Good morning! I'm a member of the Wisconsin AAC Network which is a network for people who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication. I thought I would share this opportunity with you in case you or anyone you know may be a good participant. 

My name is Jennifer McIlvaine, and I am a Ph.D. candidate at Rowan University. I am working on my dissertation research titled: The Process of Learning to Communicate Through High-Tech Symbol-Based Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC): A Multiple Case Study.

Research Purpose: My research is about the process of learning to communicate through high-tech symbol-based AAC. I am interested in exploring how students who use high-tech symbol-based AAC (e.g., Proloquo2Go, TouchChat, LAMP Words for Life, Unity, TD Snap Core First, etc.) learn to become proficient* in using their AAC device to communicate with support from their school team members and family team members.

*Note: If students/teams feel that they identify with the term “proficient AAC user” or an alternative term of their preference (e.g., independent AAC user, successful AAC user, autonomous AAC user, etc.) they are invited to participate!

Prospective Participants: I am looking to complete a multiple case study and recruit 3 teams from across the US that includes:
1.) A “proficient” high-tech symbol-based AAC user in either elementary school, middle school, high school, or transition programs up to the age of 22 AND,
2.) 1 or more members of their school team (e.g., current or past SLP, teacher, paraprofessional, etc.) AND,
3.)  1 or more family members (e.g., parent/guardian, grandparent, aunt/uncle, sibling, etc.).


If you would like to learn more about the study or participate, please reach out to me directly at mcilva85@students.rowan.edu
 OR
If you can think of anyone that sounds like a good candidate that might be interested in participating, I would greatly appreciate if you could pass my contact information along (mcilva85@students.rowan.edu).

 Thank you for your time and consideration,

Jennifer McIlvaine, M.S., CCC-SLP, ATP, Ph.D. Candidate

This study received approval from the Rowan University Institutional Review Board (IRB) Study #PRO-2022-158.