It has been so exciting to see the amazing supports for AAC implementation sponsored by The Angelman Syndrome Foundation (ASF). In this week’s featured video, Erin Sheldon talks about the process of modifying the environment to be conducive to AAC learning. This is full of great content and prAACtical tips that will be helpful to families and professionals alike. Many thanks to the ASF for making this available.
Parents of children, teens, and adults who are learning to use AAC often find themselves in need of more support than they typically receive. Today, we are excited to launch a new series that addresses this need. This series is built around a unique collaboration between PrAACtical AAC and the Angelman Syndrome Foundation (ASF), bringing together our expertise to create a set of training materials that caregivers can use to build an AAC presence in their lives or expand its use in daily living situations. These materials are now available on both of our websites, ready to empower and support you in your AAC journey. In today’s post, you’ll learn about the Stepping Into AAC program and how to access the materials. Future posts will focus on the implementation of AAC by families who want to enhance communication at home and in the community. Who is the target audience for... [Read More...]
It’s prAACtically May! Guest authors Michaela Sullivan and Lindsay Dougherty are back with wonderful ideas for your older students who are building their skills with core vocabulary. Don’t miss the slide decks full of activities and the data collection forms specific to the May core words. In this post, they also discuss how the Participation Model and participation planning can support our AAC practices. SCHOOL YEAR OF CORE- Older Student Lessons Access & Copy below: Weeks 1-2 Google Slides Weeks 3-4 Google Slides INTRODUCTION- MAY 2024 Welcome back to the School Year of Core – Older student lessons- May! Summer is on the horizon, and we are kicking off the month of May with new core words and themes such as Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Cinco De Mayo, Climate change, recycling, thrifting, reflections of the year, planning for trips and the summer, new interests and hobbies, ways to relax, animals,... [Read More...]
Happy Sunday, AAC friends, and a joyous Easter to those who celebrate. We have a free online conference opportunity to share with you and, of course, some AAC posts you might enjoy. The UM-NSU Center for Autism and Related Disabilities offers its annual online conference on Saturday, April 6th. The featured speakers are Erin Sheldon (“Nothing about me without me:” Build your supported decision-making toolbox!) and Tabi Jones Wohleber (Ready, Set, Communicate: AACtion steps to AAC Implementation). For more information and a registration link, you can visit this page. There is no cost for this event. And now, let’s look at some of the past posts from our prAACtical week. Monday – April Year of Core Vocabulary & School Year of Core Vocabulary Words Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: On Transitioning from Paper-based to High-Tech AAC Thursday – School Year of Core Vocabulary Words... [Read More...]
Welcome to Stepping into AAC ! Stepping into AAC is a collaborative project created by PrAACtical AAC and the Angelman Syndrome Foundation (ASF) that focuses on supporting families who want to integrate AAC into their lives. There are 20 weeks of Stepping into AAC materials, which are intended to provide simple, week-by-week resources to help families support beginning communicators of all ages. Each week, there are easy hands-on activities, videos and companion handouts, and a newsletter to learn from. Thanks to the generous support of the ASF, these materials are available at no charge. Stepping into AAC is designed for families that include: Children, adolescents, and adults who are new to AAC and would benefit from using communication aids with high-frequency words or core vocabulary; and Individuals of any age who previously used AAC but are not currently communicating with it throughout the day. We hope that Stepping into AAC... [Read More...]
Here in the US, SLPs across the country are gearing up for a meeting of professionals in communication sciences and disorders. It’s especially exciting this year because AAC will have a very strong presence. We’re thrilled that an AAC user, Steven Gleason, will be receiving the 2022 Annie Glenn Award along with his wife, Michel. Additionally, there are at least two sessions featuring AAC users as the primary speakers (India Ochs, Jordyn Zimmerman), which is unusual for this particular conference, which focuses on SLPs and audiologists. If you’re on the fence about attending the 2022 ASHA Convention in New Orleans next month, we hope these presentations will inspire you to book your tickets. Take a look at some of the sessions we’re most excited about. You can click on the title to learn more about these presentations. Bilingualism in AAC: Challenging the Monolingual Mindset (Master Class, MC10 ) presented by... [Read More...]
How can we overcome the many barriers to AAC learning? In today’s featured video, Erin Sheldon offers a fresh perspective on this topic. Reframing the barriers and our role in addressing them leads us to creative solutions with practical applications for families and professionals. This is an archived presentation hosted by ECHO Voices of the Oregon Technology Access Program (OTAP). We are grateful to OTAP and Erin for this important and thought-provoking presentation. You can access the handouts for this session here. Enjoy! Direct Link to Video – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1egQthpZe_93RNefGgqNXT8k-58nHL_bf/view?usp=sharing
To be effective in supporting students who use AAC during their high school years, professionals have to work together as a collaborative team. Today, AAC SLP Ashley Larisey is back to discuss some of the most common challenges and share solution strategies. Ashley is an SLP at Community High School District 218 in Oak Lawn, Illinois. She is also an Adjunct Clinical Supervisor and Instructor at Saint Xavier University. If you are new to this series, you might want to check out her previous posts in this series here. Be sure to see her video on this topic at the end. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Collaborative Teaming for High School Students Who Use AAC Collaborative teaming is one of the most critical components in maximizing student outcomes for learners who use AAC. However, collaboration is not always easy. Whether it be finding the time, fostering a shared vision, or meaningful implementation, teams report... [Read More...]
The impact of Covid-19 on people with AAC needs, their families, and service providers has been vast. In today’s featured video, David Niemeijer and Erin Sheldon discuss the impact of the novel pandemic. They explore the many weaknesses it has exposed in the AAC service delivery landscape and offer some possible solutions for addressing these issues. Direct Link to Video – https://vimeo.com/491509316
Predictable chart writing is one of my favorite ways to get kids who are new to writing comfortable with a writing routine. Today, our guest author Ashley Larisey shares detailed information that will help you implement this well and have fun doing it. And she helps us understand how to do this successfully in remote teaching. Ashley is an SLP at Community High School District 218 in Oak Lawn, Illinois. She is also an Adjunct Clinical Supervisor and Instructor at Saint Xavier University. In today’s post, she breaks down the steps of using predictable chart writing, points us to relevant resources, and provides a video overview of the process. Enjoy! :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Predictable Chart Writing As many educators look for new and innovative ways to bring comprehensive literacy instruction into their practice, one of the first strategies that comes up in a quick google search is Predictable Chart Writing (PCW). PCW... [Read More...]