March 7, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
What would happen if a group of dedicated AAC stakeholders could come together around the idea of improving AAC services? Today’s guest authors, Chris Bugaj, Chris CichoskiKelly, and Shaun Pearson set out to explore issues around AAC practices and are inviting us all to join in the conversation. Let’s see where this takes us! :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: The Genesis of the AAC Agreements In 2016, Chris CichoskiKelly went to the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) conference with a question: what are the best practices for AAC implementation? He saw a lot of great talks on AAC but found little in the way of common ground or agreement amongst them. One of those sessions was co-presented by Chris Bugaj. After the session, the two Chris’s got to talking about the differences. An idea emerged. Given all the difference, what would be the similarities? If all those invested in AAC got together in one... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: AAC Agreements, ATIA
March 5, 2019
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 camp 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 while... [Read More...]
Filed under: AAC Link Up, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: AAC Link Up
March 4, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for a way to help caregivers understand some of the basic ways to support AAC? Take a look at the AAC for Caregivers Manual produced by the Specialised Assistive Technology Centre (ATC) SPD in Singapore. It includes some of the key concepts in using these AAC and related topics: Following the child’s lead Keeping the AAC nearby Teaching core vocabulary Aided language input Use of pause time Prompt hierarchies Routines and schedules Customizing an AAC system Enjoy!
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: AAC Resources, caregiver, Singapore
March 3, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Is it really Sunday already? If you’re catching up on your AAC reading, here are the posts we published this past week. Monday – PrAACtically March: AAC Resources for a Year of Core Words Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Supporting Emergent Communicators Thursday – Throwback Thursday: An AAC ‘Funny Area’ Solution :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: And while you’re here, check out some of the other AAC-related websites we’ve featured in the past. Miami Dade County PreKindergarten Program for Children with Disabilities Centre for AAC (CAAC) AT Makers SCOPE AAC Funding Help Have a great week, AAC friends!
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: resources, Site of the Month, summary post
February 28, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Every once in a while, we’re refreshing a blog post authored by the co-founder of PrAACtical AAC, the late Dr. Robin Parker, to share her clinical wisdom with those who may have missed it the first time around. Enjoy! ————————————————————————————— Behavior-It’s All about Perspective: Funny Time in the Funny Area A ‘funny area’ is not a technique or strategy you will see in a behavior or speech-language therapy textbook. But here is how we came to know and love ‘funny time’ & the ‘funny area’ A Little Background Tommy, a 9-year-old boy, seemed to be getting the ‘giggles’ each session. The graduate student clinician was not sure how to ‘control the situation’. Tommy typically worked hard using his SGD to build long and complex sentences for communication during natural age-appropriate activities (i.e., golf, art, and reading). But then the ‘giggles’ would start… and less and less communication was getting done.... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: behavior regulation, choice, emotional regulation, structure
February 25, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Do the AAC users in your life use only a fraction of the core words in their SGD, AAC app, or communication board? One way to help them move forward is to make a concerted effort to use, highlight, and provide additional teaching on a variety of words. It’s hard to do this without getting overwhelmed, so find a strategy that works for you. A few years ago, we decided to approach this by focusing on 12-16 core words each month. (If this is too much for the teams with whom you work, that’s not a problem. Just cut it back to 4-6 words/month.) Each month, we can highlight those words in our conversation (aided language input), direct intervention, and home programming activities with AAC learners. The repeated experiences with those 12-16 (or 4-6) words helps our AAC learners develop new skills, and keeps the team focused on the same destination. It’s... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Another Year of Core Words, Year of Core Words
February 24, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. Here are some posts you may have missed in your busy week. Monday – 5 AAC Handouts from Conferences Near and Far Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Growing Language with AAC Modeling Thursday – How I Do It: Literacy, Language, and AAC with Jeanna Antrim :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: If you have the time, here are some past posts you may enjoy. AAC Skills Assessment for Direct Selectors Selecting AAC Apps & Devices: A Handful of Reasons Not to Skip the Trial Period Observational Assessment of Beginning Communicators Bilingual AAC Assessment Tips by Lindsay Oesch Say What?!? AAC Assessment for Children Who Speak with Dr. Jill Senner and Matthew Baud
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: AAC assessment, How I Do It
February 21, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
We have deep respect for clinicians and educators who are willing to share their approach to developing strong AAC instructional sessions. Today, we are excited to welcome SLP Jeanna Antrim to these pages. Jeanna has been an SLP for the past 7 years practicing at special education cooperatives in southern Illinois. She works both with students in a self-contained behavior school and as an AAC facilitator conducting AAC evaluations, providing direct therapy, and consulting with school teams. In this post, she shares her approach to developing AAC sessions using shared reading. (Don’t miss her book packet and handouts.) ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: How I Do It: Literacy, Language, and AAC After graduating, it took me a few years of trial and error before I figured out (and don’t get me wrong I’m still figuring out) my niche. I absolutely love books and love how I can target any language and communication concept within a... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: book packet, core vocabulary, download, How I Do It, shared reading
February 18, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
There have been lots of wonderful AAC sessions at conferences in the past 12 months. Here are a handful of handouts from some of them. Effects of Embedding Core Vocabulary in Emergent Literacy Instructional Routines – Penny Hatch, Lori Geist & Karen Erickson, ISAAC 2018 The Cognitive Demands Checklist Thinking about Thinking for AAC – Melanie Fried-Oken, Aimee Mooney, & Michelle Kinsella The AAC Learning Center(s): Online Supports for Pre-service Instruction – Chris Klein & David McNaughton, ATIA 2019 Talking Early Mobility: Get Moving with AAC – Tami Altschuler, Daniella Klein, Amanda Tesoriero, & Ashley Carr Scully, ASHA 2018 Developing Communication and Access Skills for Children Who Face Severe Physical and Multiple Challenges – Linda Burkhart ATIA 2019 Did you attend an AAC session that was especially helpful? We’d love to hear about it. NOTE: Depending on the presenter and venue, these handouts may be available only for a limited... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: ASHA, ATIA, handouts, ISAAC
February 17, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Good morning, AAC friends. Busy week? Here are some posts you may have missed. Monday – “My Students Don’t Have Much AAC Support at Home” Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Learning About Social Stories Thursday – A Different Kind of Valentine’s Day :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: While you’re here, stay awhile and browse the selection of AAC stories below. An AAC Journey: From “No to AAC” to “AAC All Day, Every Day” with Desirae Pillay Faces of AAC – Zainab Omar The Faces of AAC: Dianna and Brian The Faces of AAC: Justyna and Wiktoria Faces of AAC: Making It Work in A Busy Family
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: first person account, home, social narratives, summary post