Growing a Virtual Community of Practice to Support
Students with Complex Communication Needs
Charity Rowland, Ph.D., Professor & Project Director, Oregon
Health Sciences University, rowlandc@ohsu.edu
Amy T. Parker, Ed.D. & COMS, Associate Fellow, Western
Oregon University, parkera@wou.edu
Children with severe disabilities often experience complex
communication needs, in many cases requiring the use of
augmentative or alternative communication (AAC). Practitioners
and family members are often challenged in using appropriate
assessment and intervention strategies to support children with
severe disabilities who use AAC. Schools may not have access to
appropriate professional development and coaching to help staff
address the challenges that prevent these students from developing
the communication
skills needed to participate effectively in the
curriculum. For teachers of the visually impaired, teachers of the
deafblind and interveners, addressing the unique communication
needs of students is an essential component of the knowledge and
76
