10th Biennial ISAAC Research Symposium
Montreal, Canada August 8^th-9^th 2008

The ISAAC Research Symposium is an independent part of the ISAAC Biennial Conference, and follows the main conference. It will be held in Montreal, on August 8^th and 9^th 2008.

The aim of the Research Symposium is to create opportunities for in-depth discussions, which may be difficult to accommodate in the more structured schedule of the Main Conference.

The goals of the Symposium are:

1) to focus on theoretical, methodological and empirical issues for research and practice in augmentative and alternative communication; and

2) to identify areas where present knowledge is insufficient in order to expand the knowledge base of the field.

The discussions and presentations in the seminars may address:

o theory-driven challenges,
o reflections on empirical results and their significance for theory and practice, o arguments for promoting AAC for a particular group,
o explanations of success (or lack of success) of particular measures,
o other similar theoretical or methodological issues.

Seminars may also address aspects of AAC use and development that are indirectly related to clinical practice, such as linguistics, sociology, psychology, cognitive science, and social science.

The Research Symposium 2008 will open with a plenary session presented by distinguished keynote speaker.

There will then be five parallel seminars. Each seminar will last six hours: one afternoon session (3 hours) and one morning session (3 hours). Within this timeframe, the format is determined by the organizers of each proposal. The numbers of presentations within each seminar may vary. Sufficient time for in-depth discussion (a majority of the seminar) should be planned.

The Symposium will close with a plenary session in which the main issues discussed in each of the five seminars will be presented, followed by an open panel discussion.

Registration for the Research Symposium can be completed at the same time as registration for the main conference.

Proposals for research seminars (max. 3 pages) may be sent until 31st January 2008.
For more information please contact:

Prof. Dr. Dorothea Lage
email: dorothea.lage@fhnw.ch
University of Applied Sciences
Northwestern Switzerland School of Social Work
Institute for Integration and Participation
Riggenbachstrasse 16
CH-4600 Olten, Switzerland