I had an amazing personal and professional experience with Therapy Abroad’s Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) Program. I was surrounded by positive and passionate mentors and given a leadership role to help, with a team of fellow peers, to create a week and a half long camp providing no technology resources, giving children, adolescents, and young adults with complex communication needs a voice. We orchestrated a fun camp with many stations (science, drama) while assisting and teaching target students how to communicate using a no technology system. Models and support were provided for data collection and report writing, which was a reasonable load.
Living quarters were comfortable: bunk beds in an adorable cabin with a toilet inside, and then outdoor shower facilities. I had so much fun on the excursions (snorkeling, zip lining) and the program really made things easy, providing all meals, transportation, and stopping at shops when supplies were needed. The trip went well above and beyond all of my expectations. As a graduate student, I felt challenged and grew in my AAC knowledge base as well as cultural competency. My only real challenge was dealing with some mosquitoes! Invest in Deet, not natural mosquito deterrents like coconut oil, and you’ll be set! I would definitely recommend this program to any student interested in speech therapy.