Our Mission
Simplifying augmentative communication evaluations with one-of-a-kind toolkits, online resources, and workshops.
AAC TechConnect
Debby McBride, MS, CCC-SLP, founded the company in 2005, when her extensive experience in the field revealed the areas without resources to assist professionals in evaluating individuals with complex communication needs (CCN). As the variety of device choices expanded to several hundred, sorting through them became very difficult. As a result of these perceived needs, Debby created this website with its many AAC resources. Her team has put together free information on AAC devices in order to be a “central source” for helping you research device choices and options. In addition, there are fee-for-service online products available to assist when doing AAC device research or AAC evaluations. We are constantly changing with new information, updates, and products. We are also happy to announce that we currently are a project of the AAC-RERC; a collaborative research group dedicated to the development of effective AAC technology.
Debby McBride, MS., CCC-SLP; Founder
Debby McBride, has worked in many areas of augmentative communication over the past 26 years. Her broad and unique perspective comes from being a clinician in outpatient hospital setting, in schools, rehabilitation centers, and residential settings. This clinical work is nicely complemented by her past experience as a manufacturer’s representative (for AAC devices), and also as a multi-line distributor for her own company. She is an experienced presenter, having presented at numerous educational sessions at national, regional, and local conferences and workshops.
Sheralyn– Office Manager and Debby’s right hand!
Sheralyn has run her own business and is skilled in customer service, bookkeeping, managing office policies and procedures, and identifying and implementing change in order to streamline productivity. Sheralyn’s background includes sixteen years supervising film & television production offices with previous experience in training and development for a major international airline. She is an experienced trainer and presenter, having presented at local and overseas workshops.
(…with Bentley!)
Jeryl Swantack- Production Assistant
Jeryl is hard at work assembling our toolkits to get them ready to help evaluators to do their best job with simple and easy to use communication tools. . . .
Consultant Staff
Lisa G. Bardach, MS, CCC-SLP
Lisa is a certified Speech-Language Pathologist with over 20 years of experience providing neurogenic rehabilitation to adult and pediatric clients. She is in private practice in specializing in evaluation and treatment for individuals requiring augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Ms. Bardach is an adjunct faculty member of the University at Buffalo, where she has presented workshops in the area of alternative access to SGDs. She has authored multiple professional presentations on AAC on local and national levels, in addition to several publications and has served on ASHA’s Medicare Implementation Team.
Tanya Rose Curtis, MS, CCC-SLP
Tanya Rose loves to share her passion for AAC with clinicians, teachers, AAC users, and family members. In addition to direct services provided through her private practice, Ms. Curtis provides remote consultation, training and support to AAC users, therapists, and families across the U.S. and abroad via web conferencing. At this time she is particularly interested in supporting and teaching eye gaze communication methods, and literacy skill development for people who use AAC. She has developed content and teaches AAC evaluation workshops for AAC TechConnect.com, and frequently presents at Closing the Gap and ATIA conferences. It is her joy to witness AAC users demonstrating functional communication skills, and to train others in how to make it happen. Ms. Curtis is a graduate of Western Oregon University, and currently resides in a rural Montana community with her husband and three children. She has been practicing in AAC for 20+ years.
Mary Ann Abbott, SLP.D., CCC-SLP, ATP
Mary Ann is a speech pathologist with over 17 years of experience serving students with complex communication needs. She is currently working as an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) consultant for Los Angeles Unified School District. Dr. Abbott is an adjunct faculty member at California State University, Los Angeles. She has served on the executive committee and the board of directors for USSAAC and is currently a member of the steering committee for the AAC Special Interest Group of ASHA. She has presented at state, national, and international conferences on AAC topics. . . plus enjoys spending time with her husband, children, and grandchildren 
Brian Cecil, MBA
Brian grew up in AAC through his parents who were manufacturers of AAC technology. Brian brings more than 14 years of experience in web and internet technologies. Brian owns a web development and internet marketing company with clients in AAC, the music industry, medical industry, real estate, food services, and more.
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Mary Fantozzi, MS, CCC-SLP
Mary is a Speech-Language Pathologist who has worked clinically in the public schools, skilled nursing facility and acute care setting for the last 10 years. She has expertise in Augmentative/Alternative Communication (AAC), dysphagia and phonological disorders. She provides large and small group trainings on various aspects of AAC including evaluations, implementation and device features/options. She has a particular interest in team based AAC evaluations and implementation.
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Juli Trautman Pearson, MS, CCC-SLP
Juli Pearson is currently working as an acute care/rehab specialist at University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora, CO. She was previously at Boulder Community Hospital, CO, where she collaborated to develop an AAC in acute care program, specializing in neurogenic cognitive communication deficits, dysphasia, & TBI. Prior to that, she was at Duke University Medical Center where she helped develop their Assistive Technology and Aphasia Centers. Her M.S. is from UNC Chapel Hilt and she’s presented at various national conferences and written on the topics of AAC, ALS, Aphasia, and Dysphagia. She co-authored the book Pictures that Talk and has written a chapter in the book Dysphagia in Rare Conditions, edited by Jay Rosenbek and Harrison Jones.