Talking Mats Advanced Module - Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) - July 2025 Intake Details

Talking Mats Advanced Module - Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) - July 2025 Intake

Talking Mats Advanced Module - Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) - July 2025 Intake

This is an expression of interest page, priority will be given to those employed in the public sector. Supported by funding from the National HSCP Office as part of a joint funding proposal with AOTI.

This is an advanced Talking Mats module, you must have completed the Talking Mats Foundation course to attend this course. 

Registration closes 9th May; you will be contacted as soon as possible thereafter, if your application is successful. 

There will be two intakes:

1. 10th June @10:30am with final reflection submission date of Tuesday 22nd July

2. 15th July @10:30am with final reflection submission date of Tuesday 26th August.

This is an expression of interest page for the July 2025 intake. 

About the course:

This is an advanced Talking Mats module, you must have completed the Talking Mats Foundation course to attend this course. 

This course is designed to be used by people who want to use Talking Mats in a context where there is already existing AAC support in place.

This course has been developed in partnership with Ace Centre and the Scottish Centre of Technology for the Communication Impaired (SCTCI).

This is a versatile resource that can be used to support long-term users of AAC, both in reviewing their current AAC systems, and to assist in introducing an AAC support system for the first time. The resource includes 3 Topics:

  • Your communication
  • Joining in conversations
  • How your AAC works

Structure of Course:

  • Online, self-directed learning using pre-recorded material and hard copy materials with be posted to you in advance of the start date;
  • Timing is flexible as self-directed but participants must agree to start the training on 15th July 2025;  
  • You must attend live 30 minute introductory session on 15th July at 10:30am to begin the course;
  • You have 6 weeks to complete training;
  • Takes about 2/3 hours to complete;
  • Final reflection due 26th August 2025.

Learning outcomes: 

The overall learning objective for this course is to ensure that the AAC users are at the heart of decision making and that necessary adaptions are in place to support those conversations.

The course is split into three different sections. Each section has its own learning objective as outlined below:

  • The Resource - recognise the different Topics and who they might be suitable for.
  • Access - recognise different positions, places and methods for a Thinker to access a Talking Mat.
  • Communication Dynamics - recognise the dynamics in a conversation, and appraise the process of using different people during a Talking Mat. 

This course is substantially supported by funding from the National HSCP Office. 

Priority will be given to those employed by the public health sector.

Anyone who signs up and does not complete the course will be subject to paying the full cost of the course.

IMPORTANT: Please read all the following pre-registration information before you proceed to register your interest in booking a place on this course using the button that appears at the end of page

Please take the time to read the Terms and Conditions for attending CPD events. You may view them here

If you are registering your interest for this course:

  • This course is open to IASLT members and non-members.
  • As this course is funded by the NHSCP office, for prioritisation you must be working in a  publicly funded health service
  • It is the applicant’s responsibility to make sure that the training course fulfils a CPD need identified as part of their own CPD planning.
  • You must commit to attending the entire course.
  • You must observe the cancellation policy.

This event has a limited number of places, the cost per attendee is significantly subsidised by funding from the National HSCP Office, applicants must give a minimum 10 days notice of cancellation, by emailing kathleencpdadmin@iaslt.ie

This notice is required so that we can reallocate cancelled places.

Failure to give 10 days notice will result in:

  • Exclusion from further HSE funded CPD events for minimum 12 months.
  • Requirement to reimburse the FULL cost of the course.

Before registering for this event, please log in to your IASLT User (Visitor) or Member account.
If you are not already registered as an IASLT User or Member you will have the option to register as a User or Member when you click on the Log-in Button which will appear below. The process of becoming a user is free and only takes a few minutes.

When you are logged in as a member or user, a 'Register Your Interest' button will appear at the bottom of this page.

You must complete all the questions that will appear on the screen when you click on Register your Interest 

You will be contacted if you are approved for this course with a payment link.

If it is your first time to register for an event please visit our Upcoming CPD Events page and scroll down to the FAQs  which provide all the information you need about registering for an IASLT event either as an IASLT member or visitor to our site. 

Payments need to be made via the payment link provided as this is an integral step in our automatic event management system. Once you have made your payment via the link, your event registration is fully processed and you will receive your receipt and be included in other event notifications to participants.

If your employer will be covering the cost of this course,  we suggest that if possible you make the payment and recoup the cost. If this isn't possible, you may also copy your payment link and send to your accounts department so that they can make the payment by card. Please email Kathleencpdadmin@iaslt.ie if you need any assistance  or if this will cause a delay in your payment. We will be very happy to assist you or your accounts department.

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Please email kathleencpdadmin@iaslt.ie  with any queries you may have about this event.  There may be a delay in responding to your query if it is sent to any other email address.

This registration fee includes administrative costs.

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