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2027 Annual Conference Sessions

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Moving the Needle Towards Competency-based Education in CSD (0.80 CEUs)

March 31 - Pre-Conf (8 AM - 5:30 PM)

Location
A704
Speakers
  • Carol Dudding - Professor
    Carol Dudding, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is Professor at James Madison University. Carol's areas of research center on the uses of technology for clinical education, including simulations, telesupervision and distance education. Carol is an ASHA Fellow and Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator. Carol served on ASHA's task force on competency frameworks. Her leadership roles include VP for Standards and Ethics, ASHA Board of Directors and is a proud Past President of CAPCSD.
  • Ingrid Hinkley - Director of Clinical Education, Residential SLP Program
    Ingrid Hinkley, M.A., CCC-SLP is the Director of Clinical Education for the Residential SLP program at James Madison University
  • Radhika Aravamudhan - Chair
    Radhika Aravamudhan, PhD, EdD, CCC-A, is Professor and Chair of Osborne Audiology at Drexel University and former Dean of the Osborne College of Audiology at Salus University. An experienced academic leader and educator, she has advanced evidence-based educational practices, curriculum innovation, and interprofessional education across academic and clinical settings. Dr. Aravamudhan served on the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Competency Frameworks AdHoc Committee, contributing to the development of competency-based frameworks.
  • Sarah Teter - Clinical Educator & Lecturer
    Ms. Sarah Teter, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a clinical educator and lecturer at James Madison University. Her areas of clinical expertise include a range of pediatric disorders including speech sounds, language, and early intervention. Sarah also has specialization in autism spectrum disorders and alternative augmentative communication. She is currently pursuing her PhD in speech-language pathology with a research focus in competency-based education.
Summary
Provide an interactive, intermediate-level full-day workshop that equips graduate faculty, clinical educators, and program leaders with practical strategies and tools for implementing competency-based education across academic and clinical learning environments. Participants will examine common challenges and opportunities associated with CBE implementation in graduate CSD programs and explore approaches for fostering engagement and change management. Through guided activities, case examples, and collaborative planning exercises, attendees will learn to integrate competency-based principles into existing courses and curricula by aligning competencies, instructional methods, learning experiences, and assessment practices. Participants will leave with actionable resources and implementation plans to advance competency-based education within their own programs.

Learning Objectives:
  • Examine challenges and opportunities associated with implementing competency-based education in graduate CSD programs.
  • Integrate competency-based principles into existing courses and curricula through intentional alignment of competencies, instruction, and assessment.
  • Create assessment strategies and feedback processes that support competency development, learner progression, and continuous program improvement.

Rethinking Audiology Education: Evidence, Workforce, and the Path Forward (0.40 CEUs)

March 31 - Pre-Conf (1:30 PM - 5:30 PM)

Location
A707
Speakers
  • Devon Weist - Associate Professor and AuD Program Coordinator
    Devon Weist, AuD, is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She teaches across the audiology curriculum and is actively involved in clinical education, student mentorship, and preceptor development. Her clinical and scholarly interests include vestibular assessment, tinnitus management, hearing conservation, and innovative approaches to audiology education and workforce development.
  • Amyn Amlani - Professor & Department Chair
    Amyn M. Amlani, PhD, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Allied Health, University of Oklahoma Health Campus, where he directs the ARIA Lab (Audiology Research in Implementation and Access). His work bridges clinical audiology, health economics, and health policy to advance workforce sustainability and access to hearing healthcare. Dr. Amlani is Immediate Past President of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA).
Summary
Audiology education faces growing challenges, including workforce shortages, concerns about student return on investment, evolving healthcare delivery models, and increasing demands on clinical training. This interactive workshop will examine current workforce and access-to-care data through the lens of the Structural Determinants Framework of Hearing Healthcare Adoption (SDF-HHA) and compare audiology's educational model with those of other health professions. Participants will explore how Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) are used to define readiness for independent practice and guide competency-based education. Through facilitated small-group activities, attendees will draft and evaluate potential EPAs for AuD graduates using real-world learner scenarios while beginning to identify and outline key educational changes needed within AuD programs. The workshop will generate a framework to support future professional dialogue and curricular innovation.

Learning Objectives:
  • Describe current workforce, access-to-care, and educational trends influencing the future of audiology education and practice.
  • Compare audiology's educational model with competency-based approaches used in other health professions, including the use of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs).
  • Develop and evaluate draft EPAs for entry-level AuD graduates as a framework for defining readiness for independent clinical practice.

The CSD Simulation Masterclass: Evidence-Based Scenario Architecture, Facilitation, and Assessment (0.40 CEUs)

March 31 - Pre-Conf (1:30 PM - 5:30 PM)

Location
A706
Speakers
  • Meredith Baker-Rush - Program Director for the IPHS Doctoral Program, Interprofessional Research Faculty Lead, DeWitt C. Baldwin Institute
    Meredith Baker-Rush, PhD, MS, CCC-SLP/L, CHSE, FNAP, is a Professor & Program Director for the Interprofessional Healthcare Studies (IPHS) Doctoral Program in the College of Health Professions, Interprofessional Research Faculty Lead, DeWitt C. Baldwin Institute at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFUMS). She is one of the lead faculty in RFUMS Department of Healthcare Simulation and holds a secondary faculty appointment in the Chicago Medical School.
Summary
As Communication Sciences and Disorders academic programs adapt to updated ASHA certification standards and clinical placement shortages, healthcare simulation offers a vital, evidence-based strategy to cultivate clinical judgment without risk to patients. However, simulation efficacy hinges on two foundational pillars: intentional architecture and psychologically safe facilitation. This interactive session bridges educational theory and clinical execution. Part 1 establishes the architecture of creation, applying Cognitive Load Theory, Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle, Bloom's Taxonomy, and Backward Design to select optimal modalities. Part 2 transitions to next steps in the instructional design and application including prebrief, delivery, debrief, psychological safety, and assessment—both formative and summative models. Participants leave with actionable templates to design, build, and elevate simulation rigor across curricula.

Learning Objectives:
  • Apply Backward Design principles, educational theories (Cognitive Load, Kolb’s Experiential Learning), and ASHA/CAA standards to align CSD clinical competencies with appropriate simulation modalities and develop foundational scenario elements.
  • Construct psychologically safe learning environments by executing standardized pre-briefing containers (opening statements, fiction contracts) and selecting appropriate post-simulation review methods (task-oriented feedback vs. reflective debriefing frameworks).
  • Develop a complete, actionable CSD simulation blueprint for speech-language pathology or audiology curricula that incorporates formative and summative assessment models to measure learner metacognition and clinical judgment.

Newcomers' Orientation

March 31 - Newcomers' Orient. (5:30 PM - 6 PM)

Location
A602
Summary
The Newcomers' Orientation is designed for new conference attendees and individuals interested in learning more about CAPCSD and what to expect from the conference. This orientation is a fantastic opportunity to: - Connect with Peers: Meet fellow newcomers, faculty members, and professionals from across the country. - Gain Insights: The conference is full of many innovative sessions and networking opportunities. Come get the inside scoop on different sessions and ways to make the most of the jam-packed conference schedule. We look forward to welcoming you to the CAPCSD community!

Welcome Reception & Exhibits

March 31 - Welcome Reception (6 PM - 8 PM)

Location
Atrium A
Summary
Join us to kick off the 2027 Annual Conference at the Welcome Reception, hosted by CALIPSO, where you can network with colleagues, visit our exhibitors and sponsors, and enjoy hors d'oeuvres and beverages.

General Session (0.15 CEUs)

April 1 - General Session (7:50 AM - 10 AM)

Location
Atrium BC
Speakers
  • Kelly Swords - Board-Certified Pediatric Urologist; Associate Professor
    Dr. Kelly Swords is a board-certified pediatric urologist and associate professor of urology at University of California San Diego and Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego. After earning her medical degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Dr. Swords went on to complete a residency in urology at the University of South Florida. She then continued her medical education with a pediatric urology fellowship at Children's National Health System.
  • Christie Needham - Professor, Director of Clinical Education
    Christie Needham, MA, CCC-SLP, is a Professor and Director of Clinical Education at Baldwin Wallace University's Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. She has been at Baldwin Wallace University since 2006. Christie's research has focused on clinical education, robotics, and technology. She has taught coursework including the topics of AAC, clinical writing, clinical management, and professional issues. She is excited to be serving as the President on CAPCSD's Board of Directors for 2026-2027.
Summary
The opening General Session will include the Plenary Session, President's Address, and Welcome and Announcements.

Plenary: Feedback: Everyone wants it, Kind of. (0.15 CEUs)

Feedback is one of the foundations of professional growth, clinical excellence, and team culture, yet it is a frequently mismanaged component of professional communication. This presentation explores the dual dynamics of giving actionable, constructive guidance and cultivating the psychological safety required to receive and act on critique effectively.
Designed for educators, clinicians, and professionals, this session gives structural frameworks for delivering receivable feedback without eliciting defensiveness. Simultaneously, it addresses the active cognitive and emotional processes involved in receiving feedback, reframing external evaluation as a strategic tool for continuous self-assessment and performance enhancement. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to transform everyday evaluations into collaborative conversations for professional development.

Learning Objectives:
  • Formulate actionable and consistent feedback.
  • Integrate feedback received openly within professional contexts.
  • Describe how to cultivate a collaborative climate supportive of ongoing evaluation and dialogue.


    • President's Address: CAPCSD's 2026-2027 President, Christie Needham, will kick off the conference with her remarks about CAPCSD's year-to-date happenings and what's coming up next.
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