March 23, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for some different activities to support AAC learning? Today, we reach into the archives to share some old favorites. Research Project AACtivity Concept Sorts Using Surveys to Support Language Learning Magic Moments with Tellagami New Word Teaching: A Look Inside Some PrAACtical Therapy Sessions Teaming Up to Build Communication with a Treat Cart: Part 1, Part 2 AACtual Therapy: Use Your Best Spud to Teach Vocabulary With Tanna Neufeld PrAACtical Supports for AAC Learners: AT Recipes for Success – Sensorimotor Activities AAC Intervention: 5 Activities with PrAACtical Potential Vocabulary Activities: 5 Sites for Learning with Avatars PrAACtical Teaching in the Autism Classroom: Instructional Activities for Core Vocabulary Why We Love AAC Language Experience Activities 5 Ways to Use Word Clouds in AAC Therapy and Magic Moments with Word Clouds Magic Moments: Painting with Time Teaching the Use of Social Phrases and Comments Let’s Go Outside! 5 PrAACtical Ideas “Can I... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
March 22, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Communication boards come in all sizes and are made from a range of materials. In today’s featured video Carrie Clark of Speech and Language Kids shares her ideas about using a cookie sheet to create a communication board. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnyv8h6J4rc&ab_channel=CarrieClark%2CSLPSolution
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
March 20, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
In last year’s series, Overlooked AAC, we explored a number of things that professionals often miss in providing educational and therapeutic AAC services. Today, we add to that topic, shifting the focus to skill areas that often get neglected. AAC support generally focuses on communication, language, and literacy. When we look at the individual through a more holistic lens, though, it’s often apparent that there are other areas that create challenges for people with AAC needs. Here are some of them that we can impact in a positive way. Expand understanding of feelings and emotions: Our emotions go beyond the ‘primary colors’ of happy, sad, and angry, but when we lack the language to understand the other colors and hues, we limit our ability to develop emotional maturity. Language doesn’t just help us express our emotions; it also drives our ability to process and deal with them in healthy, productive... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
March 16, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
We are pleased to publish the second post in a series on multilingual AAC support guest authored by BilingüeAAC. BilingüeAAC is a group of SLPs with a shared belief in providing evidence-based intervention strategies and resources to bilingual Spanish AAC clients, families, caregivers, and professionals. In today’s post, they introduce us to their framework for AAC intervention that is culturally and linguistically affirming. BilingueAAC Framework to Cultural-Linguistic AAC Intervention Bilingualism in AAC is the best practice and essential to equitable communication access for people with complex communication needs (McNamara, 2018). However, resources are limited to implementing “best practices” and the “how to” incorporate bilingualism and AAC. When we look at the research, we find a variety of cultural considerations (ASHA) but no definite guideline or framework on how to approach assessment and implementation for AAC users with linguistically diverse backgrounds. Providing bilingual AAC intervention is an inclusive and equitable practice. Bilingual... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
March 15, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Although AAC implementation may look different around the world, the right to communicate is universal. In today’s video, we share a conversation on key issues featuring Dr. Ensa Johnson (researcher and educator), Netsai Gwata (educational psychologist), Faatima Ebrahim (occupational therapist), and Vuledzani Ndanganeni (speech-language pathologist). Many thanks to the panelists and the Margaret McNamara Educational Grants for this insightful discussion. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=Ve_8uMFszf0&ab_channel=MargaretMcNamaraEducationGrantsMMEG
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
March 13, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
We continue to dive into our AAC Implementation Framework, guest authored by AAC SLP Vicki Clarke. In this post, Vicki discusses the way that she approaches AAC training when working with school teams. She shares lots of prAACtical ideas and resources to use in this process. You can see the earlier posts in the AAC Implementation Framework series using the links below. Steps to Learning Step 1, Determining the Target ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: AAC 101 Steps of Learning: TRAIN In Step Two, we begin the process of training HOW we say the word or message we are targeting. We are learning where the symbol lives on our AAC system, what it looks or sounds like, the motor sequence to navigate through pages on our AAC applications, and of course, signing or saying the word, if that’s appropriate. The most significant thing to remember at this step is that we are not specifically... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
March 12, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. Enjoy some AAC content from our prAACtical week. Monday – PrAACtical Heroes: Judith Heumann Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Helping Parents Model AAC at Home Thursday – Throwback Thursday: Visual Supports ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Stick around for a bit more if you can. Here are some posts that may be of interest. Let’s Go Outside! 5 PrAACtical Ideas At the Very Beginning: Working with Pre-Intentional Communicators Sometimes I Feel Sunny AAC Access for Individuals with Significant Motor Limitations Through Partner-Assisted Scanning Supporting AAC Learners in Emergent Writing: 5 Helpful Resources
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
March 7, 2023
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
February 27, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Only a small percentage of people with complex communication needs get the AAC support they need. Though AAC is becoming more widely accepted, the huge gap between the people who need AAC and those who get adequate AAC support is longstanding and pervasive across service delivery standards. There are many fine people who work tirelessly to make changes to this unfortunate reality, and we are deeply grateful for their work. They are exhausted, hard-working, frustrated, and represent various stakeholder groups. Still, there are far too many professionals who fail to provide AAC support to those they work with who need to use other means of communication. How can we change their perspective in ways that will steer them in the direction of providing AAC support? How we talk and write about AAC matters. It’s only a small piece of this challenging conundrum, but one that, nonetheless, can contribute to systems... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
February 26, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. We have some posts you might enjoy. Monday – 5 Books for AAC Professionals Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: AT Resources for Writing Thursday – March Year of Core Vocabulary & School Year of Core Vocabulary Words ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Some of our AAC friends are beginning to prepare for upcoming IEPs so our thoughts have been turning to the classroom, curriculum, and academics. Here are some of the posts we’ve been revisiting. Take a look. Integrating AAC Instruction with Curriculum Standards Research Tuesday: Literacy Instruction for Students with Significant Disabilities Educating Students with Complex Support Needs in a Standards-Aligned System PrAACtical Partnerships: AAC and Academics Helping the General Education Team Support Students Who Use AAC
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking