Meryl Schnapp & Mark N. Brown: Becoming a District-Wide AAC Implementation Coach

This week, Chris interviews Meryl Schnapp & Mark N. Brown, AAC Implementation Coaches with Chicago Public Schools. They discuss how the position of AAC Coach was created in their district, why it is so helpful having coaching as a separate position in a school district, what they have learned from instructional coaching research, and more! 

Before the interview, Chris talks with Rachel about participating in the recent Greatest International Scavenger Hunt (GISH) mini-hunt. Chris shares some of the unique activities Chris and his family did on their GISH hunt. Chris and Rachel discuss ways that these types of scavenger hunts could be used to make AAC coaching more fun for AAC users and communication partners.

 

Key ideas this week include:

🔑 AT Specialists and AAC Coaches have different roles in Chicago Public Schools. The AT Specialists engage in device selection and training, and after the training the AAC Coaches collaborate with staff to implement the device effectively in the classroom. 

 

🔑 In the education field, instructional coaching is a well established form of professional development with a large evidence base. Mark and Meryl were exposed to literature from researchers like Jim Knight and Michael Bungay Stanier to help develop Chicago Public School's current approach.

 

🔑 In Chicago Public Schools, students aren't the only ones who have goals! Some teachers and SLPs have self-created goals to help improve their skills supporting AAC users.

 

🧑💻👨‍🏫 Meryl Schnapp and Mark N. Brown have a FREE AAC in the Cloud presentation about AAC coaching on June 24th at 6:00 pm EST .

 

🧑💻👨‍🏫 Chris also has a presentation at AAC in the Cloud on June 24th at 2 pm EST - its about interactive choose your own adventure games! 

 

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