November 17, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
How can we support learners who are at the earliest stages of communicative development? In today’s video, we feature a presentation by Yedida Levine Sterenberg, an AAC SLP at the OMER Center for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, that covers this important topic. This video is an archived recording of a session at the 3rd International Conference on Augmentative and Alternative Communication which was held virtually in 2020. Many thanks to Ms. Sterenberg and the conference organizers for making this recording available. Enjoy! Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajfXanz9cgM&ab_channel=AAC2020online
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
November 16, 2021
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
November 15, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
AAC SLP Vicki Clarke is known to long-time readers for her excellent series, AAC Assessment Corner, and her collaboration with Holly Schneider in creating the Dynamic AAC Goals Grid (DAGG-2). Today, we welcome her back to tell us about the revised version of her goal-setting guide designed especially for school settings. Join us in learning about the Classroom Communication Goals Grid and download a free copy. Classroom Communication Goals Grid- Revised https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/AAC-Classroom-Communication-Project-2021-Intro-and-Tools-4219461 It’s been over 5 years since I developed the Classroom Communication Goals Grid. During that time it’s been in use in many of our districts helping teachers and therapists assess the communication skills of their students, select goals relevant to the academic environment, and show progress at annual IEP time. The Grid needed some revision, a little more review of current research, a little reorganization of goals, and a facelift! This article is to introduce you to the... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
November 11, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
We love learning from people who use AAC and sharing their perspectives on things related to supports and services. So when Mike Hipple reached out with an offer to guest post, we jumped on the chance to publish his thoughts. In this post, Mike, an AAC user who founded the Wisconsin AAC Network, shares his experiences and thoughts on AAC and special education. Enjoy! ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: There are many false facts about the augmentative alternative communication community that may interfere with students getting what they need. One AAC false fact that always bugs me as an AAC communicator is all AAC Communicators have a cognitive disability. Mmm, this couldn’t be more wrong. Yes, some do but there is a large number like me that do not. Google says 5.7% of students in public schools during the 2018-19 school year had a cognitive disability. Sadly, when doing research for this paper, I... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
November 8, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
In theory, teenage students with disabilities should play an important role in developing their IEPs and in meetings to discuss them. In practice, this rarely occurs. Today, we’re addressing this important topic with another post in our series focusing on supporting students using AAC during their high school years. AAC SLP Ashley Larisey, an SLP at Community High School District 218 in Oak Lawn, Illinois, is here to discuss ways to support students who use AAC as they prepare to transition out of school. Ashley, who is also an Adjunct Clinical Supervisor and Instructor at Saint Xavier University, has some prAACtical suggestions that are important for school teams, students who use AAC, their families, and school administration. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Centering AAC Users in the IEP Process When supporting older students who use AAC and are quickly approaching adulthood, our Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), goal development, services, and progress monitoring will... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
November 7, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. We have a handful of posts for you. Monday – AAC at Upcoming Professional Conferences: 3 Online Learning Opportunities Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Implementing Comprehensive Literacy Instruction for Students Who Use AAC Thursday – AAC Fair Testing Practices: Test Administration Procedures Friday – PráctiCAAmente Conectados Con Links – Noviembre 2021 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: While you’re here, why not sample some of these past posts? Organizing Vocabulary for Communication Books: Getting Started More on Teaching Core Vocabulary Join Together Core and Fringe AAC In the Classroom: Considerations for Modeling Core Vocabulary PrAACtical Resources: Mini Communication Boards
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
November 4, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
Without a thoughtful assessment plan in place, people who use AAC may be at a disadvantage when taking tests. Fatigue, excessive anxiety, comprehension difficulties, motor challenges, limited access to robust language, and other factors may make it difficult for them to demonstrate what they know. Today, we continue our series on AAC Fair Testing Practices with a discussion of test administration practices. In formal testing, any changes to testing procedures invalidate the use of normative data. If we modify the directions or response options provided to an AAC user, we can’t compare their scores to the scores of individuals who took the test without any modifications. That means we aren’t pouring through the tables at the back of the test manual to find age or grade equivalency scores. Still, we have to be thoughtful in when and how to make adjustments to testing practices. In this post, we consider two... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
November 1, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
If you’re new to the practice of AAC or just want to expand your knowledge base, consider making plans to attend a conference where you can learn from a variety of AAC stakeholders and make connections with like-minded individuals. Here are some suggestions for upcoming events with virtual options. NOVEMBER: #TalkingAAC DECEMBER: ASHA’s Expanding AAC: Accessible Strategies for Functional Communication JANUARY: Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) Hope to see you there!
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
October 31, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Halloween, AAC friends. If AAC reading is on your agenda, here are some suggested posts. Monday – November Year of Core Vocabulary & School Year of Core Vocabulary Words Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – AAC Video of the Week: Getting to Know You Thursday – AAC Fair Testing Practices: Test Materials ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: If you have more time, check out these past posts from the archives. 5 AAC Tips for Talking About Halloween After it is Over EET + AAC = OMG Top AAC Videos
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
October 28, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
For individuals with AAC needs to be able to demonstrate what they know in assessment situations, we need to think carefully about the test materials and consider what adjustments are needed. In this continuation of our series on AAC Fair Testing Practices, we’ll explore this in some detail. TOPIC 9: Test Materials There are two categories of test materials for us to consider: those that are part of the assessment process for all learners and those that may be needed primarily by students who use AAC. In both cases, teams should discuss what is relevant, fair, and helpful to a particular student. Detailed notes should be kept to aid in replicating the set-up for re-testing at a later point in time or for use in other assessments. Additionally, teams will want to keep the purpose of the assessment in mind as they address this topic. Knowing why we are conducting... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking