On June 10-11, St. Andrew’s Georgian University hosted the international conference and practical workshops on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), titled “I HAVE A VOICE”.
The events were organized by Consort Georgia within the framework of the project “I HAVE A VOICE - Building Academic Foundations for Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Georgia”. The project is implemented with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), within the Czech Challenge Fund 2025, and is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.
The project is implemented by Consort Georgia and Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic. The project partners are Ilia State University, SANGU, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, and Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University.
The conference and workshops aimed to support the development of Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Georgia, share international experience, and strengthen professional cooperation. The events brought together academic staff, practitioners, students, persons with disabilities, and their family members.
During the events, participants attended presentations by international and Georgian specialists, learned about contemporary approaches to Augmentative and Alternative Communication, assistive technologies, and international practices, and took part in practical and interactive working sessions.
The conference and workshops addressed contemporary methods of communication support, the use of Core Vocabulary in communication development, strategies for supporting functional communication, the creation of adapted and interactive learning resources, the use of Eye-Tracking technologies, and the prospects for developing assistive technologies for Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Georgia.
The events were led by Mariam Gelashvili, founder of Consort Georgia and invited lecturer at Ilia State University and SANGU. Participants also had the opportunity to learn from Associate Professor Jaromír Maštalíř, Ph.D. of Palacký University, Czech Republic, and AAC specialists Jana Šarounová and Lenka Říhová.
The event marked an important step toward strengthening the academic and practical foundations of Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Georgia and contributes to the development of inclusive education and equal opportunities for people with communication difficulties.
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