Tracy Shepherd
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital / ISAAC
Tracy Shepherd is the Director of the Centralized Equipment Pool for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), operated by Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto, Canada. She is a speech-language pathologist with a longstanding commitment to advancing access and services for individuals who use AAC.
Her work focuses on improving access to communication technology and supporting clinicians through collaborative networks and systems-level initiatives. Tracy's research interests include the reliability of speech-generating devices, technology abandonment, outcome measurement, accessibility, and other areas of clinical practice such as teamwork, listening, and the impact of AAC on families.
Tracy has held several leadership roles within the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC), including serving as President from 2022 to 2024.
MY SESSIONS
Supporting AAC in Ontario, Canada: The Role of a Centralized Equipment Pool and Community of Practice
The Centralized Equipment Pool (CEP) for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) has supported access to communication technology across Ontario, Canada since 1991. The program manages a provincial pool of AAC equipment available for lease or purchase and distributes devices through a network of 27 AAC clinics. This coordinated system helps ensure timely access to appropriate technology for individuals with communication needs across a large and geographically diverse region.
In addition to equipment provision, the CEP facilitates a provincial Community of Practice (CoP) for AAC professionals. This network provides a forum for clinicians and service providers to collaborate, share knowledge, and strengthen clinical practice. The CoP includes hybrid educational events, professional learning opportunities, and initiatives designed to foster connection and knowledge exchange across the provincial AAC system.
This session will provide an overview of Ontario's centralized AAC equipment and collaboration model, highlighting key features of the system as well as the benefits and challenges associated with operating both a centralized equipment pool and a provincial AAC Community of Practice.