COMD 576 Service-Learning - PYLUSDAt — Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District

The graduate students enrolled in the 576 discipline-based service learning course, under the direction of Lisa Erwin-Davidson, Ph.D., CCC, SLP, will partner with, and integrate into, the (virtual) classrooms of area schools, (virtual) early childhood education agencies, or other (virtual) community groups that express a need for support and training in communication, language and emergent literacy. The classrooms may be inclusive settings (a mix of children with and without disabilities) or self-contained special education settings for children who are minimally verbal or present with complex communication needs and require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to participate in their academic curricula.

Graduate students will complete a service component of 4 hours of individual or partner service experience over the course of the semester in combination with 9 hours (3 hours per class) of in-class service over the course of at least 13 out of 15 semester weeks. Students will address a community need by assisting teachers and parents in the delivery of TeleAAC services for communication, language and literacy training. Students will connect and apply the techniques and strategies learned in class with the service to educators and parents, and include the following tasks:

• Assist classroom teachers with the demands of instructing children with intense learning needs who have complex bodies or who arrive to class with minimal language and communication.
• Coach through virtual discussion and demonstration, evidence-based AAC implementation strategies and AAC intervention techniques under the combined guidance of Lisa Erwin-Davidson, PhD, CCC, SLP, and the partner educator, caregiver or family member.
• Learn how to use assistive technology virtually to fully engage children in their individualized programming (for reading, writing, & speaking) that is also aligned with grade-level academic standards.
• Listen, reflect, and respond to varied student, parent, and teacher needs or concerns within the confines of a virtual classroom context.
• Listen, watch and identify the world-views (underlying epistemology and educational pedagogy) of classroom educators that impacts teacher instructional style, teaching pedagogy, and ultimately impacts what and how students with disabilities learn.

Virtual Service Requirements:

3 Service Group Assignments 3-hours each taking place during our regularly scheduled AAC class-times but joining virtually with different special education classroom teachers. Your instructor will randomly assign 5-6 students per group  = Total service 9 hours

TBD: Tentative Friday Sept 18; Friday Oct 9; Friday Nov 6

4 Individual or Paired Service Assignments You may pair up with a buddy or work individually to coordinate your virtual meet-up times with a family, or a related service provider who is providing IEP services to students with complex communication needs who require AAC. If you choose to work as a pair, the same final grade is given to each person. If you have a specific individualized service idea in mind, then please discuss with your instructor for approval. = Total service with person (does not include any material planning time) = 4 hours