TRAINING
For Support Agencies

Other Workshops and Course Topics

3. Communication

3A. Basic Strategies for Supporting the Communication of People with Severe Disabilities in Community Settings

This one-day workshop is intended as an introduction to communication for persons with severe disabilities whose speech does not meet their daily communication needs. The workshop begins with information about how people communicate and the purposes of communication. The relationship between communication and challenging behaviour is explained, and the basic elements of augmentative communication are reviewed. Participants are provided with several strategies for basic communication assessment. Emphasis is placed on strategies for identifying choicemaking opportunities, designing choicemaking systems, and teaching people to make choices.

Target Audience: Parents/guardians, family, friends and neighbours of persons with mental handicaps; social workers, residential, community, and vocational supports, child care supports, supervisory and training personnel

Cost: $1,500 plus travel expenses
For more information, please contact Paul Malette at (604) 921-1670 or at info@cbiconsultants.com

3B. Advanced Strategies for Supporting the Communication of People with Severe Disabilities in Community Settings

This one-day workshop builds on the content of Workshop 3A by providing a variety of specific communication strategies that do not require the use of electronic devices and that can be implemented in residential, vocational, and community settings. Such strategies include scripted routines, gesture dictionaries, schedule boxes/books, remnant books, conversation books, choice displays, single message cassette tapes strategies, and others. Slides and videotapes are used to teach participants when and how to implement these strategies with the individuals they support.

Target Audience: Parents/guardians, family, friends and neighbours of persons with mental handicaps; social workers, residential, community, and vocational supports, child care supports, supervisory and training personnel

Cost: $1,500 plus travel expenses
For more information, please contact Paul Malette at (604) 921-1670 or at info@cbiconsultants.com

3C. Communication Assessment of Adults with Disabilities

This two-day workshop is designed to provide support networks with strategies for assessing basic communication capabilities and needs in order to design appropriate communication action plans. Strategies include those designed to assess current communication skills and needs, choicemaking opportunities and approaches, the type(s) of communication symbols needed by the focus person, opportunities for communication participation in community settings, and the communicative messages underlying challenging behaviour. Participants will have an opportunity to begin an assessment for at least one focus person during the workshop.

Target Audience: Parents/guardians, family, friends and neighbours of persons with mental handicaps; social workers, residential, community, and vocational supports, supervisory and training personnel

Cost: $3,000 plus travel expenses
For more information, please contact Paul Malette at (604) 921-1670 or at info@cbiconsultants.com

3D. "Hands-on" Course on Communication Assessment and Intervention

This intensive, hands-on course begins with workshop 3C (2 days), followed by a 3-week break to allow participants to complete a communication assessment for a selected focus person with disabilities. Then, workshops 3A, 3B, and 2B are combined across 3 days, during which participants will design a communication "action plan" for their focus person. Over the next 5-6 months, additional days of direct, hands-on follow-up and support are provided on site to participants and the individuals they support; the number of days may vary across agencies and groups. This intensive course has been provided to eight adult service agencies, in three Ministry for Children and Families districts in British Columbia. The results and feedback have been very positive. Contact CBI Consultants for references and information about scheduling options and other details.

Target Audience: Parents/guardians, family, friends and neighbours of persons with mental handicaps; social workers, residential, community, and vocational supports, supervisory and training personnel

Cost: $9,000 plus travel expenses - follow up and support will be charged at $75 per hour
For more information, please contact Paul Malette at (604) 921-1670 or at info@cbiconsultants.com