Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month 2022 

April 4, 2022 by - 2 Comments


Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month 2022 

What began in 1970 as a day to raise public awareness of autism has evolved to focus on building acceptance and support of autistic people.  Support comes in many ways, of course. Teachers, therapists, and parents, can and do support autistic children and adults in a multitude of ways based on their individual priorities, strengths, and needs. But that’s not all we can do.  Among other things, professionals can support autistic individuals by: Learning from them through watching their videos and attending their presentations, as well as by reading their books, articles, and posts; Purchasing things they create; Bringing attention to their work on social media;  Contributing to their crowd-sourced efforts (e.g., Patreon, GoFundMe), and Hiring them to speak, consult, write, etc. Today, we open our pages to all of you in an effort to raise awareness of autistic individuals who are creators, presenters, authors, mentors, and consultants. Share what... [Read More...]

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AAC Posts from PrAACtical Week # 14: April 2022

April 3, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts


AAC Posts from PrAACtical Week # 14: April 2022

Happy Sunday, AAC friends. Here are some posts that may be of interest. Monday – April Year of Core Vocabulary & School Year of Core Vocabulary Words Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Addressing Barriers to AAC Learning Thursday – Throwback Thursday: AAC Considerations When Dealing with Illness or Injury Friday – CAA Con Links: Abril 2022 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Still have time for a little more reading? Here are some additional posts for you to explore. Beyond Requesting: Thoughts on Teaching Information Transfer How I Do It: Encouraging AAC Implementation (Lauren Enders) PrAACtical Ways to Make Decisions About Thematic Therapy Materials In the Treasure Bag: Using Sharing Time to Focus on Vocabulary AAC in Motion: Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk with Tanna Neufeld

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Throwback Thursday: AAC Considerations When Dealing with Illness or Injury

March 31, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts


Throwback Thursday: AAC Considerations When Dealing with Illness or Injury

The world seems a little heavier these days, and that serves as a good reminder that many of our clients who use AAC need a bit of extra support. In this edition of Throwback Thursday, we’re reprising a handful of the previous posts that deal with supporting AAC users when they are ill or in distress. 5+ Things to Do to Help AAC Learners Communicate About Illness or Injury Supporting Children in the Pediatric ICU 5 PrAACtical Resources For Better Communication Experiences with Healthcare Providers Free Communication Tools for Patients with COVID-19 “What’s Wrong?” AAC Messages for Negative Emotions and Feelings  

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AAC Posts from PrAACtical Week # 13: March 2022

March 27, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts


AAC Posts from PrAACtical Week # 13: March 2022

Happy Sunday, AAC friends. Here are some posts that you may have missed in your busy week. Monday – Language Experience Surveys: 3 Ideas for AAC Implementation Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: SMoRRE Partner Training Supports Thursday – How I Do It: AAC Practitioners, Part 2 Friday – Autism Acceptance Month 2022: AAC App Discounts ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: If you have the time, check out these posts from the archives. Faces of AAC: Making It Work in a Busy Family PrAACtically Reading with Karen Natoci: The Family Book Family Collaboration by Dr. Barry Prizant How I Do It: Digital Connections With Families to Support AAC Users Using Visual Sidekicks to Support Language Intervention From Presence to Contribution: A Family’s Journey Toward and Inclusive Life

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Autism Acceptance Month 2022: AAC App Discounts

March 25, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts


Autism Acceptance Month 2022: AAC App Discounts

Looking to purchase some AAC and related apps? Longtime PrAACtical AAC friend Lauren Enders is continuing her tradition of compiling information from AAC app developers and others who offer deep discounts for Autism Acceptance Month. With April just around the corner, you might want to mark your calendars with dates for any planned purchases. Those of you who run large AAC or AT programs, take note of the discounts for Apple’s Volume Purchase Program. You can click on the image below (or here) to access an interactive version of this graphic. That version has clickable hotspots to allow for easier navigation to each company’s website for those who want more information or to purchase the product. Thank you, Lauren, for this wonderful act of service to the AAC field. Note: This may be updated with additional discounts over the next week or so.

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How I Do It: AAC Practitioners, Part 2

March 24, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts


How I Do It: AAC Practitioners, Part 2

If you like learning from AAC professionals who support individuals with complex communication needs in schools, clinics, online, and elsewhere, read on! We’re reaching back in the archives again on this Throwback Thursday to hear about their experiences, perspectives, suggestions, and materials. You can see the previous post on this topic here. How I Do It Angela Adams Starting AAC with Teens & Young Adults Conversation Practice with Teens and Young Adults Katie Bernadkin Building Friendship Skills with Peer-A-Mids Rebecca Bright Helping Clients Who Use AAC Connect with their Grandchildren Karen Natoci Florka Connecting with Colleagues in a Shared Community of Practice Carole Zangari Preparing AAC Learners for Their First SGD Rachael Langley PODD in the Classroom: Portable, Wearable, & Comfortable PODD in the Classroom – Quick Tips for Teams Georgia Karavias Using an App to Create AAC Materials & Visual Supports Laura Tarver Using PODD books and Aided Language... [Read More...]

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