Sort of. Association is when solutes come together so that there are less particles in solution. Acetic acid in benzene, for instance, tend to clump together because it is polar and the solvent is nonpolar.
But that's not what is exactly going on here. The salt is precipitating out and is not dissolved at all. Remember, colligative properties only apply to dissolved particles.
In a sense, you are right. They are "clumping up" so much that their van hoff factor becomes 0. So if this way makes sense to you, than go for it.