August 2, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. We have some posts that you may find interesting. Monday – PrAACtically August – AAC Resources for A Year of Core Vocabulary Words: The Learn-at-Home Edition Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Making the Environment Communicatively Accessible Thursday – Throwback Thursday: AAC, IEPs, & Data Collection :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Looking for a few more places to browse? Check out some of these posts on working with teens and young adults. Starting AAC with Teens and Young Adults Conversation Practice with Teens and Young Adults 5 Ways to Use Magazines in AAC Therapy Books for Beginning Readers of Any Age Visual Supports in AAC Therapy with Older Student and Adults Have a great week, everyone!
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: A Year of Core Vocabulary Words
July 30, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
We’re reaching back into the archives today to spotlight some past posts. If you’re looking to tune up your IEP or data collection processes, these may be of interest. DATA COLLECTION Video: AAC Data Collection by Gail Van Tatenhove Data Collection for the Beginning AAC User: Essential Things to Measure to Expedite Progress 5 Things to Consider About Data Collection & AAC Realizing the Power of Data Logging THE IEP Aided AAC & the IEP How I Do It: AAC in the IEP PrAACtical Resources: AT & 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: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Data & Data Collection/Logging, Education & Schools, IEP/Individualized Education Plans
July 27, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Well this is certainly shaping up to be a strange summer. Here in Florida, lots of professionals and families are starting to think about heading back to school whether it is virtual learning or going back into the classroom. Teachers, therapists, and aides play a pivotal role in helping AAC learners develop skills with core vocabulary so that they have a body of words that can be used across activities, environments, and communication partners. There are lots of ‘right’ ways to support these students. Among them is an instructional approach in which a new set of core words is introduced every few weeks in order to build their experiences with AAC. Our Year of Core Words materials has two versions, Set 1 (12 words/month) and Set 2 (16 words/month; Different than the previous year’s core words). If you’ve been following along, or are just getting started, these resources may be of interest. Set 1... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: A Year of Core Vocabulary Words
July 26, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. Here are some posts that you may have missed in your busy week. Monday – The Role of Meaning Making with Beginning Communicators: Motivating Interactions Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Teaming with Related Services to Support AAC Users Thursday – PrAACtical Research: Improving Accessibility for People with Significant Speech Disabilities :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Have a little more time? You might be interested in these posts from the archives. Back to School with AAC A Collaborative Approach to Implementing Core Vocabulary in a School-based Setting Goodbye, Summer! A Clinician Preps AAC Materials for the New School Year Essential Tricks for Supporting AAC in Schools AAC in the High School Classroom: Where Core Vocabulary Meets Life Skills
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
July 23, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
When clinicians, researchers, and individuals with AAC needs come together to work on a problem, good things can happen. In today’s post, SLP Katie Seaver tells us about her experiences with Project Euphonia. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: My name is Katie Seaver and I have been an SLP for 16 years. For the past 10 year I have been an SLP and AAC Specialist at the Leonard Florence Center in Chelsea MA at their ALS Residence (see ALSRI.org for more information). The center is uniquely built to meet the extensive accessibility obstacles pALS experience. Each room is private with a fully automated environmental control with a program called PEAC. Once a resident has a device that allows them to access WiFi (e.g. an iPhone or even a Tobii Dynavox SGD) then they have access to their environment as well, from heating and TV, to doors and elevators. My passion for AAC has been... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: accessibility, ALS, research
July 20, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Finding ways to engage AAC learners is important to professionals across disciplines and service delivery settings. In today’s post, we feature guest author Kate McLaughlin, who is an SLP serving individuals with AAC needs in Connecticut. She shares a perspective on building engagement through the perspective of meaning making. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: “Motivating” Emergent Communicators through Shared “Meaning-Making” & Communication Responsibility Are you a speech-language pathologist (SLP), teacher, or parent supporting an emergent AAC learner? Maybe you are just starting AAC with a learner who has a complex profile (for example, significant motor impairments, difficulties with motor planning, and/or sensory processing differences)? Maybe you have a learner who has learned to ask for some favorite things, but is not communicating beyond that? Do you struggle to “motivate” them? You’re not alone. I’ve met many kids who have been described as “not motivated to communicate.” I’ve also met many parents and professionals... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: emerging/beginning communicators, Implementation Ideas & Tips
July 19, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends! Here are some posts that might interest you. Monday – TELL ME About It: AAC Learning with ‘Max’s Breakfast’ Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: “I Have an AAC Device. Now What?” Thursday – AAC Implementation from a ‘Communication World’ Perspective :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: We’ve had AAC and book reading on our minds this week. It seemed like a good time to share some book-related posts from the archives. 5 Ways to Use Books to Build Interaction with AAC Learners Alphabet Books and AAC Implementation Adapting Books with Visual Scenes Make It PrAACtical: Display Stand for Visual Supports or Books Using Adapted Books with AAC Learners: 3 Important Questions to Ask
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: adapted books, implementation ideas, shared reading
July 16, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
AAC SLPs are a creative bunch and would do anything to help teams get on board with appropriate supports and services. In today’s post, we hear from Elena Feder, who introduces us to the ‘Communication World’ approach. Elena is an AAC SLP at the New England Assistive Technology (NEAT) Center in Connecticut and has a lot to share about AAC implementation. Don’t miss the wonderful planning tool that she shares at the end. Before we get to that, though, take a look at the AAC Summer Bash that she runs with her colleague and fellow SLP Sarah Brink. In normal times, this is a face-to-face experience but due to the novel coronavirus, it has migrated to an online event. There are a few other things that you might like to know about the AAC Summer Bash. It’s free! You’re invited! You must register by July 17th. The AAC Summer Bash... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: & Tools, Checklists, forms, Implementation Ideas & Tips
July 13, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Welcome back to another installment of TELL ME About It, guest authored by Jeanna Antrim and Maggie Judson. Maggie and Jeanna are speech-language pathologists who work in the Assistive Technology Department for the Belleville Area Special Services Cooperative (BASSC) in southern Illinois. They are AT/AAC facilitators and provide evaluations, direct therapy, consultations, and trainings with school teams. In this series, they discuss how they support preschool teachers who are implementing the TELL ME program with their young students. Today, they walk us through the ways that they facilitate AAC use while focusing on the book ‘Max’s Breakfast’ Don’t miss their Lesson Plan, video demonstrations, and other resources at the end of the post. You can see their previous posts in the TELL ME About It series below. If You’re Angry and You Know It The Lunch Box Surprise Come Out and Play, Little Mouse No, David Go Away Big Green... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: core vocabulary, TELL ME
July 12, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends! Here are some posts that you may have missed in your busy week. Monday – AACtual Therapy: Using Aided Language Modeling Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Gaming & AAC Thursday – How I Do It: Pivoting to Teletherapy for AAC Learners :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 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 Repairing Communication Breakdowns
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Aided Language Input/Stimulation, telepractice