Sunday – Video of the Week: Augmented Input with Dr. Jill Senner Monday – Communication Opportunities Tuesday – 5 AAC Handouts from ISAAC 2014 Wednesday – Watch It Wednesday: Eye Gaze Research Thursday – Learn by Listening with Chris Bugaj Friday – A PrAACtical Tool for Emergencies and Accidents
We are so pleased to have a return visit by SLP Jeanne Tuthill. In this post, she shares an informal assessment activity based around a Book of Favorites. Enjoy! ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Greetings from Massachusetts! My work at the Collaborative for Educational Services is on a school-year contract so I’m currently on summer break with my three girls. We’ve been plenty busy with fun summer activities but my learning and growing as an AAC therapist isn’t tied to my contract dates. I’ve also been busy watching webinars, reading some great books (educational as well as pleasure-reading), and following the Facebook feeds of some of my favorite AAC peeps! I really wish I could have attended ISAAC in Lisbon, Portugal this year…I loved seeing everyone’s photos and posts from what looked to be a spectacular conference! In my last post on assessment I shared with you an ice-breaker activity that is low-stress for... [Read More...]
Sunday: Video of the Week: If You Listen, You Will Hear Us Monday: Social Media and People with Disabilities Tuesday: Welcome to ISAAC 2014: The World’s AAC Conference Wednesday: ISAAC 2014: Discovering Communication Thursday: Wrapping Up at ISAAC 2014 Friday: PrAACtical Tip: Tracking Apps We Use in Therapy
If you’re an AAC lover there’s no better place to be this week than the 16th the Biennial Conference of the International Society for AAC (ISAAC) at the Lisboa Congress Centre. Every two years, AAC stakeholders from around the world gather to consider the latest research, learn from one another, discuss issues of controversy, see new products. connect and renew relationships, and have a great time. From the pre-conference workshops, to the AAC Camp, to the main conference, to the Exhibit Hall, to the Research Symposium, this is the place to be to get AAC inspiration. There won’t be much time for writing but we’ll try to keep you posted with photos from the conference. You can also follow along on Twitter with the conference hashtag, #ISAAC2014 To start get in the ISAAC mood, check out this presentation by Lisa Lehman, the 2012 Outstanding Consumer Lecturer.
“People with disabilities are exposed to abuse at least four times more than the general population.” For this week’s featured video, we travel to Israel to learn about an initiative with the justice system that promotes the right of individuals with AAC needs to communicate in legal contexts. Kudos to ISAAC Israel and the many other organizations and individuals for their work on this important topic. Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgmli_aElYY&index=149&list=PLSDejtWRUZQqCqWogs1ME9Z1dXfxwvrrY
Picture exchange is powerful strategy for building symbolic communication in individuals with significant communication difficulties. We’ve posted about implementation of PECS a few times, and included references to research supporting its efficacy in some additional posts. Today, we look at a sequence of three single subject design experimental studies by Dr. Jeff Sigafoos and other researchers that looked at how the use of picture exchange and AAC devices (SGD condition) impacted social interaction. In the initial study, the team taught requesting skills either with picture exchange or AAC devices and then looked to see if there were any changes in social interaction. They hypothesized that the physical act of picking up a symbol and giving it to someone, as with the picture exchange condition, would make the learner less likely to turn away from his communication partner. So, in addition to measuring how well the participant learned to make requests,... [Read More...]
We are occasionally asked how old children have to be before you can begin teaching AAC. Our answer: There is no set minimum age. Nor is there any research evidence that one has to use an oral-language only approach for a set period of time before beginning AAC. Today, we’re delighted to be able to share an article on this topic with you. This article describes a research review in which Branson and Demchak identified a dozen research studies looking specifically at the use of various AAC tools and strategies with infants and toddlers. Data from 190 children up to 36 months of age were examined. Of the 12 studies reviewed, 7 met criteria for having conclusive findings. In 97% of all cases, the children’s communication skills improved. Looking only at the 7 most rigorous studies is even more encouraging: All 135 babies/toddlers demonstrated improved communication skills following AAC intervention.... [Read More...]
Community participation and communication for AAC users is an integral part of of developing, growing up, and having inclusive opportunities. We often relate community participation to quality of life indicators. Community participation for AAC users begins from the… beginning. Young children can order in restaurants, use picture menus, and have access to many inclusive events. As children grow into adolescents and adults, community participation involves post secondary options, employment, and community living. Perspectives from AAC Users Have communication displays and devices available at ALL times– You need access to a communication system(s) to participate in all situations. Remember to take AAC with you. The sooner the AAC user becomes responsible for taking or telling someone to take the device/displays with them the easier it becomes. For mobile technology systems, there are rugged cases that withstand wind, water, even medical waste (see Lauren Enders Pinterest boards for case and accessory options).... [Read More...]
Core Word Round-up! Core Word PrAACtice Ideas Magic Moments: AAC Intervention with Stop and Go App Magic Moments with Toca Store Magic Moments with Sentence Builder Magic Moments with Verb Circus HiJAACked! Putting an AAC Twist on Gen Ed AACtivities: The Hallelujah Flight AAC Goes to PreSchool 5 PrAACtical Uses for Flashcard Apps Visual Language, Core Words, & Martin Luther King Can I Ask You A Question? Breakthroughs with Bubbles with Tanna Neufeld 14 Valentine’s Day Activities, Love, Literacy, & Learning AAC Learning with Play Dough by Jamie Cooley 5 Ways to Use Power Point in AAC Intervention 5 PrAACtical Thoughts on Catch-Up Conversations How I do It- Marlene Cummings Shares an Implementation Toolbox AACtual Theray with Tanna Neufeld- Use Your Best Spud To Teach Vocabulary How I Do It- Marlene Cummings On Strengthening the Communication... [Read More...]
One of the most widely shared concepts in AAC is the notion of communicative competence. In this hallmark article, published over 20 years ago, Dr. Janice Light started the dialogue by suggesting that there are four domains to competence in AAC: linguistic competence, strategic competence, social competence, and operational competence. The dialogue continues, but you can read the original article here. Thanks to ISAAC for making this free to all. Edited: You can also get it here. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Light, J.C. (1989). Toward a definition of communicative competence for individuals using augmentative and alternative communication systems. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 5,4, 137-144.