#288: Hot Topics in Speech and ABA with Dr. Melanie Olson Giles

What happens when two SLPs and BCBAs get together to tackle the biggest conversations in our fields? You get an honest discussion about collaboration, research, and keeping students at the center of every decision.

Today, we're flipping the script and I'm answering some of the questions I hear most often about speech therapy and ABA, from choosing AAC vocabulary to navigating current topics like gestalt language processing, prompting, and aided language modeling. I share why I believe we have to move beyond an "all or nothing" mindset and focus on what the research tells us while making thoughtful, ethical decisions for each individual learner. 

Dr. Giles and I also dig into functional communication, response forms, and why collecting meaningful data should guide every intervention we use. My hope is that these conversations help bridge the gap between disciplines so we can spend less time debating and more time helping our students communicate with confidence.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• Why collaboration between SLPs and BCBAs leads to better outcomes for learners
• How I think about AAC vocabulary, response forms, and functional communication
• My perspective on gestalt language processing, prompting, and current research
• Why data driven decision making should shape every communication intervention

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