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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:

  • Click the green Log In or Sign Up button below to access Sched.

  • Then proceed to purchase your ticket(s).

  • After you’ve purchased your ticket(s), you can plan which sessions you’d like to attend.

  • New to using the Sched app? To take a tour click here
  • Need to update your app to this year’s conference? In the Sched app, go to My Account > Change Events> type in the name of the event #TalkingAAC 2026
  • A new Guest Buyer option lets you purchase tickets for others without creating a SCHED account. Once ticket(s) are selected, choose Continue as Guest.

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.

    •     ⚠️ Please do not attempt to purchase again, as this may result in duplicate tickets.

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 
← Back to schedule
From Therapy Hour to All-Day AAC: A Hybrid In-Person and Telepractice Model for Life Skills Classrooms
Friday November 6, 2026 12:15pm - 1:30pm EST
Lincoln
Limited Capacity seats available
For students with complex communication needs in life skills classrooms, AAC is most effective when it is woven throughout the school day, not isolated to therapy sessions. Yet many districts, especially those in rural or underserved areas, struggle to provide consistent, expert-driven AAC support due to staffing shortages, geographic barriers, and limited classroom-based AAC training. The result is too often the same: AAC devices that sit unused outside of therapy time, classroom staff who feel uncertain about how to support communication, and AAC users whose access to a robust language system is limited to a few minutes per week.

This session shares a hybrid service delivery model designed to close that gap. Built and refined by Interact Therapy, the model combines virtual SLP expertise with in-person classroom support so that AAC implementation extends across the full school day. Presenters will share findings from a 12-week mixed-methods case study in a rural public school district, including a 42% increase in student AAC usage, 70% of participating students showing more independent communication attempts, and 100% of classroom staff reporting improved confidence in supporting AAC. This work was selected as a 2025 ASHA Convention Centennial Session for its potential to shape future practice in telepractice and AAC service delivery.

Beyond the data, attendees will leave with practical tools developed through the project, including a staff competency checklist, a weekly planning template, and a communication opportunity matrix that maps AAC use across classroom routines. The session will include time for small-group discussion of common implementation barriers and table-based work applying the tools to attendees' own settings.

This session is especially relevant for school-based SLPs, classroom teachers and paraprofessionals, district administrators, telepractice providers, and AAC specialists. Family members and AAC users are warmly invited; their perspectives on what truly all-day AAC access looks and feels like are central to the work this model supports.
Presenters
avatar for Marleah Herman-Umpleby, MS CCC-SLP

Marleah Herman-Umpleby, MS CCC-SLP

Co-Owner, Speech Pathologist, Interact Therapy
Marleah Herman-Umpleby, MS, CCC-SLP, is an Assistant Professor and Program Director of the Online Speech-Language Pathology Program at West Virginia University, where she leads online graduate education and teaches courses in AAC, speech sound disorders, and clinical practice. She... Read More →
avatar for Stephanie Ekis, MS CCC-SLP

Stephanie Ekis, MS CCC-SLP

Co-Owner, Speech Pathologist, Interact Therapy
Stephanie is an SLP with a passion for helping individuals realize their full potential.  With over 30 years of experience, Stephanie has provided assessment and treatment for children and adults with complex communication needs.  With a specialty in augmentative and alternative... Read More →
Friday November 6, 2026 12:15pm - 1:30pm EST
Lincoln
  General Session

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