Episode #223: Theme Based Collaborative Groups with Gabriella Cameron & Jennifer Kent

At the ASHA conference in Seattle, I had the opportunity to meet Gabriella Cameron and Jennifer Kent, who presented on their Theme-Based Collaborative Groups within the Endeavour Program at Ivymount, a nonpublic, publicly funded special education environment serving students aged 5–21.

Gabriella and Jen’s theme-based groups are embedded within Endeavour, offering structured but flexible learning experiences tailored to each student. Any student who can tolerate working in a group is a candidate, as the focus is on skill exposure rather than mastery, creating opportunities for participation at varying levels.

Each group consists of 5–6 students, each supported by a 1:1 aide, alongside a specialist (SLP, OT, PT) and a group leader. The framework includes:

1. Selecting a theme (e.g., Martin Luther King Jr.).
2. Adapting a story/song for accessibility.
3. Identifying vocabulary using a language board.
4. Asking WH-questions, allowing responses through speech or AAC.
5. Engaging in a supplemental activity, such as an OT craft or a PT movement task.

Looking ahead, Gabriella and Jen are exploring ways to measure skill acquisition, enhance motivation, incorporate high-tech AAC, and share their resources more broadly—paving the way for more inclusive and meaningful learning experiences.

#autism #speechtherapy

Today’s Guest:

Gabriella Cameron M.S., CCC-SLP

Gabriella Cameron earned a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology and a Bachelor of Arts in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences both from Loyola University Maryland. This is her fifth year working at the Ivymount School, Rockville, MD. She has worked with students from many different populations including Intellectual Disabilities, Autism, and articulation production needs. She has an interest in helping students develop their social language and self-advocacy skills, providing education to staff for supporting students with augmentative and alternative communication, and creating individualized visuals to facilitate communication during routines and group activities.

Jennifer Kent M.A., CCC-SLP, BCBA, LBA

Jen is a dually certified Speech-Language Pathologist and Board-Certified Behavior Analyst. She has over 9 years of experience working with autistic children and young adults. She is a program services coordinator at the Ivymount school in the Endeavors School Program and a Speech-Language Pathology Consultant in the Early Childhood Clinic. She is interested in assistive technology to support communication, alternative and augmentative dynamic assessment procedures and incorporating language-based strategies into academic programming.

What’s Inside:

• Small groups foster an inclusive learning approach.
• The repeatable framework of theme-based collaborative groups.
• The value of skill exposure.
• An environment that increases multidisciplinary support. 
• Future goals for theme-based collaborative groups.

Mentioned In This Episode

• Membership – ABA Speech  
• ABA Speech: Home

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