Name: AAC Storytime for All: Create Your Own Community Based Instructional Opportunity for AAC Users, Caregivers and Future Clinicians
Start: 2026-11-05T15:00:00-0500
End: 2026-11-05T16:00:00-0500

Act now! We reach capacity and sell out every year. Registration closes Wednesday, October 28, 2026 — or sooner if capacity is reached.

Ticket Options

#TalkingAAC: Pre-Conference Workshop
Wednesday, November 4, 2026 | 12:00–4:00 PM
Kellogg Center, East Lansing, MI
- Choose one 4-hour workshop
- Cost: $100
- Full details click here
#TalkingAAC: Two-Day Conference
Thursday & Friday, November 5-6, 2026
- Build your schedule for this two-day event
- Cost: $300
- Price includes breakfast, lunch, & parking
- Full details click here

NOTE: To attend all 3 days, you must purchase both a Pre-Conference Workshop ticket and a Two-Day Conference ticket.

Registration & Session Planning

All registration and session planning will be handled via Sched:

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Ticket Purchase - Error Message

If you receive an error message when purchasing your ticket, please contact TalkingAAC at [email protected] or 517-299-5200 for assistance.

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Refunds & Ticket Transfers

Refunds available up to 10 days before the event. Sched & Stripe fees are non-refundable.
Ticket transfers (e.g., to a coworker) may be approved before October 28, 2026.

Stay Informed

Watch for updates from #TalkingAAC and Sched with session details and reminders as the event approaches.

Questions?

www.talkingaac.org

[email protected]

517-299-5200

AAC Storytime for All: Create Your Own Community Based Instructional Opportunity for AAC Users, Caregivers and Future Clinicians

Thursday November 5, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm EST

Lincoln

Limited Capacity seats available

The purpose of this session is to encourage SLPs to create an AAC Storytime program in their own communities. The presenter will detail how she started and has maintained such a program operating out of Riverview Public Library for the last 2 years.

The concept is simple: Every month, around a dozen AAC users (both preschool and elementary aged), using a variety of AAC programs, come to participate in a 45-minute interactive storytime event at the library. They are paired with volunteers from local universities who are studying to be speech pathologists. The SLP facilitating the event reads a story and leads the group through language-rich activities.

Despite a simple concept, there are many considerations for execution. This presentation will break down these considerations, including how to source a location, generate participants and volunteers, training volunteers, and lesson planning for books and activities. The presentation will discuss the relative time commitment, and discuss ways to reduce the workload, including use of a database of free resources for those looking to follow a similar format. These resources include a monthly "to-do" list, themed lesson plans for books with activities and material list, training power point for the student volunteers, spreadsheet templates to organize participant information, and low tech communication tools to support every book.

This topic has relevance and impact for multiple groups. Through a dedicated AAC Storytime, AAC users will be provided with an ongoing community enrichment opportunity tailored to their unique communication needs. It serves to benefit their literacy skills, in addition to peer socialization with other AAC users.

The parents/caregivers of the participants will have the opportunity to learn and practice their language modeling alongside hands-on support from the student volunteers. This will allow them to learn their child's system and use it in a way that they may not have had the opportunity to before.

Finally, the student volunteers will have the opportunity to be hands on with AAC in a nurturing environment before entering the work-force. It will serve for some as their first exposure to AAC, and for others as on-going practice and experience. Their future caseloads will benefit from their increased familiarity and comfort with varied AAC systems and their implementation.

Presenters

Alison Ortega, MA, CCC-SLP

Owner, Speech Pathologist, OrtegaTalks LLC

Alison Ortega is an SLP working primarily in the pediatric outpatient setting. She is a proud Wayne State alum (linguistics BA, speech-language pathology MA). If she had to pick an AAC app to use personally, it would be LAMP. Her AAC Storytime program is dedicated to her late grandmother... Read More →

Yunuen Vargas

Student Volunteer, OrtegaTalks LLC

Yunuen Vargas is a first-generation, bilingual student at Eastern Michigan University and an Early On family trainer. She supports early communication through evidence and play-based strategies with a strong focus on culturally responsive practices and equitable access to AAC.

Thursday November 5, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm EST
Lincoln

General Session

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#TalkingAAC 2026

Alison Ortega, MA, CCC-SLP

Yunuen Vargas

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#TalkingAAC 2026

Alison Ortega, MA, CCC-SLP

Yunuen Vargas

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