Personalizing AAC Activities

September 12, 2022 by - 1 Comment


Personalizing AAC Activities

Like most learners, those with complex communication needs perk up when they see themselves, their family and friends, and their favorite things/places embedded into instruction or therapy. When we personalize materials and activities to each individual, we often see an increase in engagement and enjoyment. And those, in turn, lead to better outcomes. How can we put a personal spin on things we use in our AAC teaching? Here are a few ideas. Photos and videos of familiar people, places, and objects can be very impactful. Not all families are open to this and not all schools/agencies permit it. But when it IS an option, there’s nothing better to spark higher levels of engagement. We can substitute photos of family, friends, and favorite characters for generic photos/images in games, books, and learning materials to draw and retain their interest. We can talk about what they are doing and build language... [Read More...]

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AAC Posts from PrAACtical Week # 37: September 2022

September 11, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts


AAC Posts from PrAACtical Week # 37: September 2022

Happy Sunday, AAC friends. We have some AAC reading that you might appreciate. Monday – PrAACtical Thoughts on Labor Day Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Video Models & Visual Supports for AAC Thursday – Throwback Thursday: Supporting Early Communication with AAC ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Still have time for a bit more? Here’s a sampling of past posts for you to browse. PrAACtically Reading with Karen Natoci: Apples AAC Partner Training Strategies AAC Device Mounting Fundamentals  AACtual Therapy: From PECS to iPad with Jason Butcher 5 Things We’ve Learned from Our AAC Families Understanding and Supporting Families of AAC Learners

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PrAACtical Thoughts on Labor Day

September 5, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts


PrAACtical Thoughts on Labor Day

Unemployment and underemployment are chronic problems faced by people who use AAC. As we celebrate Labor Day, we’re thinking of those of you who are working to help people who use AAC find, get, and keep jobs that they enjoy. If you are advocating for people with AAC needs in the realm of employment, this video by SLP Megan Case may help the agencies and job coaches you’re connecting with to better understand the role of speech-generating devices and other AAC. Direct link to video – https://ohioemploymentfirst.org/view.php?nav_id=123  You can check out other employment-related resources in this past post.  

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Sensory Stories: 5 Resources to Explore

September 1, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts


Sensory Stories: 5 Resources to Explore

Sensory stories, sometimes called multisensory stories, are short narratives that add sensory components to the story reading experience. After each sentence or two, there is an accompanying sensory experience – something to do, touch, smell, hold, or listen to – that relates to that part of the story. There are bespoke sensory stories, but also many that are summarized versions of popular books and movies. The props, movement, and singing/sound-making combine to make this an engaging way to promote active engagement in story reading. Sensory stories are fairly easy to develop and can be used in many ways. If you are new to sensory stories, this brief video provides some helpful information and a quick demonstration. Direct link to video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esqxROLqv-g&ab_channel=KidsIncludedTogether  The engaging nature and opportunity for multimodal interaction make sensory stories an appealing activity for AAC learners. Here are some sensory story resources to explore. Inclusive Teach Sensory Stories... [Read More...]

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Back to School with AAC: Materials for the Start of the Academic Year

August 22, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts


Back to School with AAC: Materials for the Start of the Academic Year

Looking for materials that you can use to get your AAC team off to a good start this school year? Here are a few things that might come in handy. AAC 101 Flipbook This all-in-one resource contains information on how to implement key AAC support strategies: AAC 101 Handout. AAC Options Ensure that every student who needs AAC has access to at least a starter set of words and phrases. There are plenty of core communication boards and flipbooks to choose from, and this post has links to a variety of them: Core Boards. Hands-on AAC Interactive experiences where communication partners get to try out and use AAC to learn and express themselves can be very powerful. If you need ideas or materials to use, check out the options we share in an earlier post: Hands-On Activities.    

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