May 11, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
Looking to strengthen your AAC assessment practices? Over the next few weeks, we’ll be highlighting some videos that provide frameworks and prAACtical suggestions that may be helpful. In today’s video, Dr. Rae Sonnenmeier, of the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire, discusses processes and strategies that make our AAC assessments more effective and meaningful. Direct Link to Video: https://vimeo.com/88019903 The Communication Success Screening Tool referred to in this video can be accessed here. Thanks to Tobii Dynavox for making that available.
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: assessment, participation model, screening
May 4, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
How can we boost the frequency of core vocabulary use across environments? Planning those opportunities and teaching experiences is a big part of that process, both for those new to this approach and those who’ve been doing it for awhile. In this week’s featured video, Gail Van Tatenhove offers ideas for how to structure this so that it is feasible and successful. Thanks to Prentke Romich Deutschland for making ‘Core Counts’ available. Direct link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-xfv3VpvAg
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: core vocabulary, intervention, teaching strategies
April 28, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
In this week’s featured video, Susan Berkowitz, a California-based SLP with long-standing interests in AAC, shares prAACtical suggestions for how to incorporate core words during daily interactions and therapy activities. This short video is a great one to share with families or teams who need a little boost to increase their aided language input and create more communication opportunities for AAC learners. Direct link to video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdPaSJ2mj_U
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: core words
April 20, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for a video to help families get started (or restarted) on their AAC Journey. In today’s featured video, The Center on Technology and Disabilities brings us a wonderful webinar presented by Dana Nieder, author of the popular blog, Uncommon Sense. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmvJSM3QFJk
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: beginning communicator
April 13, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
April is a great month to expand our understanding of how to support individuals with autism. In this week’s featured video, we learn about the Visual Immersion Program from Dr. Howard Shane, James Sorce, and Meghan O’Brien. Many thanks to the AAC-RERC for making this available.
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: ASD
April 6, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
How can AAC be incorporated in daily life at home and in the community? Follow along with the Owens family, of We Speak PODD, who graciously let us peek into their lives as the work to make AAC a part of their everyday lives. Take a look at their PODD conversations to see how they incorporate AAC they live, learn, work, and play over the past six months. November Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM9tRTUaWLs December Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-AyfMLVkFs January Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0AtASkmiRw February Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK5yZjEZINc and Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyUZfEEwuP8 March Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRVB5Ry8gNc April Direct Link to Video: https://youtu.be/3iPm2Jripso
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: family, home, PODD
March 30, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
An increasing number of professionals and families have considered using PODD books with children and adults who have significant communication challenges. In today’s video, we return to the the Angelman Syndrome Foundation (ASF) to view another archived webinar in their amazing series on building communication skills. The presenter, Mary-Louise Bertram, provides a prAACtical overview of the approach with a focus on the logistics of getting started in creating and using PODD books. A highly experienced interventionist, Mary-Louise has supported a great many families and PODD users in her native Australia and around the world. The information she shares in this video is applicable to a wide range of people with AAC needs, and is not limited to children or adults with Angelman Syndrome. Kudos and much gratitude to the ASF for creating the wonderful videos in this series and making them available to all of us. Direct Link to webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_mc6AWQOM0
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: PODD
March 16, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
AAC learners often require a good deal of practice to become fluent enough with their language skills that they use them spontaneously across activities and environments. In this week’s featured video, we take a peek at Katya, who is learning to speak in longer sentences and to change singular nouns into plurals, and her SLP. The guided practice allows Katya to firm up her skills in these areas and develop the fluency she needs to be able to retrieve language during ordinary life experiences. Many thanks to Lindsey Cargill and Katya for posting this video.
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: language intervention, morphology, sentence length
March 9, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
Reading is such a great activity to build language skills in AAC learners, but it takes some practice to get the hang of how to engage our partners, model language, and create communication opportunities. We’re off to New Zealand today to the Kimi Ora School in the Wellington region for a demonstration that shows how we can provide some aided language input and opportunities for core word use in interactive storybook reading.
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: aided language input, reading
February 18, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
When you have a chance to peek into a therapy session by a master clinician, take it! In today’s featured video, Gail Van Tatenhove shares a clip where she demonstrates use of a pivotal intervention strategy, aided language input, as they discuss a book. Among many other things, Gail is author of one of our favorite therapy tools, The Pixon Project Kit. Enjoy! Direct link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QywUaX99-D4
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: aided language input, feedback