Looking for a clear way to introduce people to AAC? Check out the Explore AAC website developed by Prentke Romich and Saltillo. You can access the first learning module here. Browse the site for information, downloadable communication boards, videos, and more. Have fun, AAC explorers!
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Happy 2019, AAC friends! If you were busy celebrating and then returning to work this week, you might have missed a few of these posts. Monday – Top AAC Posts of 2018 Tuesday – Ringing in a New Year of AAC Wednesday – Video of the Week: Ian & the Struggle for Inclusive Societies Thursday – PrAACtical Research: Meta-synthesis of AAC Team Members’ Voices ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Ready for a few more suggestions? Here are some past posts that you might enjoy. PrAACtical Ideas for Repurposing Older AAC Technology 5 AAC Downloads to Use and Share 5 Ways to Make Semantic Maps More Effective in AAC Therapy PrAACtical Resources on Language Development When Helping Isn’t Helping: Prompt Awareness in AAC Instruction Interested in AAC for the little ones? We’d love to see you at this full-day AAC session in Orlando later this month. On the graphic below, use the slider on the right to... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: preschool, prompting, research, semantic instruction, semantic map, vocabulary intervention
We are delighted to start off the New Year by welcoming back Dr. Kathy Howery for another wonderful review of an AAC research article. Dr. Howery has worked in the field of assistive technology and special education for over three decades. Her research uses phenomenological methods to seek understanding of the lived experience of speaking with/through a speech-generating device. She is currently on contract with the Ministry of Education low incidence team, and as a consultant to schools and school districts across Alberta focusing primarily on children and youth with complex communication needs. In today’s post, she discusses a research study that sheds light on the ways that we can better support students with AAC needs. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Chung, Y-C. & Stoner, J. B. (2016). A meta-synthesis of team members’ voices: what we need and what we do to support students who use AAC. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 32 (3), 175-186.... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: AAC teams, Kathy Howery, meta-analysis, research
Wishing you a healthy New Year full of joy, growth, and strength for your AAC journey. “Let our New Year’s resolution be this: That we will be there for one another as finest members of humanity, in the finest sense of the word.” (G. Persson) Happy AAC journeying!
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Before we say goodbye to 2018, let’s look back on the posts that were most popular among PrAACtical AAC readers. How I Do It: Writing IEP Goals for Students Who Use AAC with Lauren Enders How I Do It: Using PODD books and Aided Language Displays with Young Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder Core Samples PrAACtical AAC Goals 5 Great Resources for Pre-Made Communication Boards AAC Assessment Forms Teaching Core Vocabulary Make It Monday: Manual Communication Boards with Core Vocabulary Literacy for Everyone with Adapted Books How I Do It by Rachael Langley – PODD in the Classroom: Portable, Wearable, & Comfortable Do you have a favorite that didn’t make the list? We’d love to hear about it.
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: communication boards, Lauren Enders, literacy, PODD, Rachel Langley
Hope you are having a happy, healthy holiday season, AAC friends. Here are some posts you may have missed amongst all the festivities. Monday – ‘Twas the Night Before an AAC Christmas Tuesday – Merry Christmas! Wednesday – Top AAC Videos of 2018 Thursday – PrAACtically January: AAC Resources for A Year of Core Words Saturday – PrAACtical AAC Question of the Month: Terminology :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Interested in a few more articles to browse? Here’s a selection to choose from. Got Holiday Cards? 5 PrAACtical Suggestions AACtual Therapy with Deanna Wagner: Why Cook When You Can’t Eat? Communication Access Cards Visual Organization, Themes, & Duct Tape Beyond Requesting: Thoughts on Teaching Information Transfer Before you go, would you take 2 minutes to answer a 4-question survey? We’re providing some feedback to authors who write AAC textbooks and journal articles and they want your opinion on terminology. Loading…
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: beyond requesting, core vocabulary, holiday, survey
“What’s in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet.” (W. Shakespeare) It has always irked me that a field which emerged to support individuals with communication challenges has such a long and complex name. Aug-men-ta-tive and al-ter-na-tive com-mu-ni-ca-tion can get a bit tiresome, particularly in writing. Recently, an AAC scholar asked us to get input on terminology from our PrAACtical AAC readers. Do you have an opinion about what terminology we should use when writing about AAC concepts, tools, and strategies in textbooks, journal articles, etc? Here’s your chance to weigh in. Loading…
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: terminology
As we prepare to take down our 2018 calendars, we’re looking ahead to January and gearing up to model and teach some more core words to our AAC learners. If you have some prep time this week, join us! This is a great time to get the word cards and other materials for the Year of Words (Set 1; Set 2) ready to use with the AAC learners in our lives. Thanks to the generous spirit of PrAACtical AAC readers we have posts with a variety of resources: Templates for you to plug in your own symbols: Set 1 words, Set 2 words Minspeak/Unity version: Set 1 PCS versions: Set 1, Set 2 Speak for Yourself version: Set 2 SymbolStix version: Set 1 Lesson Pix: Set 1 Smarty Symbols: Set 1 words, Set 2 words CoughDrop: Set 1 words; Set 2 words WordPower: Set 1 words (Note: This is a large file that contains... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Another Year of Core Words, downloads, Year of Core Vocabulary
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the town, Not a creature was stirring, they were all safe and sound. The stockings were hung by their chimneys with care, In hopes that AAC Elves would soon visit there. The teachers were nestled all snug in their beds, With visions of lesson plans banished from their heads. The therapists with data sheets and the strategies they love best, Had just settled in for a good winter-break rest. When outside the schoolyard, there arose such a clatter I rushed toward the window to see what was the matter. Stepping on Legos (does that pain ever fade?) I ran to the window and lifted the shade. With her silvery face, the moon shone from the night sky, Illuminating the landscape from her perch way up high. And what to my sleep-deprived eyes should appear But an accessible sleigh, and 8 AT reindeer.... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Hope you are enjoying the holiday season, AAC friends. Here are some posts you may have missed amid the hustle and bustle. Monday – AAC Goes to High School: The Power of Peers Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Helping Students with Autism Prepare for Non-routine Events Thursday – Christmas, AAC Style ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: If you can squeeze in a few more, take a look at some of these posts from the archives. How We Do It: Using AAC to Repair Communication Breakdowns Data Collection for the Beginning AAC User: Essential Things to Measure AAC & ASD: Beyond Scripting More Words, Please! Expanding Our Manual Communication Boards Activity Schedule AACtion
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: ASD, holiday, summary post