January 17, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
How can we better support AAC learners in general education classrooms? With great teaching and appropriate supports! In today’s video, Erin Sheldon discusses the rationale and implementation of an important educational/clinical strategy, descriptive teaching, that can be used in a variety of settings. We are so grateful to Erin and others who willingly share what they know and make that available for all of us to learn from. Enjoy! Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQA5RpVXGQo&list=PLlsAGwcMnu5pRo7HCpy77ZqVQEtEqEgbh You can learn more from Erin here and here.
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: descriptive teaching, school
January 10, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Are you involved in training others on AAC content? Today, we share a video developed by the Virginia Early Intervention Professional Development Center for their Early Intervention-Early Childhood Professional Development Community of Practice. The video discusses an approach to using research evidence to improve the way we design and deliver professional development. You can see the article on which this model is based (Dunst, 2015) by clicking on the reference below the video. Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSnREyBWEEc ————————————————- Dunst, C. J. (2015). Improving the design and implementation of in-service professional development in early childhood intervention. Infants & Young Children: 258, 3, 210-219.
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: EBE, professional development, Training
January 3, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Curious about how other professionals support AAC core vocabulary in their classrooms? Today, we have a range of videos from Macomb ISD in Michigan. Enjoy! Modeling Core Vocabulary Core Word Rap Core Vocabulary in Shared Reading Modeling Core Words While Building Self-Help Skills Vocabulary Instruction
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: classroom, core vocabulary, school, video
December 27, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
As we wrap up the year, here’s a look back at some of the most popular AAC videos. Did any of your favorites make the cut? Infusing AAC Core Vocabulary Into Interactive Storybook Reading Communication Supports for Problem Behavior with Dr. Pat Mirenda Aided Language Input Demo Core Vocabulary Overview Getting Started with PODD Do you have a favorite AAC video? We’d love to hear about it!
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: popular, video
December 20, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
As we all know, AAC learners need to use their augmentative tools and strategies to do more than ask for the things they want to do or have. But it can be tricky to figure out how to build competency with more social communicative functions. In today’s featured video, Matthew Baud and Dr. Jill Senner, of the Technology and Language Center, discuss some of the issues involved in expanding the pragmatic profiles of our AAC learners. They also demonstrate specialized social pages in some AAC systems. Handouts can be obtained from the TALC website or the link below. Download the handout here. You can learn more about pragmatic intervention from Matthew and Jill here. Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGLiJRXXM88&t=1762s
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: pragmatics
December 13, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
When you’ve worked with one person with autism, the saying goes, you’ve worked with one person with autism. It shouldn’t surprise us, then, that this diversity shows up in research data as well. In this presentation, we hear from Dr. David Trembath, from Griffith University in Australia, explores the individual differences in AAC research and discusses their implications. Many thanks to the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration in Autism (CIRCA) at the University of British Columbia, for making this video available. Direct link to video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvZ-XH6SLVU
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: research
December 6, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
When your child has little or no functional speech, it is tempting to jump right into purchasing AAC technology and get started with therapy and instruction. Usually, though, it helps to slow down just a bit. Families who are new to this journey may not realize that the best way to get started is with a good AAC assessment, and, thus, will not know to advocate for that at school or with private service providers. In today’s featured video, Dr. Jill Senner explains the rationale for starting with an AAC assessment and provides an overview of the process. Enjoy! Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7uGjxZDD7I&feature=youtu.be
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: AAC assessment
November 29, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
Visual difficulties are common in individuals who use AAC, and few of us know more than ‘the basics’ of vision impairment. If you work with individuals with cortical visual impairment (CVI), this post may influence your selection of AAC and learning materials, how you present them, and much more. In today’s featured video, Dr. Christine Roman-Lantzy provides a detailed explanation of CVI with a focus on how it impacts our AAC learners. Many thanks to USSAAC and ISAAC for hosting this helpful presentation. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE23MGY87PQ&feature=youtu.be You can hear more from Dr. Roman-Lantzy here.
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: cortical visual impairment, CVI, vision impairment
November 22, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
There is no doubt that people with AAC needs are incredibly vulnerable in emergency and crime-related situations. In today’s featured video, SLPs Sarah Mankey and Mariesa Rang discuss ways they address this issue proactively and provided free training to firefighters and law enforcement officers in their community. In addition to introducing them to basic concepts in AAC, first responders learned how to communicate with people who use AAC and worked through real-life scenarios. Kudos to these professionals for this important work and to USSAAC and ISAAC for making this video available. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wuZGcyt-EY
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: crime, Emergency, first responder
November 15, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
If you are confused by the different tools available for AAC assessment or overwhelmed by the complexity of this process, you’re not alone. Given that there is not a standard test battery for AAC assessments, it is understandable that many professionals struggle with this issue. In today’s video, the team at Grant Wood Area AT Program tackle this confusion in a very prAACtical way. They created this brief presentation to delineate assessment tools that can be useful for emergent communicators, context-dependent communicators, and independent communicators. Although the video is a few years old, it may help to clear away some of the AAC assessment fog. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvrR1EJYTDQ
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: AAC assessment, assessment tools