AAC CAMP AS A PRE- AND POST- SERVICE TRAINING MODEL

Author

Joanne Kim, University of the PacificFollow

Date of Award

2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

Department

Speech-Language Pathology

First Advisor

Benjamin Reese

First Committee Member

Madhu Sundarrajan

Second Committee Member

Larry Boles

Third Committee Member

Michelle Austin

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of participation in an AAC-based day camp as a pre-service training opportunity for students of speech-language pathology and a post-training opportunity for practicing speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Following the conclusion for the most recent iteration of the AAC Academy hosted by the Diagnostic Center of Central California, students and SLPs who volunteered within the past ten years were recruited via email to participate in semi-structured interviews. Upon thematic analysis of the interview transcripts, the following themes were conceptualized: (1) Many volunteers had some interest, if not experience, with AAC prior to volunteering for the AAC camp; (2) Volunteers found that AAC camp facilitated a supportive and collaborative learning environment; (3) the AAC camp served as an opportunity for experiential learning, (4) Participation in the AAC camp resulted in greater confidence and/or interest in AAC intervention, (5) Intervention strategies learned while volunteering for the AAC camp. The responses from the study participants suggest that the AAC camp model is a viable pre- and post- service training model.

Pages

48

Recommended Citation

Kim, Joanne. (2022). AAC CAMP AS A PRE- AND POST- SERVICE TRAINING MODEL. University of the Pacific, Thesis. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/3835