For speech pathologists who want confidence assessing and treating CAS...
It's time to introduce the:
CAS Academy
By Olga Komadina
More than a course. An ongoing mentorship experience for speech pathologists supporting children with CAS.
Recorded learning modules, live mentoring calls, case discussions, therapy demonstrations, assessment frameworks, downloadable resources and a growing community of speech pathologists committed to improving outcomes for children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech.
Support when you need it, guided by over 20 years of experience working exclusively with CAS.
Inside the OKAT CAS Academy
“The OKAT CAS ACADEMY strengthened my confidence in assessing and supporting children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech.”
The 6-month CAS Mentor Program strengthened and extended my clinical skills in Childhood Apraxia of Speech assessment and intervention. Through a combination of theory, practical application, real assessment and therapy examples, and collaborative mentoring, I gained knowledge and strategies that directly supported my everyday clinical practice.
Learning alongside passionate clinicians from across Australia and discussing cases with Olga helped build my confidence in providing evidence-informed assessment and intervention services for children with CAS.
― Mary Alfred Senior Speech Pathologist & Team Leader
SMART Spot Education & Therapy Services
The missing piece isn't more information. It's experience.
Have you ever felt like...
• You've completed CAS training but still feel unsure when it comes to diagnosing more complex presentations?
• You know the theory, but you're not always confident selecting targets or planning intervention?
• You wish you had someone experienced to discuss cases with and ask questions along the way?
• You feel isolated when working with children with CAS because few people truly understand the challenges involved?
Then:
The missing piece isn't more information. It's ongoing mentorship.
Confidence doesn't come from another webinar or one-day workshop.
It develops through experience, discussion, feedback and the opportunity to learn alongside someone who has walked this road many times before.
The OKAT CAS Academy combines practical learning, clinical reasoning, case discussions and ongoing mentorship to help speech pathologists feel more confident assessing and supporting children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech.
You'd love an experienced mentor beside you...
Someone to discuss cases with.
Someone to answer questions when you're unsure.
Someone to help you make sense of the grey areas.
Someone who understands the challenges of working with Childhood Apraxia of Speech because they've walked this path many times before.
You've done the courses.
You've attended the workshops.
You've invested in learning.
Now imagine having ongoing support as you put that knowledge into practice.
You're ready to stop second-guessing yourself and finally...
✓ Trust your clinical judgement
✓ Assess and diagnose CAS with greater confidence
✓ Select effective treatment targets
✓ Answer parents' questions with confidence
✓ Navigate complex cases without feeling alone
✓ Deliver therapy with purpose and clarity
✓ Seek support when you need it
✓ Provide the best possible outcomes for the children and families you support
Why I Created the OKAT CAS Academy
Over the past several years, I've supervised and mentored speech pathologists across Australia who are passionate about helping children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech.
Again and again, I noticed the same pattern.
They'd completed training. They understood the theory.
They'd invested in professional development.
Yet many still felt uncertain when it came to assessment, diagnosis, target selection and intervention planning.
The problem wasn't a lack of knowledge.
It was a lack of ongoing mentorship, feedback and clinical support.
That's why I created the OKAT CAS Academy.
Hey, I'm Olga Komadina
I've dedicated my career to helping children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech and supporting the speech pathologists who work alongside them.
Over the years, I've had the privilege of working with families across Australia, mentoring clinicians at every stage of their careers, and seeing first-hand how powerful the right support can be.
Because here's what I've learned:
Confidence in CAS doesn't come from attending more workshops. It comes from having someone beside you as you apply what you've learned in real clinical situations.
But I didn't always have this confidence...
I remember what it felt like to have a child with CAS sitting in front of me... and not know where to begin
Early in my career, I often found myself working with children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech and wondering whether I was making the right decisions.
I knew CAS was different. I knew syllable shapes mattered. But like many clinicians, I was largely figuring things out as I went.
Then, in 2010, I was thrown into the deep end when I joined an apraxia-specific clinic and suddenly found myself working with a full caseload of children with CAS.
It was a steep learning curve, but it changed everything.
For the first time, I was surrounded by clinicians who lived and breathed CAS. I began to develop the clinical reasoning, confidence and practical skills that simply can't be learned from a single workshop or textbook.
That experience shaped the clinician, mentor and educator I am today.
For more than 20 years, I've worked with children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech and supported families through assessment, diagnosis and intervention.
Today, my work includes a full-time CAS caseload, second-opinion assessments, mentoring speech pathologists across Australia, and presenting on CAS nationally and internationally.
I've been fortunate to learn from some of the world's leading experts in Childhood Apraxia of Speech, including David Hammer, Professor Tricia McCabe, Maryanne Gomez and Donna Thomas.
In recent years, I've presented on Childhood Apraxia of Speech at the Apraxia Kids National Conference (United States), Speech Apraxia UK Conference, and the Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) National Conference.
I continue to support speech pathologists through organisation-wide CAS training, clinical supervision, mentoring, and professional development focused exclusively on Childhood Apraxia of Speech.
Most importantly, everything inside the Academy is grounded in real clinical practice, not theory alone.
For too long, specialised knowledge about Childhood Apraxia of Speech has felt difficult to access.
Many speech pathologists are left trying to piece everything together through courses, research papers and trial and error.
I don't believe it should be that way.
My mission is simple: to share everything I've learned over more than 20 years working with children with CAS, so more speech pathologists can feel confident helping the children and families who need them.
Here's how I'm doing it...
INTRODUCING THE
CAS Academy
by Olga Komadina
Practical CAS education, mentorship and clinical guidance for speech pathologists.
Everything I wish I'd known when I started working with Childhood Apraxia of Speech.
So you can move from uncertainty and second-guessing to confident clinical decision-making with the children and families who need you most.
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You've attended the courses.
Now it's time to master the clinical reasoning...
You've already done the hard part - you've studied speech pathology, attended professional development, read the research and developed experience working with children with speech sound disorders.
But with Childhood Apraxia of Speech comes a new set of challenges:
💭 You're not always certain whether it's CAS or another speech sound disorder.
💭 You understand treatment approaches but still second-guess your therapy decisions.
💭 You're unsure which targets to select and when to modify them.
💭 You want to see what experienced CAS therapy actually looks like in practice.
💭 You wish you had someone to discuss challenging cases with.
💭 You want more confidence explaining your clinical reasoning to families and colleagues.
You've outgrown trying to piece it all together on your own.
Now it's time to build the confidence that comes from mentorship, feedback and real-world experience.
Inside the OKAT CAS Academy, you'll learn to...
✨ Confidently identify and diagnose CAS
✨ Differentiate CAS from other speech sound disorders
✨ Select meaningful therapy targets
✨ Adapt evidence-based approaches to individual children
✨ Deliver engaging, neuroaffirming therapy
✨ Navigate complex cases with confidence
✨ Explain your clinical reasoning to families and colleagues
✨ Track progress and advocate effectively
✨ Feel confident treating CAS rather than wondering if you're doing the right thing
This is not just another CAS course.
There are structured learning modules to work through.
There is research to explore.
There are resources to access.
But that's not what makes the OKAT CAS Academy different.
Each month, you'll dive into a focused learning module and then join me and your fellow Academy members for a live mentoring and case discussion session.
Think of it as the closest thing to having me as your personal CAS supervisor and mentor for six months, without the investment that comes with ongoing 1:1 supervision, or the need to travel overseas for specialist training.
You'll bring your real questions.
Your challenging clients.
Your therapy videos.
Your "I'm not sure what to do next" moments.
And you'll receive practical guidance from someone who has spent more than 20 years assessing and treating children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech, and continues to work exclusively with CAS every week.
Together, we'll bridge the gap between theory and practice through mentoring, reflection, feedback and real-world clinical application.
Because confidence in CAS isn't built by collecting more courses.
It's built through experience.
Starts February 2027
What's Included:
6 Months of High-Level CAS Support
A step-by-step curriculum covering assessment, diagnosis, intervention, progress monitoring, report writing, neuroaffirming practice and more.
You'll work through six structured learning modules while receiving ongoing mentoring, feedback and support to help bridge the gap between theory and clinical practice.
Monthly Live Mentoring & Case Discussions
Bring your questions, therapy videos and challenging cases for discussion, feedback and support.
This is where you'll receive personalised guidance, learn alongside other Academy members and build confidence in your clinical decision-making.
Real Therapy in Action
See what effective CAS therapy actually looks like in practice through real long-form therapy demonstrations across different ages, stages and severity levels.
Watch therapy unfold in real time while exploring the clinical reasoning behind target selection, cueing decisions and treatment planning.
Personalised Clinical Feedback
Receive targeted feedback on your own therapy sessions.
Submit therapy videos and gain practical guidance to refine your clinical skills and strengthen clinical decision-making.
Resources You'll Actually Use
Access the very tools I use every day in my CAS clinic.
Assessment frameworks, report templates, advocacy resources, therapy supports and practical clinical tools ready to use immediately.
A Community That Gets It
Connect with speech pathologists navigating the same challenges you are.
Ask questions, share wins and learn alongside clinicians committed to improving outcomes for children with CAS.
Optional Certification Pathway
Take your learning one step further.
Academy members will have the opportunity to pursue an optional certification pathway designed to recognise ongoing learning and commitment to evidence-based CAS practice.
Trusted Referral Network Opportunities
Become part of something bigger.
Academy graduates may have the opportunity to be considered for inclusion in my trusted referral network as demand for specialist CAS services continues to grow.
Who exactly is this Academy right for?
Not sure if the CAS Academy is right for you?
First, CAS Academy may not be
the right fit for you if:
❌ You're looking for a self-paced course that you can complete independently without mentoring or feedback
❌ You're hoping for a quick solution rather than ongoing development of your CAS knowledge and clinical skills
❌ You're not currently working with children with suspected or diagnosed CAS
❌ You're looking primarily for theoretical content without opportunities to discuss and apply learning to real clinical cases
The OKAT CAS Academy could be a great fit for you if:
🙋♀️ You're working with children with suspected or diagnosed Childhood Apraxia of Speech
🙋♀️ You want more confidence in your assessment, diagnosis and intervention decisions
🙋♀️ You understand some of the theory but want support applying it in day-to-day clinical practice
🙋♀️ You value mentorship, discussion and feedback from an experienced CAS clinician
🙋♀️ You want practical strategies you can implement immediately with your clients
🙋♀️ You want to improve outcomes for the children and families you support
"Whenever I'm stuck with CAS, Olga is my go to."
"Supervision with Olga gave me practical, neuroaffirming strategies that I could implement immediately. Her syllable framework made target selection and progression so much clearer, and one simple change increased both engagement and practice opportunities for my client.
Olga was collaborative, generous with her knowledge, and helped me feel confident moving forward."
– Rachael Sims, Speech Pathologist, The Communication Collective
WHAT SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS ARE SAYING
I had a clear plan of where to start with therapy and assessment.
I feel far more confident making clinical decisions.
The quick screener helped me identify where the breakdown was occurring.
It's great to talk to someone who just works in CAS.
Supervision gave me reassurance around the approaches I was already implementing.
Talking through my clinical reasoning helped me make sure I wasn't missing anything.
Practical strategies that I could use to set up trials in a more accessible and neuroaffirming way.
The syllable framework made it so much clearer how to select targets and structure progression.
Olga made complex concepts easy to understand.
Founding Member Pricing
Following a successful pilot programme completed by 10 speech pathologists, the OKAT CAS Academy is now opening its first official founding cohort.
Over six months, you'll develop the knowledge, clinical reasoning and confidence needed to assess and support children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech through structured learning, mentoring and practical implementation support.
"I now feel much more confident in not only what to target but why."
Before starting, I had a good understanding of CAS and what therapy looked like in practice, but I wanted more support and confidence around assessment and diagnosis. The combination of the course content, real cases and live Q&As worked really well. Being able to learn a concept, see it being used with a client and then have the opportunity to ask questions made the information much easier to apply. One of the biggest things I took away from the mentorship was a better understanding of target selection. I now feel much more confident in not only what to target but why.
"I would 100% recommend the mentorship to speech pathologists.
It was practical, supportive and great value."
―Sarah Smith, Speech Pathologist, Thinking Out Loud Speech Pathology
| Member of the Pilot 6-Month OKAT CAS Academy Cohort
"The model Olga provides has been life-changing for some of my little people who were initially non-speaking."
Watching Olga complete assessments and model therapy techniques helped me build my understanding of CAS, how it presents, and how to implement effective intervention. With Olga's ongoing support, I've been able to confidently support multiple children with CAS within my clinic and expand the services I can provide to families. This has enabled children to access the right therapy in a timely manner, without needing to change therapists or wait for specialised support.
― Amy Simpkin, Senior Speech Pathologist, Border Speech Clinic
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WHAT SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS ARE SAYING
"Would highly recommend to anyone looking to upskill in CAS."
“I found the assessment videos very helpful.”
“We loved the relaxed feel and practical techniques.”
“You are very generous with all that you share.”
“Honestly, I am blown away by the progress.”
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