Staff and students from the Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC) at the University of Pretoria (UP) attended the 17th Biennial Conference of ISAAC (the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication) in Toronto, Canada, from 6 to 13 August 2016. The CAAC gave 16 presentations of their outstanding research. The highlight of the conference was Prof Juan Bornman receiving the ISAAC fellowship award for her outstanding and distinguished achievement in the field of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Dr Kerstin Tonsing from the CAAC was chosen to be the Chair for the ISAAC Research Committee, which monitors the development of research activities within the organisation.

The conference offered an excellent forum for the presentation of AAC research and it was most valuable as a networking opportunity for AAC professionals from over 40 countries.

The following presentations were delivered by CAAC staff and students during the conference:                             

• Core vocabulary for Zulu speaking preschoolers in need of AAC – Jocelyn Mngomezulu, Kerstin Tonsing and Shakila Dada
• Nurses’ perspectives toward patient communication using a low technology communication board in an ICU – Martilze Gropp, Juan Bornman and Ensa Johnson
• Pain communication of children with cerebral palsy in South African school settings: AAC implications – Ensa Johnson, Stefan Nilsson and Margareta Adolfsson
• Comparative effects of two AAC systems on vocal productions of children with motor speech disorders – Kerstin Tonsing, Shakila Dada and Kim-Caleigh Brewis
• Model for vocabulary selection of sensitive topics: an example from pain-related vocabulary – Ensa Johnson, Juan Bornman and Kerstin Tonsing
• The effect of non-powered mobility on the engagement of young children with severe mobility impairment – Kirsty Bastable, Shakila Dada and Kitty Uys
• Implementation of AAC aids in schools for students with special educational needs: teachers’ perceptions – Kerstin Tonsing and Shakila Dada
• AAC services via mobile health technology applications: SLP and caregiver perceptions in rural South Africa – Juan Bornman, Maryann Romski, Rose Sevcik and Vuledzani  Madima
• Testifying in court: Vocabulary required by illiterate individuals with complex communication needs – Robyn White, Juan Bornman and Ensa Johnson
• Message banking: comparing perceptions of people with MND, significant others and speech language pathologists – Imke Oosthuizen, Shakila Dada and Juan Bornman
• Current augmentative and alternative communication practices: South African speech language pathologists’ perceptions – Yvonne Murphy, Shakila Dada and Kerstin Tonsing
• Systematic review of factors influencing health care professionals in provision of assistive technology to children – Karin van Niekerk, Shakila Dada and Kerstin Tonsing
• Fight, flight, fright: police officers' perceptions interviewing individuals with CCN reporting being victims of crime – Erna Nel, Juan Bornman and Kerstin Tonsing
• Emergence of graphic symbol combinations by toddles in parent coached AAC language intervention – Kerstin Tonsing, Gal Kaldes, MaryAnn Romski, Rose Sevcik and Marika Kind
• Communication practices and needs of multilingual persons in need of/using AAC – Kerstin Tonsing, Georg Schlunz and Karin van Niekerk 
• Training police to obtain an effective statement from crime victims with CCN who use AAC – Diane Nelson Bryen, Juan Bornman and Robyn White

If you would like more information on the above presentations please contact us at [email protected].