Augmentative Communication Strategies and Implementation for Early Childhood

Leslie Cahanin, MS, CCC-SLP, received her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders from LSU in 2003 and her Master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2006. Leslie has practiced speech therapy in the public school setting, outpatient rehabilitation, and private practice. Most of her experience has been in St. Tammany Parish Schools, serving on the district’s Assistive Technology Team, where she focuses on AAC.

Elizabeth Ardoin is a speech language pathologist with 21 years of experience practicing. She graduated from the University of Lafayette in 2002. She has worked in a variety of settings ranging from early childhood intervention, school based SLP, and a variety of medical settings. Most recently she has been a member of the Assistive technology team since 2007, and has been the Coordinator of Assistive Technology for St Tammany Parish Public Schools since 2018. She has a passion for providing students with complex communicators a functional communication system they can use with independence to communicate and assist fellow SLPs and caregivers to support complex communicators using their AAC system.