# 19th Biennial Conference of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC)

> **NIH NIH R13** · OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $39,999

## Abstract

SUMMARY
Conference funds are requested to support an international scientific meeting entitled: The 19th Biennial
Conference of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC):
Communication Beyond Borders, to be held in Cancun, Mexico from August 1st-6th, 2020. The primary goal is to
convene people from 15 different ISAAC chapters and 42 countries to promote and inspire innovative scientific
research & development and clinical practice for AAC. One unique objective of the 2020 meeting is to establish
a Spanish speaking ISAAC chapter that incorporates Spanish speakers from the US, Central America, South
America, Spain and elsewhere. The primary audience will be interprofessional with delegates from multiple
stakeholder groups (including people with disabilities and families) engaged in addressing the needs of people
with severe communication disorders worldwide. More than 4 million Americans and an estimated 97 million
citizens worldwide present with significant communication disorders that affect their ability to use speech and
language to communicate. For persons who have little or no intelligible speech and/or difficulty with language,
the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools is critical to support communication and
facilitate their participation in all aspects of daily life. It is estimated that globally 83% of individuals with severe
communication impairments do not receive needed communication supports from trainedprofessionals.
 ISAAC 2020 will be devoted to create a forum where researchers, practitioners, people who use AAC
and families critically explore the current status of people with severe communication impairments from all
cultures. The theme Communication Beyond Borders will challenge the AAC community to think beyond their
local work contexts to embrace broader global practices. The conference represents ISAAC’s efforts (1) to build
AAC professional capacity in countries that are traditionally underserved, and to encourage manufacturers,
researchers, people who use AAC, families, and professionals globally to take an active part in research that
ensures a more rapid translation of research into practice, and practice into research; (2) to keep developing
best practices and quality services for individuals who use AAC by staying informed and actively engaging with
practice innovations and advances; and (3) to foster partnerships and connections among and across local,
national and international communities. Nine different conference formats will be held, including master classes
taught by content experts and research discussion panels moderated by people with disabilities. Three specific
aims are proposed that will (1) bring experts to the meeting for presentation of the latest AAC science and to
interact with young professionals; (2) bring people with disabilities and underrepresented participants to the
meeting; and (3) support learning and informal networking. The Cancun...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9993908
- **Project number:** 1R13DC018750-01
- **Recipient organization:** OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** MELANIE FRIED-OKEN
- **Activity code:** R13 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $39,999
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-03-01 → 2022-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9993908

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9993908, 19th Biennial Conference of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) (1R13DC018750-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9993908. Licensed CC0.

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