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AAC by the Bay Conference Speakers

The AAC By the Bay 2009 conference will focus on issues and strategies related to education and communication of users of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), including students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Plenary Speakers

Aileen Arai, M.A.

Aileen, Education Specialist at the Bridge School, has 14 years of experience in the classroom and specializes in designing and implementing instructional strategies that promote her students’ use and learning of AAC systems in the context of ongoing instruction and participation in academic and social curricular areas.

Sarah W. Blackstone, Ph.D.

An internationally recognized leader in the field of augmentative and alternative communication. President of Augmentative Communication Inc. in Monterey, CA; Board of Directors, Central Coast Children's Foundation; and Board of Directors, The Bridge School. Sarah writes/publishes Augmentative Communication News and co-authored Social Networks: A Communication Inventory for People with Complex Communication Needs with Mary Hunt-Berg, Education and Research Program Manager, The Bridge School.

Holly Hamilton, M.S., CCC-SLP

Holly Hamilton is an SLP at the Bridge School whose professional interests and expertise include supporting her students' use of AAC in the writing process and their participation in designing their AAC systems. With over 10 years of experience, she has presented at national and international conferences.

Mary Hunt-Berg, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Mary Hunt-Berg, Ph.D, CCC-SLP is Bridge School’s Education and Research Program Manager where she leads the innovative work of a highly skilled educational team in applying and tailoring research findings to the Bridge School context. She coordinates ongoing development, implementation, and documentation of Bridge School’s student curriculum and instruction and plays a lead role in the dissemination of knowledge gained through research and practice at the Bridge School. With over 25 years of experience working with students who use AAC, she has presented at numerous local, regional and international conferences. Her many publications include Social Networks: A Communication Inventory for Individuals with Complex Communication Needs and their Communication Partners, which she co-authored with Dr. Sarah Blackstone, and “The Bridge School: Educational Inclusion Outcomes over 15 Years” in the journal Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

Elisa Kingsbury

Elisa Kingsbury is a Speech-Language Pathologist with extensive experience supporting students who use AAC and working with educational teams in a range of school based settings. Currently she works in Bridge School’s educational program with a special interest in adapting curricula for preschool children learning to use AAC systems and strategies.

Pat Mirenda

A Professor in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology and Special Education at the University of British Columbia. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and teaches courses on augmentative communication, autism, inclusive education, and positive behavior supports. In 2004, she was named a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); and in 2008, she was named a Fellow of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC). The third edition of her co-authored book “Augmentative and alternative communication: Supporting children and adults and complex communication needs” was published in 2005; and her latest book, “Autism spectrum disorders and AAC” was published in December, 2008. Her current research includes a Canada-wide study of developmental trajectories in children with autism and a study of the use of AAC to support social interactions between children with autism and their peers.

Caroline Musselwhite, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

An assistive technology specialist with more than 30 years of experience working with children and adolescents with severe disabilities in a variety of settings. Dr. Musselwhite has written a number of textbooks and “how-to” books on a range of topics, and has also authored a number of software programs for youth with disabilities. She has conducted workshops throughout North and South America, Australia, and Europe, and is a founding member of the Board of Directors for the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

Martine Smith, Ph.D.

Author of Literacy and AAC; Past President of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Head of Speech Language Pathology Department, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.

Gloria Soto, Ph.D.

A professor in the Department of Special Education at San Francisco State University. Dr. Soto is a national and internationally recognized expert in Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Her areas of research include (a) the effect of collaborative teaming on the academic and social participation of students with AAC needs in general education classrooms, (b) language acquisition and language use in children and adults who use augmentative communication, and (c) the effect of intervention on the narrative skills of children who use AAC systems. She has a demonstrated publication record of research in each of these areas and has presented her research studies at numerous national and international conferences. She is the co-editor of Practically Speaking Language, Literacy, and Academic Development for Students with AAC Needs, a book for professionals serving students with AAC needs in school settings.

Concurrent Speakers

Patrick Brune, M.S., CCC-SLP

Patrick is a speech and language pathologist, who has spent the past 25 years working specifically with children and adults who use AAC. He is Director of Education and Training for Blink Twice and the Tango.

Michele Caputo-Boruta

Michele Caputo-Boruta has been teaching students in the T.A.C.L.E. 1 program (kindergarten through 2nd grade) since 2005. Mrs. Boruta is originally from Spokane, Washington. Before coming to T.A.C.L.E, she worked for three years as a special day class teacher for severely handicapped students from kindergarten to 3rd grade in Oakland Public Schools. Her previous work experience also includes the Speech and Language and Swallow Studies units at Mary Bridge Childrens Hospital, clinic assistant at the University of Puget Sound's Occupational Therapy, Oncology and Neurology Clinics and 7th grade teacher in the Bronx, New York.

Joan Sharp

A special educator who worked for 15 years as a teacher and program specialist before accepting a position with PRC in 1997. She has had extensive experience in the field of AAC. As a PRC consultant, Joan provides individual consultations, device demonstrations, and trainings for AAC evaluation teams at various schools, vocational programs, hospitals, and universities throughout Northern California and Oregon.

Stephanie Taymuree, M.S., SLP

Stephanie Taymuree has worked with special needs students for 26 years. She has been providing speciaized services to students in a variety of Oakland Unified School District's special education programs. For the past 14 years, she has worked as the Director of the TACLE (Technology and Augmentative Communication for Learning Enhancement) Program at Redwood Heights Elementary School. International presenter for The Bridge School Teacher in Residence program.