Master Class Knowledge Exchange Speaker Series – Season 25
An online series distinguished by its focus on aphasia and real-life participation. The webinars provide an opportunity for practicing clinicians to hear from a prestigious group of international aphasia researchers. Webinars will be available Live and Archive (Recorded).
specific products or clinical procedures.
Please refer to each course description for instructional level and ASHA CEUs
Date/Time:
LIVE: September 21, 2026 – 5pm to 6pm ET | ARCHIVE: September 22 – October 22, 2026
ASHA CEUs: 0.1 (Intermediate level)
Webinar Description
This presentation will explore evidence based cross-linguistic aphasia management supported by interpreters. The challenges and specialised nature of this work will be discussed, along with strategies, models and frameworks to support more effective SLP-interpreter collaboration in clinical practice, and increased cultural and linguistic appropriateness of aphasia intervention.
Learning Outcomes
- Recognize the unique challenges of delivering aphasia therapy through interpreters.
- Identify practical strategies to improve communication and collaboration with interpreters.
- Describe changes they can make in their own practice and areas for further learning.
Time Ordered Agenda
- 17:00 – 17:05: Introductions & Disclosures
- 17:05 – 17:15: Setting the scene – increasing cultural and linguistic diversity and language discordance between SLPs and clients
- 17:15 – 17:25: A complex area of specialized practice – Challenges reported by SLPs and interpreters
- 17:25 – 17:45: Models and tools to support collaboration between speech-language pathologists and interpreters
- 17:45 – 17:50: Take-home messages
- 17:50 – 18:00: Questions & Discussion
Meet the Presenter
Dr. Chelsea Larkman is a senior speech pathologist & postdoctoral researcher at University of Sydney, affiliated with The Centre of Research Excellence in Aphasia Recovery and Rehabilitation (Aphasia CRE). Her PhD focused on cultural & linguistic adaptation of aphasia rehabilitation, exploring the complexities of delivering therapy across languages. With over 15 years of clinical practice, she has extensive experience in collaborating with interpreters in hospitals.
Disclosures
- Financial: Dr. Larkman receives a salary from the University of Sydney. Dr. Larkman is the recipient of the NHMRC Ideas Grant (APP2003210).
- Non-Financial: Dr. Larkman has a research partnership with The Centre of Research Excellence in Aphasia Recovery and Rehabilitation, La Trobe University.
Date/Time:
LIVE: October 19, 2026 – 12pm to 1pm ET | ARCHIVE: October 20 – November 20, 2026
ASHA CEUs: 0.1 (Intermediate level)
Webinar Description
This presentation will review AI systems used within aphasia care and advocate for centering people with aphasia in AI development. Key aphasia-related AI applications addressed will include AI-generated testing and therapy materials, enhanced alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) devices, accessible research and educational materials, and diagnostic models predicting recovery.
Learning Outcomes
- Apply AI-powered resources, including natural language processing (NLP) systems, AI-powered AAC tools, and image generators, to support clinical tasks and improve access to information for people with aphasia and their families.
- Analyze ethical challenges associated with artificial intelligence (AI) use in aphasia care, including bias, representation, and potential misalignment between developer priorities and the needs of people affected by AI-informed decisions.
- Evaluate strategies for designing and implementing AI systems that prioritize the voices, preferences, and lived experiences of people with aphasia and their families.
Time Ordered Agenda
- 12:00 – 12:05: Introductions & Disclosures
- 12:05 – 12:15: Section 1: AI foundations for aphasia clinicians
- 12:15 – 12:35: Section 2: Practical applications of AI in aphasia care
- 12:35 – 12:40: Section 3: Evaluating AI in clinical practice
- 12:40 – 12:50: Section 4: Ethical and social implications of AI in aphasia rehabilitation
- 12:50 – 13:00: Questions & Discussion
Meet the Presenter
Dr. Brent Archer earned an SLP degree from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2006, and worked as an SLP/audiologist in rural South Africa. In 2012, he entered the Applied Languages and Speech Sciences PhD program at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He is now an Associate Professor in the Communication Disorders and Sciences Department at Bowling Green State University.
Disclosures
- Financial: Dr. Archer receives a salary from Bowling Green State University, where he is employed as a professor.
- Non-Financial: Dr. Archer is a board member of Aphasia Access.
Date/Time:
LIVE: November 23, 2026 – 12pm to 1pm ET | ARCHIVE: November 24 – December 24, 2026
ASHA CEUs: 0.1 (Intermediate level)
Webinar Description
The State of Aphasia report, originally published in 2018, has been comprehensively updated with new research and recommendations for aphasia services around the world. This presentation will describe trends in research related to the impact of aphasia on the person and family, identified gaps in aphasia services and recommendations to improve aphasia care.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe current findings regarding the consequences of aphasia and trends in services to address these.
- Identify gaps in services for people with aphasia and their families.
- Identify recommendations for improved services based on a comprehensive review of the literature, surveys and relevant websites.
Time Ordered Agenda
- 12:00 – 12:10: Introductions & Disclosures
- 12:10 – 12:25: Trends in aphasia research & services
- 12:25 – 12:35: Identified gaps in services
- 12:35 – 12:45: Recommendations for improved aphasia care
- 12:45 – 13:00: Questions & Discussion
Meet the Presenter
Dr. Nina Simmons-Mackie is Professor Emeritus at Southeastern Louisiana University. She has received the Honors of ASHA, ANCDS & the Louisiana Speech-Language-Hearing Association, as well as the Audrey Holland Speak Up Award and the Robin Tavistock Award for Aphasia. Her interests include aphasia, participation-oriented approaches to aphasia, qualitative research & social model philosophies.
Disclosures
- Financial: Dr. Nina Simmons-Mackie has no financial disclosures.
- Non-Financial: Dr. Nina Simmons-Mackie has no non-financial disclosures.
Date/Time:
LIVE: December 7, 2026 – 12pm to 1pm ET | ARCHIVE: December 8, 2026 – January 8, 2027
ASHA CEUs: 0.1 (Intermediate level)
Webinar Description
Primary progressive aphasia affects communication through changes in multiple domains beyond language. This webinar explores these changes from a person-centred-perspective and reviews evidence-based approaches to communication assessment.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe communication changes across the continuum of primary progressive aphasia.
- Recognize communication changes beyond language that affect communication in primary progressive aphasia.
- Identify person-centred approaches to assessing communication in primary progressive aphasia.
Time Ordered Agenda
- 12:00 – 12:05: Introductions & Disclosures
- 12:05 – 12:15: Understanding primary progressive aphasia
- 12:15 – 12:30: Multifaceted communication changes
- 12:30 – 12:45: Person-centred assessment
- 12:45 – 13:00: Questions & Discussion
Meet the Presenter
Dr. Kate Davies is a registered speech-language pathologist and Assistant Professor of Teaching in the School of Audiology and Speech Sciences at the University of British Columbia. Her work focuses on dementia-related communication changes and communication inclusivity in health professional education.
Disclosures
- Financial: Dr. Kate Davies receives a salary from the University of British Columbia. Some research discussed was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
- Non-Financial: Dr. Kate Davies is an investigator with the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging.
Satisfactory completion of each webinar will require (to be reported for ASHA CEU credits*):
- Attending the webinar in full
- Submitting a webinar evaluation, which includes self-assessment of learning
*You will be required to complete an intent to earn ASHA credits at the end of each webinar
Registration Details
FEES:
Individual Registration (4 Webinars Series): $120 CAD
Group Rate for 12 Participants (4 Webinars Series): $250 CAD
Group Rate for 30 Participants (4 Webinars Series): $350 CAD
*Aphasia Institute is committed to providing universal access to all of our educational offerings. Please contact us at training@aphasia.ca or call us at 416-226-3636 if you require any accommodations.
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