Webinar Recording: Craving Inclusion: Dysphagia, QOL, Participation and Inclusion

Webinar recording 

Craving Inclusion: Listening to the impact of Dysphagia on QOL, Participation and Inclusion

Presented by Dr Rebecca Smith, Fiona Given and Professor Bronwyn Hemsley

Webinar overview

The is a recording of a workshop recorded live in February 2025. 

This webinar will include a very brief overview of an evidence-based model of social and quality of life impacts of dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) on people with either acquired or lifelong difficulty swallowing, who also often have communication support needs that also impacts on mealtime communication, choice, and control, and inclusion.

The webinar will ‘mash’ findings on the lived experiences research of:

1. Dr Rebecca Smith’s PhD conducted at University of Technology Sydney (UTS) examined the impacts of dysphagia and food shaping on mealtime -related quality of life as well as the feasibility of 3D food printing, and her new research through Western Sydney University extending this to children and young people; and
2. Professor Bronwyn Hemsley and Fiona Given’s research on 3D food printing, eating out with disability, and the impacts of dysphagia on communication and inclusion across multiple settings.

These results are ‘mixed together’ to ‘shape’ a webinar to provide insights into how people with dysphagia can be included in designing ways to improve their own mealtimes.

This webinar will also consider how far the knowledge obtained so far also relates to children with lifelong disability who are on their journey towards self-advocacy and learning how to drive decisions about their mealtime supports.

The webinar will include a live Q & A from the audience.

Learning outcomes

1. An understanding of an evidence-based model of social and quality of life impacts of dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) on people with either acquired or lifelong difficulty swallowing.
2. Awareness and understanding into how people with dysphagia can be included in designing ways to improve their own mealtimes.
3. Understanding of how we can adjust support, participation and inclusion as professionals and supporters of people with swallowing and communication support needs. 
4. Awareness and knowledge from the perspectives of people with dysphagia and communication disability, and considerations of current and future technologies including future 3D food printing and generative artificial intelligence (AI) for mealtime management.

Target audience

Speech pathologists, support workers, parents, people who are supporting a person(s) with dysphagia, people living with dysphagia. 

Workshop details 

• This is a recording of a workshop presented for AGOSCI in February 2025 

• This workshop will also be available to purchase on demand for 12 months 

Presenters

Dr Rebecca Smith is a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist and lecturer at Western Sydney University.

Fiona Given is a Research Associate and lived experience researcher who has recently completed an autoethnography on eating out as a person with cerebral palsy and dysphagia who uses AAC to communicate.

Professor Bronwyn Hemsley is a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist and Head of Speech Pathology at the University of Technology Sydney.

Presenter Disclosure

Dr Rebecca Smith received funding from Western Sydney University through a Research Start-Up Grant (2024-2025) and a 2024 Early Career Research Start-up Grant, a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Post Graduate Scholarship awarded to Rebecca Smith (APP1191359) (January 2020–March 2022) and an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship (April 2019–October 2022).

Fiona Given’s research was funded by the UTS Disability Access and Inclusion Grant Scheme 2024.

Professor Hemsley’s research was funded by the NHMRC Equipment Grant for purchase of the 3D food printer and the Australian Research Council Discovery Grant (2020-2024) and a grant from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (2020-2022).

AGOSCI Disclosure

AGOSCI is grateful to Rebecca, Fiona and Bronwyn's time presenting this webinar.  Ticket prices are set to cover Rebecca and Fiona's speaker fee. Bronwyn has waived her speaker fee for this workshop. 

AGOSCI is an independent body and does not endorse individual products or brands.

AGOSCI acknowledges the presence and contributions of all suppliers and resources available in the Australian AAC marketplace.

Registration and cancellation policy 

Registration is only confirmed upon full payment of fee. Please note total ticket price will include an additional $0.69 + 0.7% per transaction service fee. To access the discounted rate for members you must be logged into your AGOSCI member account prior to registration. 

• 100% refund until 60 days before event

• 50% refund between 8-59 days before event

• No refunds within 0-7 days before event start date

Applications for registrations are subject to final approval by AGOSCI to ensure fair and equal access to events across organisations.

Upon all positions being filled, please email education@agosci.org.au to be added to the waitlist.