Video of the Week: Co-Teaching in AAC 

August 5, 2020 by - Leave your thoughts


Video of the Week: Co-Teaching in AAC 

What are the different types of co-teaching? What benefits do they offer in AAC therapy? How can we use this approach? Today, we feature Annie Filla, an SLP from St. Louis, Missouri, who, in non-Covid times, uses co-teaching to facilitate AAC learning in her students. Annie’s presentation, which is part of the PRC-Saltillo webinar series, addresses these questions and more. A number of handouts accompanied this session. Co-teaching for AAC Therapy Slides Resource list Communicative competencies Data forms   Prompt hierarchy Many thanks to Annie and the wonderful team at PRC-Saltillo for this presentation. Click the image below to view the video. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=233&v=XlT9UsNKKSU&feature=emb_logo

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Video of the Week: Making the Environment Communicatively Accessible

July 29, 2020 by - Leave your thoughts


Video of the Week: Making the Environment Communicatively Accessible

If, as Dr. Katherine Nelson, posited many years ago, “Language is not imitation and repetition but creative construction based on language experiences,” then paying attention to the environment is necessary and important (Nelson 2007). In today’s featured video, we consider the development of AAC as a form of language learning and explore the necessity of creating environments that are communicatively accessible for children with AAC needs. Through the efforts of Dr. Kathy Howery (kATe Consulting, Inc) and the Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium, we are able to view this archived webinar learn from renowned psychologist Dr. Stephen Von Tetzchner from the University of Oslo. In this presentation, Dr. Von Tetzchner challenges us to consider AAC through a language learning lens with a goal of building personal autonomy and authentic communication.   Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1Dl7YYiL3g&feature=emb_logo    Nelson K. (2007). Young Minds in Social Worlds: Experience, Meaning, and Memory. Cambridge... [Read More...]

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Video of the Week: Teaming with Related Services to Support AAC Users

July 22, 2020 by - Leave your thoughts


Video of the Week: Teaming with Related Services to Support AAC Users

Are you taking advantage of the supports that related service providers can offer? In today’s featured video, OT and AT Specialist Elisa Wern helps us understand the ways in which these professionals can facilitate the development of communicative competence, You can obtain the handout for this session here. This presentation was part of the 2020 AAC in the Cloud Conference hosted by CoughDrop. We are grateful both to Elisa and to the wonderful team at CoughDrop for making this available. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVkg6vZUjkU&feature=youtu.be  

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Video of the Week: “I Have an AAC Device. Now What?”

July 15, 2020 by - 1 Comment


Video of the Week: “I Have an AAC Device. Now What?”

The AAC assessment is complete.  The funding is approved.  The AAC device arrives. Where do we go from here? In today’s featured video, SLP Rachell Johnson helps us understand some of the key issues and activities that we’ll need to address in the first days and weeks following the arrival of a new SGD. Follow along as she discusses the development of intervention plans to build independence, participation, and curricular learning. Many thanks to Able Net for hosting this webinar and to Rachell for the helpful content. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOAg0DLEZOE

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Video of the Week: Gaming & AAC

July 8, 2020 by - Leave your thoughts


Video of the Week: Gaming & AAC

Whether you are in a part of the world that is re-opening or still hunkering down in relative isolation, we can all use a little diversion. In today’s featured video, SLP Shaun Pearson covers ways that we can use board games, role-playing games, and story-based games to support language learning by individuals with AAC needs. If you are looking to add some fun activities to the lives of the AAC learners with whom you work, you’ll find a lot of creative suggestions in this video which was hosted by ISAAC Canada and offered with the support of ISAAC. Resources for digitally adapted games and printable materials are also shared.  You can obtain the slides for this session here and view additional resources here.  Many thanks to Shaun for this engaging presentation, to ISAAC Canada for organizing and hosting it, and to ISAAC for their support of this webinar series.  Enjoy!... [Read More...]

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Video of the Week:  AAC & Transition Planning – Supporting All Students to Make Decisions for the Future

July 1, 2020 by - Leave your thoughts


Video of the Week:  AAC and Transition Planning - Supporting All Students to Make Decisions for the Future

It is always a treat to learn from Erin Sheldon, and her recent presentation for the 2020 AAC in the Cloud conference is no exception. In this video, Erin helps think about effective ways that we can support the transition to post-school life for young people with significant communication challenges. You can obtain the handouts for this session here and learn more from Erin here. We’re deeply grateful to Erin for this wonderful session and to the amazing team at Cough Drop for another fantastic virtual conference. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Lwv9c3cotE&feature=emb_logo

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Video of the Week: Pre-Symbolic Communicators, Core Vocabulary, & Aided Language Input

June 24, 2020 by - Leave your thoughts


Video of the Week: Pre-Symbolic Communicators, Core Vocabulary, & Aided Language Input

What is the role of core vocabulary and aided language input for communicators who are not yet using symbols to express themselves? SLP Kathryn Dorney, from the Center for Disability and Literacy Studies at the University of North Carolina, provides a perspective in this archived presentation. It is part of the webinar series offered by USSAAC with the support of ISAAC.  You can view the handout for this session here. Many thanks to Kathryn, USSAAC, & ISAAC for making this presentation available. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=24&v=hhIEoPpoR-k&feature=emb_logo

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Video of the Week – Effective Coaching of AAC Partners

June 17, 2020 by - 2 Comments


Video of the Week - Effective Coaching of AAC Partners

How can we help communication partners use more facilitative strategies during AAC interactions? AT Specialist and SLP Chris Bugaj helps us better understand how we can use practice and coaching to support the growth of communication partners.  Many thanks to Chris and New Jersey’s Assistive Technology Advocacy Center (ATAC) for creating this content and making it available to AAC stakeholders throughout the world.  You can download the handout for this session here or scan the QR code in the image below. Direct link to video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5IZv6rMNBw&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1QtHDiTuJVL8V6kmuvFo8poDgFoqTVIq0_jRgSKPCuP1XN18iQcktORi0  

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Video of the Week: Social Networks Inventory

June 10, 2020 by - Leave your thoughts


Video of the Week: Social Networks Inventory

Do you have a formal process for identifying how AAC communicators interact with the people who are part of their daily experiences? If not, you may want to add this tool to your AAC assessment protocol: Social Networks, A Communication Inventory for Individuals with Complex Communication Needs and their Communication Partners. In today’s video, we feature AAC pioneer Dr. Sarah Blackstone discussing this well-established tool and how to implement it. The video is an archived webinar done for the ECHO Voices initiative from the Oregon Technology Access Program (OTAP). You can download the handout for this session here.   We are grateful to Dr. Blackstone and the OTAP ECHO Voices Team for hosting this wonderful presentation and making it freely available to the global AAC community. Direct Link to Video – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FEvPWsBeJH80_kGYt8Z5YthP2l0M-3_2/view

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Video of the Week: Engaging AAC Learners with Complex Bodies

June 3, 2020 by - Leave your thoughts


Video of the Week: Engaging AAC Learners with Complex Bodies

Engaging with the activity at hand is an important piece of the learning plan, but it’s not something that comes easily to all AAC learners. In today’s featured video, OT Karen Kangas helps us understand some of the factors that help learners with complex bodies engage and focus in instructional activities. Many thanks to Karen and the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) for making this valuable information accessible. Accessing AAC: Competence Through the Lens of Activity and Engagement Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYrdA8H7yL8&list=PLCkBP2csbOsstD9Wga4bgj-ZK0-zcRLkr&index=10&t=0s You can learn more from Karen here.

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