September 12, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
From time to time, we get questions about resources for different aspects of AAC. Here are a few eclectic documents, presentations, and web logs that we’ve shared recently that might also be of interest to some of you. Happy exploring! AAC Basics and Implementation: How to Teach Students who “Talk with Technology” by Paul Visvader of the Boulder Valley School District AT Team Using Visual Supports to Enhance Participation and Decrease Challenging Behavior in Individuals with Autism and CCN by Kimberly Ho Fiona Writes Fiction (or Why AAC-Using Kids Need Word Play) by Heather Kirn Lanier Communication Milestones (LinguaSystems) by Janet Lanza and Lynn Flahive Limitless Stylus for People with Limited Hand Mobility by Venkat Rao
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: the fives
September 8, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
Like many AAC professionals, SLP Sara Barnhill and the AT Team at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, love to help families use activities like storybook reading to build language skills. They’ve been incredibly generous in sharing resources from their AT Recipes for Success project (you can view previous posts here). As a member of the AT Core team, Sara is involved in AAC evaluations and therapy in the hospital’s clinics, out-patient program and Transitional Care Unit. CHoR’s AT Program is one of few comprehensive AT programs in Central Virginia. The program provides AT evaluations, equipment and training to people of all ages, enabling children and adults with disabilities to function more independently. CHoR’s AT team consists of four SLPs, two OTs, one PT, and one Therapy Practice Assistant. In addition to completing transdiciplinary evaluations and treatments, CHoR’s AT team is responsible for supporting staff and sharing AT information to five CHoR therapy... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: downloads, handouts, parents, shared reading
September 7, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
In an earlier post, I shared a graphic on the ways that AAC skills are ‘taught’ versus ‘caught.’ Teaching AAC skills involves the use of specific instructional strategies that give learners information and experiences which result in them being able to communicate more effectively. In many instances, we set out to do just that, but end up with an interaction that ‘catches’ what the student already knows how to do, rather than helping them gain additional skills. There are a few important concepts here. They both have an important role. ‘Catching’ skills isn’t bad. We can do this to figure out what the learner already knows/can do, and give him/her practice with the skill so that it becomes faster and easier to produce. When our interactions ‘catch’ a skill, we’ve created (or taken advantage of) an opportunity for communication. That’s important BUT, it isn’t teaching them anything new. Our learners do... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: implementation, intervention, learning outcomes, teams, therapy strategies
September 5, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: downloads, image
September 1, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
It’s time to resume our PrAACtical Supports series, highlighting handout materials developed by Sara Barnhill and the AT team at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR). Sara is an SLP who has has worked at CHoR for six+ years. She is a member of the Assistive Technology Core team and VCU’s Center for Craniofacial Care team. Her caseload includes patients in clinics, outpatient therapy, and on the Transitional Care Unit which provides pediatric long-term care. The CHoR AT Program is one of few comprehensive AT programs in Central Virginia, providing AT evaluations, equipment and training to people of all ages, enabling children and adults with disabilities to function more independently. CHoR’s AT team consists of 4 SLPs, 2 OTs, a PT, and a Therapy Practice Assistant. In addition to completing transdiciplinary evaluations and treatments, CHoR’s AT team is responsible for supporting staff and sharing AT information to five CHoR therapy centers... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: downloads, handouts, parents, resources
August 31, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
The month of August is almost over and we’ve saved the best for last. The month wouldn’t seem complete without hearing more of Vicki Clarke’s ideas on AAC assessment. In addition to many other things, Vicki’s practice, Dynamic Therapy Associates, does 50+ of these evaluations each year, both in the clinic and in school settings. In this post, Vicki shares some thoughts on assessing the AAC skills of people who use direct selection. As always, she packs in a lot of information and generously provides the protocol and data collection forms that she uses. You can explore some of her previous posts in the AAC Assessment Corner series here. * ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: AAC Skills Assessment for Direct Selectors I spent the morning with a great group of students at the University of Georgia (UGA) in Dr. Satterfield’s AAC class. I was asked to talk with them about AAC assessment with an emphasis on... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: access, assessment, assessment form, forms
August 29, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
It’s wonderful to hear so many stories of AAC interventionists who are providing learners with access to a larger lexicon, including a growing set of core words. If you are looking for ways to model, practice, and teach these words, it can help to narrow the focus to a subset of words so that there are plenty of learning opportunities. The Year of Core approach isn’t a developmental list of words to be introduced in a specific order, but rather a way of gradually exposing learners to more and more words over time. We do that by modeling them on their device or communication aid when we talk, and plan specific instructional activities to teach word meanings, play games to help them better recognize and understand the symbols for those words, and, elicit them frequently from those who are just learning their AAC systems. Our prAACtical friends need practice, practice, and more practice. Over time,... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
August 22, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
At the ISAAC 2016 conference in Toronto, I had the opportunity to talk about using technology to share information with families, colleagues, and pre-professionals. LiveBinders, is one of the tools that were discussed both in the pre-conference session with Chris Bugaj and in my seminar on pre-service AAC education. LiveBinders are digital notebooks that make it easy to collect, curate, and share information. We’ve been writing about this tool for the past four years, but there is new material being created all the time. Here are some AAC-related LiveBinders that I’ve been exploring. AAC by Jill Beall/Region 7 ABCs of AAC (Preschool AAC) by D. McLauchlin Literacy and AAC/Balanced Literacy by Deanna Wagner TAAT 2015 by Janice Reese Visuals for ASD by Penelope Arp For more information on LiveBinders and features that you may not know about, check out their tutorials and blog. Do you make or use LiveBinders? We’d... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: collaboration, digital technology
August 18, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
Welcome back to the PrAACtical Supports series, highlighting the work of the AT team at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR). Meghan Reitz, an SLP who has worked at CHoR for over 3 years, returns to share activity ideas for older learners and downloadable handouts for their caregivers. She received her Master’s in SLP from the University of Virginia., which provides comprehensive services for pediatric healthcare. The CHoR AT Program is one of few comprehensive AT programs in Central Virginia, providing AT evaluations, equipment and training to people of all ages, enabling children and adults with disabilities to function more independently. CHoR’s AT team consists of 4 SLPs, 2 OTs, a PT, and a Therapy Practice Assistant. In addition to completing transdiciplinary evaluations and treatments, CHoR’s AT team is responsible for supporting staff and sharing AT information to five CHoR therapy centers throughout Central Virginia. Meghan has a passion for working... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: core vocabulary, download, Family support, older learners, partner training
August 15, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
It was so wonderful to meet and learn from so many colleagues and families at the 2016 ISAAC Biennial Conference last week. What an amazing experience to participate in an AAC event withcolleagues from 40 countries! ISAAC 2016 really was the world’s AAC conference. There was an active Twitter thread with a running account of the activities in sessions, social events, and the exhibit hall (see tweets from #ISAAC2016 here). The opening ceremonies started off strong with Vic Valentic’s performance (using AAC) of “I’ve Got a Lot to Say,” a song written by Vivian Butch. You can learn more about their collaboration and see an earlier performance of that song here. Keynote speaker John Draper, founder of Together We Rock, then gave a funny, engaging talk that addressed the contributions of clinicians, educators, researchers, and technologists alike. I was honored to be invited to present two pre-conference sessions on Day 1... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: download, handout, ISAAC 2016