linguistically diverse communities. See links to Project AAC for ALL Scholar presentations below:

• 2023 Cohort 1 Culminating Presentations

Project Building Bridges, ASHA Poster Presentation, 2021: Graduates of Cohort 4 presented a virtual poster featuring their experiences in the International AAC Internship during the summer of 2019 with travels to the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Bali in Indonesia, and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. The poster featured a live Question and Answer with Gloria Soto, Nancy Robinson, Lindsay Cheng, Brittany Davis and Rebecca Matthews on November 19, 2021. See links to the poster and handout below:

Project Building Bridges, OSEP Poster Presentation, 2021: Nancy Robinson and Gloria Soto presented a virtual poster for the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs Directors’ Conference in July 2021. The poster features the development culturally responsive AAC competencies with Scholars enrolled in Project Building Bridges in Years 1-6, 2015-2021. See links to the poster and handout below:

Project BB Scholar Culminating Presentations: Each year, Project Building Bridges Scholars present culminating portfolios of their work with individuals with complex communication needs and their families in culturally and linguistically diverse communities. See links to Project BB Scholar presentations below:

• 2021 Cohort 6 Culminating Presentations

Project Building Bridges BOLD Thinking Event:  Project BB was selected to participate in San Francisco State University’s BOLD Thinking Campaign Event at the Masonic Auditorium on April 4, 2019, where Project BB Scholars and Faculty represented the Graduate College of Education and highlighted our work in AAC. Congratulations PBB! View the BOLD Slideshow.

• Code-switching in bilingual AAC use
• Beliefs and practices of SLPs on AAC service delivery for dual language learners
• Development of a protocol for the analysis of Spanish language samples of children who use AAC and are in the early stages of language development
• Role of recast and repair sequences on language learning in AAC mediated interactions
• School Year of Core-Bilingüe

• Cooper, B., Muñoz, T., & Soto, G. (2023). Language and vocabulary features of AAC. In N. Hall, J. Juengling-Sudkamp, M. L. Gutmann, & E. R. Cohn (Eds.), Fundamentals of AAC: A case-based approach to enhancing communication (Chapter 7, pp. 89-103). San Diego, CA: Plural Publishing, Inc.   
• King, M., Ward, H., Soto, G., & Barrett, T.  (2022). Supporting emergent bilinguals who use AAC and their families: Lessons in telepractice from the Covid-19 pandemic. American Journal of Speech and Language Pathology. Supporting Emergent Bilinguals Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Their Families: Lessons in Telepractice From the COVID-19 Pandemic
• McCord, M.S., & Soto, G. (2004). Perceptions of AAC: An ethnographic investigation of Mexican-American families. Augmentative and Alternative Communication. 20 (4), 209-227, Perceptions of AAC 
• Robinson, N. B. & Soto, G. (2021). AAC in Schools: Mastering the art and science of inclusion. Ogletree, B. (Ed.) Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Challenges and Solutions. (Chapter 6, pp. 89-103). San Diego, CA: Plural Publishing, Inc. 
• Solomon-Rice, P. L., Soto, G. & Robinson, N. B. (2018). Project Building Bridges: Training Speech-Language Pathologists to provide culturally and linguistically responsive Augmentative and Alternative Communication services to school-age children with diverse backgrounds. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 3 (12), 186-204. Perspectives of the ASHA 
• Soto, G. (2012). Training partners in AAC in culturally diverse families. Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 21 (4), ASHA Division 12, 144-150. Augmentative and Alternative Communication Perspectives  
• Soto, G. (2022). The Protocol for the Analysis of Aided Language Samples in Spanish: A Tutorial. Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 7, 523-532. The Protocol for the Analysis of Aided Language Samples in Spanish: A Tutorial
• Soto, G., & Cooper, B. (2021). An early Spanish vocabulary for children who use AAC: Developmental and linguistic considerations.  Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 37, 64-74. An early Spanish vocabulary for children who use AAC: developmental and linguistic considerations
• King, M., & Soto, G. (2022). Code-switching using aided AAC: Towards and integrated theoretical framework. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 38, 67-76. Code-switching using aided AAC: toward an integrated theoretical framework
• Soto, G., & King, M. (2023). Culturally and linguistically responsivity in AAC. In N. Hall, J. Juengling-Sudkamp, M. L. Gutmann, & E. R. Cohn (Eds.), Fundamentals of AAC: A case-based approach to enhancing communication (Chapter 6, pp. 77-87). San Diego, CA: Plural Publishing, Inc.   
• Soto, G., & Yu, B. (2014). Considerations for the provision of services to bilingual children who use AAC. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 30, 83-92. Bilingual Children Who Use AAC 
• Tönsing, K.M., & Soto, G. (2020). Multilingualism and augmentative and alternative communication: examining language ideology and resulting practices, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 36, 190-201. Multilingualism and augmentative and alternative communication