November 3, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Walk into almost any program that has been serving people with AAC needs for awhile, and chances are that they have a box or cupboard with AT that is a little past its prime. Among all those treasures, you’ll probably find a few talking switches or single message voice output devices that no longer work like they used to. These little workhorses are too valuable to toss without at least trying to repair them. Many thanks to David Selover, AT Coordinator of the TRAID/Project Adapt Library, for the wonderful guide to repairing these beauties. http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-repair-a-Big-Mack-AAC-device-and-upgrade-/
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: DIY, low tech, single message voice output device, talking switch
November 2, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Last week, we talked a bit about activity-based communication displays (ABCDs), and the role they play for AAC learners. The analogy of feeding someone (with ABCDs) versus teaching them to fish for themselves (with robust AAC), resonated with many of you. In some cases, ABCDs can be a good way for therapists, educators, and families to take steps forward in their implementation of AAC. They allow students with little or no functional speech a way to participate in activities by making choices and comments, and that is a very good thing for those who don’t have a better option. There are a few drawbacks to ABCDs, though. Here are some of them. ABCDs limit language development. The learner can only experience the exact words and configurations that appear on a particular display. The learner has no way to expand his/her utterance by including other words or concepts. ABCDs are time-consuming... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: activity-based intervention, language intervention
November 1, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Monday – Selecting AAC Apps for Students with ASD Tuesday – From Activity-Based AAC to Robust AAC, Part 1 Wednesday – Video of the Week: Visual Supports on the Fly Friday – PrAACtically November: Resources for a Year of Core Vocabulary
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
October 30, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for some ways to help your AAC learners become more competent in using core words? Need to get staff on board with modeling core vocabulary? Trying to get familiar with where core words are stored in a particular SGD or AAC app? Here’s an approach you may want to try: Choose a dozen or so core words to focus on each month. In previous years, we shared lists of some core words to help you do just that. 2013: A Year of Core (12 words/month 2014: A(nother) Year of Core (16 words/month; Note: These are different than the core words covered in 2013) Those posts have links to downloadable grids with the core words for each month that can be used as a focal point for lesson planning. Our words for November are listed below. Set 1 (2013): body, dress, full, guess, hi, live, maybe, one, ride, tired very, walk... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: core vocabulary, download
October 27, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
As far as I can tell, most AAC learners are taught by people who don’t specialize in AAC. Their school SLPs may have caseloads of 50, 60, 70, or more students with IEPs, 90% of whom have goals for articulation, language, and fluency. Their classroom teachers serve students whose disabilities range from none at all, to dyslexia to cerebral palsy, to significant intellectual disabilities, and everywhere in between. In all likelihood, neither group had much AAC training. What little AAC they know, they’ve picked up on their own from reading, going to workshops and conferences (usually self-funded), talking to colleagues, and exploring online resources. Many times, their first foray into AAC is with things like choice boards and visual supports, such as daily schedules and first/then boards. From there, they may begin labeling the environment with pictures symbols (e.g., ‘table’ on the table, ‘on/off’ near the light switch), using mini-schedules... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
October 26, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
“What’s the best AAC app?” I’m starting to think that every AAC SLP has been asked this question at least a dozen times. And with over 200 AAC apps for mobile devices to choose from, it’s no wonder that families and professionals are looking for guidance. So when USSAAC (the US Society for AAC) invited me to participate in their webinar series, I knew just which topic I wanted to tackle. In today’s post, you can see the archived version of that webinar, get the handout, and pose some questions using the ‘Comments’ feature at the bottom of the page. Before we get to that, though, I’d like to encourage those of you with strong interests in AAC who live in the US to become members. USSAAC is our national chapter of the International Society for AAC (ISAAC), and if you are not already familiar with the organization, please consider checking... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Apps, ISAAC, USSAAC
October 25, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Wrapping up a wonderful month of building awareness and acceptance of AAC! Every voice matters. Monday – An AAC Journey: From ‘No AAC!’ to ‘AAC All Day, Everyday’ with Desirae Pillay Tuesday – AAC on Facebook: 10 Groups to Check Out Wednesday – Video of the Week: Preventing Problem Behavior in Schools by Dr. Barry Prizant Thursday – Beyond “Train and Hope” 5 Ways to Support Carryover of Skills by AAC Learners
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
October 22, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
With her SLP, Marissa conjugates verbs and includes function words to make the sentence grammatically correct (e.g., “She is going home with me”). With others, she tends to use her AAC more telegraphically (e.g., “She go home me”). In therapy, Marcus uses his AAC to create 3-4 word sentences. In the classroom, he communicates mostly in single word utterances. Sound familiar? Marcus and Marissa have both learned skills in therapy sessions that they are not using in their daily lives. Data from their therapy sessions show that these students have mastered the target language skills, so the SLP is understandably disappointed when they revert back to using less sophisticated utterances in the classroom. Problems with carryover and skill generalization are not unique to AAC. Ask any SLP who does articulation therapy or teaches kids who stutter how to speak more fluently. Getting them to use the skills demonstrated in... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: carryover, classroom, generalization
October 20, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Have an AAC question that you need answered at 11:00 pm? Want to be alerted to discounts on AAC apps? Need some ideas for AAC teaching? Looking for a specific AAC assessment form? Have some time to encourage a family or professional who is new to AAC? Just got the news that you have a budget for equipment and want suggestions? Facebook is a great place to connect with like-minded individuals to converse about AAC and related topics. Most SGD companies and app developers have their own Facebook pages, so search for the ones that you use most frequently. Here are some of the more active AAC groups on Facebook that are not aligned to a specific device or app. AAC for the SLP AAC and AT Networking Augmentative Communication Resources and Help AAC: Alternative Awesome Communicators Rett Syndrome Communication Device and Information Exchange Angelman, Literacy, and Education (NOT limited... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Facebook
October 19, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
What better way to celebrate AAC Awareness Month than to share AAC stories from around the world? In this post, we welcome Desirae Pillay, who shares a bit about her daughter, Savannah, and their AAC journey. As the mother of a young adult with ASD and cerebral palsy, Desirae has taken what she has learned about AAC and is using it to help others outside of her family. Desirae began her journey with AAC in 2003 when she could not find a qualified AAC specialist to assist her with her daughter. Her experience and informal learning gained her a job for an AT company. When her daughter’s health needs became pressing, she resigned her job and worked part time as a Disability Consultant for various organisations. Desirae recently returned to work as an AT Advisor, where she trains on a range of topics about communication for people with disabilities. Her passion is for... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Desirae Pillay, family, South Africa, teamwork