July 21, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
AAC folks are a creative bunch, and there’s no better time than summer to start a new project. Check out these AAC-related do-it-yourself ideas. Make It PrAACtical: DIY Adapted Make It PrAACtical: DIY Switch-accessible Scanner Make It PrAACtical: DIY Customizable Stylus Make It PrAACtical: Cell Phone Stand Make It PrAACtical: Adapted Writing Tool Make it PrAACtical: Make Your Own Battery Interrupters (without Soldering!) DIY Stand for Mobile Devices Make Your Own Communication Book Stand Building PVC Stands for Eye Gaze & Tablets AT Makers Magic Moments with a Crafty Flashlight Make a Core Vocabulary Folder How I Do It: Building & Using Language Kits How We Do It: Making AAC Videos for Core Word Learning
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
July 19, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Tuesday, AAC friends! Once a week we invite you to share your own AAC-related content, product news, or anything else that you’d like others in the AAC community to know about. It may be a recent post you’ve written, a slide deck from your AAC presentation, a handout, video, or meme that you’ve posted online, an AAC product you’ve created, an announcement for an AAC course or conference, or any other prAACtical content you developed and want to share with the AAC community. To post your own link, scroll all the way down to the bottom of this post and complete the form. Enter the URL and the name/title in the boxes provided below. If you are on a mobile device, click over to the full website version to do this. The AAC Link Up is moderated to keep us from being spammed so it may take a little... [Read More...]
Filed under: AAC Link Up, Featured Posts
July 18, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
Whether you are a therapist, educator, or other professional there is a long list of things that people who use AAC need us to do so that they can communicate in ways that help them live their best lives. Today, we begin a series on some of the most overlooked areas that even veteran AAC practitioners often miss. Not because they don’t know about them. Not because they have a philosophical reason to avoid them. Not because they can’t figure out how to implement them. But because there are incredibly frustrating systemic obstacles to providing the kinds of support our clients/students need. In schools, caseload and classroom sizes stack the deck against us. In healthcare settings and private clinics, the funding streams steer us away from a best practice approach. And in almost every setting, the increasing paperwork and organizational demands draw our attention away from what we want to... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
July 17, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends! We have some posts for you to browse through. Monday – When Does an AAC Learner Need More Than Modeling? Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Ramps to Cognitive & Physical Access of High Tech AAC Following Acquired Brain Injury Thursday – AAC & Play :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Enjoy these past posts in honor of my dear friend and PrAACtical AAC co-founder, Dr. Robin Parker. An AAC ‘Funny Area’ Solution AUTISM AND AAC: FIVE THINGS I WISH I HAD KNOWN by Deanne Shoyer More Cooking Beyond Requesting: Let’s Chat with Peers Begin AAC Now: 10 Things to Do AAC Must-Have’s for the Classroom and Therapy Room RECASTING: A LANGUAGE FACILITATION STRATEGY
Filed under: Featured Posts
July 14, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
It’s time for a little fun! Check out these past posts on AAC, play, and gaming. AAC in Secondary School: Using Games to Support AAC Learning for Older Students From Solitary Play to Interaction: 5 Things to Try With Kids Who Love Their iPad Games Let’s Play! Using Switch-accessible iPad Games for AAC Learning PrAACtical Resources: Structured Play Groups Building Sentence Length through Conversational Routines & Games 5 Quick and Easy Games That Build AAC Skills 5 Adapted Play Resources for Children with Motor Impairment PrAACtical Play: Creating Communication Opportunities with Favorite Toys Video of the Week: Aided Language Input During Play Video of the Week: AAC & Board Games
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
July 12, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Tuesday, AAC friends! Once a week we invite you to share your own AAC-related content, product news, or anything else that you’d like others in the AAC community to know about. It may be a recent post you’ve written, a slide deck from your AAC presentation, a handout, video, or meme that you’ve posted online, an AAC product you’ve created, an announcement for an AAC course or conference, or any other prAACtical content you developed and want to share with the AAC community. To post your own link, scroll all the way down to the bottom of this post and complete the form. Enter the URL and the name/title in the boxes provided below. If you are on a mobile device, click over to the full website version to do this. The AAC Link Up is moderated to keep us from being spammed so it may take a little... [Read More...]
Filed under: AAC Link Up, Featured Posts
July 11, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
As the philosophy of AAC immersion and the strategy of aided language input have gained acceptance, there is an emerging school of thought that these two things are sufficient for people with complex communication needs to learn to express themselves with AAC. While it is true that some individuals become proficient in their AAC and language use without explicit instruction, there is a large population of AAC learners who need additional support to achieve their potential and/or reach their goals. In this post, we share some guiding questions to help these individuals and their teams determine whether formal instruction with well-chosen language goals and implementation of specific intervention strategies is needed. Is the AAC user and/or other stakeholders comfortable with their rate of AAC and language learning? Has the individual plateaued in their language growth? Is there a gap between what they understand and what they can express? How do... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
July 10, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. We hope you enjoy browsing through these posts. Monday – July Year of Core Vocabulary & Future Directions for the School Year of Core Vocabulary Words Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Tangible Symbols for AAC Use Thursday – Throwback Thursday: AAC & Medical Encounters :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Looking for some resources to use in your AAC work? Check out some of those listed below. AAC 101 Flipbook Communication Partner Data Collection Form AAC Skills: Caught or Taught? AAC Modeling Handout Gaming & AAC Repairing Communication Breakdowns
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
July 7, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
People with AAC needs face significant challenges in accessing appropriate medical care and getting the help they need to deal with illness, pain, and other symptoms. In today’s edition of Throwback Thursday, we reprise past posts on this topic that may be of interest. Supporting People with Significant Communication Challenges in Medical Encounters PrAACtical Resources: Chronic Pain Assessment in Children with Disabilities Growing AAC Professionals: Resources for Self-Advocacy, Reducing Abandonment, Medical Encounters, & More Pain in Children with Developmental Disabilities PrAACtically SLPs: Working with Children With Complex Medical Conditions Supporting Children in the Pediatric ICU 5 PrAACtical Resources For Better Communication Experiences with Healthcare Providers
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
July 5, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Tuesday, AAC friends! Once a week we invite you to share your own AAC-related content, product news, or anything else that you’d like others in the AAC community to know about. It may be a recent post you’ve written, a slide deck from your AAC presentation, a handout, video, or meme that you’ve posted online, an AAC product you’ve created, an announcement for an AAC course or conference, or any other prAACtical content you developed and want to share with the AAC community. To post your own link, scroll all the way down to the bottom of this post and complete the form. Enter the URL and the name/title in the boxes provided below. If you are on a mobile device, click over to the full website version to do this. The AAC Link Up is moderated to keep us from being spammed so it may take a little... [Read More...]
Filed under: AAC Link Up, Featured Posts