Guest speaker Nancy Helm-Estabrooks, ScD, CCC-SLP, BC-ANCDS is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences at Western Carolina University where she served as the Brewer Smith Distinguished Professor. She also holds the position of Adjunct Research Professor at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. She was affiliated with the Harold Goodglass Aphasia Research Center and Boston University School of Medicine for 32 years. For seven years she was a Research Scientist at the National Center for Neurogenic Communication Disorders, University of Arizona. She is Board Certified by the Academy of Neurologic Communication Disorder (ANCDS).

Her awards include American Speech and Hearing Association and ANCDS Honors. She is an ASHA Fellow. Dr. Helm-Estabrooks has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, seven books, 21 chapters and six standardized tests. To date, Dr. Helm-Estabrooks has presented over 300 scholarly papers/poster presentations, short courses, mini-seminars, and workshops to professional and scholarly conferences throughout North America as well as Europe and Central and South America.

Who Should Attend?
This workshop is appropriate for experienced speech-language pathologists and other health care professionals who work with patients with aphasia.

1. Describe the “process approach” to assessment of people with aphasia (PWA).
2. Conduct informal examinations that flexibly probe cognitive-linguistic strengths and weakness of PWA and yield individual behavioral profiles to be used in planning effective treatment programs.
3. Give examples of information gleaned from use of the “process approach” to assessment of PWA and describe the importance of this information for determining appropriate treatment programs.
4. Summarize two studies showing that the relative integrity of nonlinguistic cognitive skills is crucial to functional use of skills targeted in aphasia therapy.

Course Abstract
During this one-day course, Dr. Nancy Helm-Estabrooks will describe and illustrate the “process approach” to aphasia assessment and treatment while the audience observes actual, hands-on evaluation of 2 people with aphasia in a Grand Rounds format. The “process approach” establishes individual strengths, weaknesses, cognitive styles, and strategies by going beyond the formal examination to dynamically probe, explore, and carefully record responses to a variety of stimuli and changes in task parameters. The information yielded by this flexible, online exploration of spared and impaired abilities forms the basis for successful approaches to aphasia treatment. It further facilitates discussion of the implications of individualistic behavioral profiles for differential diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. The Grand Rounds format provides an opportunity to teach through presentation and examination of people with aphasia who volunteer to attend the course. Audience participation will be encouraged.

Agenda

8:15 - 8:45	Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:45 - 9:00	Opening Remarks
9:00 - 10:15	The “process approach” to aphasia assessment
10:15 - 10:30	Break
10:30 - 12:00	Aphasia Grand Rounds Case 1
12:00 - 1:00	Lunch
1:00 - 2:30	“Process approach” to aphasia treatment
2:30 - 2:45	Break
2:45 - 4:15	Aphasia Grand Rounds Case 2
4:15 - 4:30	Discussion / Summary of “Take Home” Information

Continuing Education Credits


This course is offered for .6 ASHA CEU’s (Professional area, Advanced level). Application has been made to the Maryland Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathologists for 6.0 continuing education units.

Time & Place
This program will be held on Friday, April 13, 2012, from 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in National Rehabilitation Hospital’s auditorium, located on the ground floor.

Registration Fees

	Early	Regular
Single registration	$210	$240
Three or more from the same institution (Mail-in registration only; All names must be submitted at the same time)	$185	$210
MedStar employees	$175	$200
Students	$130	$160

Registration and payment must be received by March 26, 2012 for early registration rates. Registration fees include the cost of attendance, course materials, continental breakfast, refreshments and lunch.

Cancellation Policy
All cancellations must be received in writing no later than March 26, 2012. Refunds are not available after this date. There is a $50.00 administrative fee on all refunds. NRH reserves the right to cancel or change a program for due cause. NRH cancellation will result in a full refund of tuition.