May 22, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends! Here are some posts you may have missed in your busy week. Monday – The Role of Perception in AAC Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Goal Writing for AAC Thursday – Throwback Thursday: AAC In Early Childhood Education ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Have a little more time? These might be of interest. Five Places for Shared AAC Materials Five AAC and Related Resources to Explore AAC Teamwork: Encouraging Colleagues #1 (downloadable) AAC Teamwork: Encouraging Colleagues #2 (downloadable) AAC Teamwork: Encouraging Colleagues #3 (downloadable) AAC: More Teaching, Less Testing (downloadable)
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
May 19, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for information on AAC in young children? Here are some posts you might enjoy. PrAACtically Reading: Books Featuring Children & Youth with Disabilities Parent-Implemented AAC Intervention for Young Children From Wheelchair to Hands-free Walker for Preschool Children with AAC Needs, Part 1, Part 2 Using Vest Displays with Preschoolers on the Autism Spectrum with guest author Dr. Carol Goossens’ Mining the Preschool Routine for PrAACtical AAC Opportunities Supporting Preschoolers with AAC Needs: A Case Study Visual Supports in Action in the Preschool Classroom TELL ME: AAC in the Preschool Classroom TELL ME About It (Year 1) TELL ME AAC Literacy Kits Brown Bear, Brown Bear I Went Walking From Head to Toe Here Are My Hands What Do You Like? Go Away Big Green Monster No, David Come Out and Play, Little Mouse The Lunch Box Surprise If You’re Angry and You Know It Max’s Breakfast All Are Welcome! I... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
May 16, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
The case history for Aziz described him as ‘non-communicative.’ On Mia’s intake form, it says that she is ‘unable to be tested.’ One of Antwon’s therapists reported that he is ‘not motivated to communicate.’ Experienced, caring professionals said or wrote each one of these things. And while there may be a kernel of truth in some of their perceptions, it’s also likely that these statements don’t tell the full story and fail to accurately capture the student’s capabilities. How can we influence professionals who see limitations more clearly than abilities and potential? One approach is to do things that alter their perceptions of people with complex communication needs. Perception matters a great deal. Why? Because the ways in which we perceive people set off a whole chain of events. – The way that we perceive someone shapes the expectations that we have for them. – The expectations we have for someone... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
May 15, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends! We have some posts that you might enjoy. Monday – AAC-friendly Camps Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: AAC Support for People with ALS Thursday – Throwback Thursday: AAC & High School ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: While you’re at it, here are some previous posts that may be of interest. Helping Beginning Communicators Expand Their Sentence Length 5 Ways to Make Semantic Maps More Effective in AAC Therapy PrAACtical Questions with Vicki Clarke: What’s the Role of Core Vocabulary? Communication Boards: Colorful Considerations Zooming, Masking, Distancing, & More: AAC-friendly Resources for Managing Coronavirus Challenges Let Me Tell You Something- Narratives for the Beginning Communicator
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
May 12, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for information, tips, or resources to support older students who use AAC? Here are some articles and videos that may be of interest. AAC in Secondary School Series by Ashley Larisey Centering AAC Users in the IEP Process Collaborative Teaming for High School Students Who Use AAC Social Media 5 AACtionable Steps to Support the Transition Process 5 Progress Monitoring Tips for Secondary Students Using Games to Support AAC Learning for Older Students Defining Age Respectful AACcessibility during Community Based Instruction Using Surveys to Support Language Learning Research Project AACtivity Party Planning AACtivity Others AAC Goes to High School: The Power of Peers AAC Goes to High School: Community-based Instruction PrAACtical Solutions: AAC Goes to High School Progress Monitoring for Secondary School Students AAC in the High School Classroom: Where Core Vocabulary Meets Life Skills
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
May 10, 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: PrAACtical Thinking
May 9, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
We haven’t published anything on AAC-friendly camps since before the pandemic, so today’s post feels a little special. Here in the US, we’re looking toward summer, and that means there’s plenty of time to get outside, meet new friends, and have some fun. For the past few years, I’ve been involved in Camp Wings of Friendship, a free virtual camp for teens and adults with disabilities, so for me, it just wouldn’t be summer without a little time away at camp. For those who are interested, we keep a running list of in-person and virtual camps that are AAC-friendly here. If you know of a camp that should be added to this list, please let us know so that we can expand the offerings.
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
May 8, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends, and a happy Mother’s Day to those who are celebrating today. We have a few posts that might be of interest. Monday – 3 Tech Tools for AAC Service Providers Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Profanity, Slang, and AAC Thursday – Throwback Thursday: Support for Reading & AAC Friday – CAA Con Links: Mayo :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Before you leave, here are a few more posts that you might like. Aided AAC & the IEP How I Do It: AAC in the IEP AAC & the IEP: 5 Resources to Explore 5 Reasons to Put AAC Training for Staff and Parents into the IEP How I Do It: Writing IEP Goals for Students Who Use AAC with Lauren Enders
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
May 6, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
On the first Friday of every month, we feature a Spanish version of our AAC Link Up, CAA con Links. If you have AAC-related announcements, materials, or videos in Spanish that you would like others to know about, we’d love to have you add that information below. Also, please share this with anyone who might be interested in contributing to or using the materials that get added to these posts. You’ll find the place to add that information at the very bottom of this post. Organized by Claudia Marimón, these monthly posts generally focus on AAC in Spanish-speaking countries. In today’s post, she shares a Spanish resource that may be of interest to many. Enjoy! ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Este mes queremos invitarlos a compartir links y recursos que hacen posible apoyar a nuestros estudiantes con complejas necesidades de comunicación en el proceso de alfabetización. La evidencia nos confirma que ellos pueden beneficiarse... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
May 5, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for suggestions on how to beef up supports for AAC and reading? Check out these past posts on the subject. Reading and Talking with AAC As They Grow: Books for Beginning Readers of Any Age Making Shared Book Reading Awesome for AAC Users Who Don’t Like Books Alphabet Books & AAC Implementation AAC, Literacy, & Squishy Books Asking Good Questions During Interactive Book Reading with AAC Learners AAC & Book Creator Loving Literacy-Let’s Read and Write Storybooks Growing AAC Professionals: AAC-friendly Books 5 Ways to Use Books to Build Interaction with AAC Learners Adapting Books with Visual Scenes AAC-friendly Accessible Books Make It PrAACtical: Display Stand for Visual Supports or Books 5 Books Featuring Children Who Use AAC Reading with AAC Across the Stages of Language Development Using Adapted Books with AAC Learners: 3 Important Questions to Ask Reading with AAC at the Beenleigh School PrAACtically Reading: Books Featuring... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking