This is day 4 of a unique year-long training series that utilizes a hybrid presentation approach with a mix of in-person and virtual meetings.
This session will be held on either January 16 or 17. Participants will be assigned a 3-hour time slot on either January 16 or 17.
The educational field has long realized two-fold training needs for students with complex communication needs. First, communication partners such as teachers, aides, therapists, parents/family members, and others must learn successful and efficient interaction techniques. Secondly, these techniques must be incorporated into the everyday activities of the students. These principles form the basis for the implementation of the ECT strategies and techniques.
ECT is a research-based classroom intervention strategy for teams who serve students who struggle with communication. The philosophy of Environmental Communication Teaching (ECT) is that everyone can and does communicate and that the classroom setting is an important base for recognition of developing communication throughout the day.
ECT provides the strategies and tools to assure that professionals raise their expectations, arrange the environment, create communication opportunities and collect data leading to student success. In the past, districts have spent many dollars and time on high and low-tech communication supports to meet the needs of our students. Many times these supports are abandoned or underutilized due to ineffective implementation in the classroom.
For this training, the team will be required to focus on a student with complex communication needs and follow this student throughout the year. *Parent permission will be required.
The ECT process has been used with teams serving students in inclusive settings, in self-contained classrooms, with students with autism, and with students who need to expand their communication.
The team will be asked to focus on a student that demonstrates at least 1 of the following:
1. The student demonstrates minimal competence in augmentative communication (AAC).
2. The student responds communicatively in structured environments.
3. The student has an AAC system developed, but it is not yet implemented.
4. The student may not have an AAC system but shows "some" desire to communicate.
5. The student may not have an AAC system but demonstrates strong preferences/dislikes.
6. The student may not have an AAC system but attempts to participate in activities.
As a result of attending, participants will be able to:
Identify solutions to common communication problems
Purposefully select communication-rich activities to target for communication interventions
Develop partner prompts that promote independence in communication
Develop sets of activity-based objectives to support a communication routine
Measure strategies by action data collection
Registration may be cancelled up to 14 days prior to the event for a full refund. Cancellations received within 14 days of the event will not be refunded. No-show registrations will also not be refunded.