1. Build Your Own Regional AAC Summit from the Ground Up
17th Biennial ISAAC Conference – Toronto 2016
Beth Waite-Lafever, M.A., CCC-SLP
Beth Ahmad, M.A., CCC-SLP

2. Your presenters today:
Beth Waite-Lafever, M.A., CCC-SLP is an ASHA certified speech-language pathologist and RESNA-certified Assistive Technology Professional (ATP)
Beth Ahmad, M.A., CCC-SLP is an ASHA certified speech-language pathologist and Regional Consultant for the Prentke Romich Co. (PRC).
Kara: My name is Kara Bidstrup. I am an ASHA-Certified Speech-Language Pathologist and Manager of Training Services for PRC. I receive a full time salary from PRC and am an employee-owner of the company. I will be managing chat today.
Your presenter is Beth Ahmad. She is an ASHA certified SLP and Regional Consultant for PRC, covering the state of Indiana. Prior to joining PRC in June 2010, Beth worked in the public schools and at Easter Seals where she completed AAC evaluations, consulted with school-based SLPs on device implementation, and provided ongoing therapy for children who used a variety of AAC systems. Beth receives a full time salary from PRC and is an employee-owner of the company.
Beth: Thank you, Kara! Welcome everyone!
Speaker Disclosure:
Financial— receives financial compensation from PRC for creating and teaching a professional development webinar
Speaker Disclosure:
Financial— salaried employee and employee-owner of PRC
Nonfinancial—member of the ASHA Special Interest Group 12 AAC.

3. Take 2 energetic SLPs…
Add professionals from around the state…
All with a passion for AAC…
Throw in a year of careful planning…
With some good luck…
What do you get?
The first-ever Indiana AAC Summit, a built-from-the-ground-up state-wide conference for front-line providers of AAC!

4. Purpose: to bring together people from across the state for sharing knowledge and resources, celebrating success stories, and working through challenges together.
Anticipated participants…ended up with 80 from various professional backgrounds and from all over the state!
Partnered with the AAC-In-Action project out of Indiana University with Dr. Erna Alant.
Dr. Erna Alant connected us with Martin Pistorius, author of “Ghost Boy”, who provided our Keynote Speech.

5. Action Plan: “A Facebook Page and a Dream”
Identify a location, determine meals and housing
Submit a grant application for $3,000 to Answers for Autism (received full amount requested)
Design a logo to brand the event and provide “swag bags” for attendees
Make a Facebook page for marketing and to build excitement
Create an “Announcement and Call-For-Papers” with a process for selecting speakers
Contact vendors for prize donations (received over $1,200 worth!)
Figure out a time schedule including registration, sessions, meals, etc.
Secure volunteer onsite IT support for the day
Order logo shirts for volunteer “staff” to wear during the event
Inform participants of what to bring for the overnight experience
Write pre- and post-event surveys for feedback

6. Hosted at Bradford Woods on October 2-3
$150 for 9.5 hours of continuing education, lodging in group-style cabins, and all meals
One main meeting room for sessions
Meals served in the dining hall

7. Content
Welcome Message by State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Glenda Ritz
Keynote: Martin Pistorius, author of “Ghost Boy”
Over $1000 worth of door prizes donated by vendors
9.5 hours of continuing ed across a variety of topics related to AAC

8. Answers for Autism grant, Registration fees
The BUDGet
2015 Income: $13,900
Answers for Autism grant, Registration fees
2015 Expenses: $11,899
Lodging & Meals, Registration Services, Printing, T-shirts & Bags, Speaker Fees, Meeting Space
Remaining Balance: $2,001
For Indiana AAC Summit 2016

10. Public Group: Anyone can see the group, its members and their posts.
Join our Facebook page!
Public Group: Anyone can see the group, its members and their posts.
Members, moderators and admins can post to the group, but all group posts must be approved by an admin or a moderator.
320 members and counting!

11. Indiana AAC Summit 2016 September 23-24
18 sessions selected from 23 proposals
Added 2 additional presentation rooms to accommodate 3 breakout sessions
Increased break time between sessions as requested by attendees
Informal bonfire at the beach – taking advantage of the natural surroundings
Fee increased by $25 to offset increase in venue cost and to provide a logo t-shirt to all participants

12. If you build it, they will come!

13. Many thanks to our sponsors: