328 Search Results for communication boards
October 17, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for an engaging activity to support AAC and literacy learning? Today, we’re adding to our Magic Moments series and getting ideas (and materials) from Maggie Judson. Maggie is an SLP and ATP, working as an AAC facilitator for a special education cooperative in central Illinois. In her work as an AAC SLP, she provides direct therapy, evaluations, consultations, and trainings for staff and families. You can find some of Maggie’s previous posts that she co-authored with her colleague Jeanna Antrim, here. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Magic Moments – Crafty with Core I love hanging out on Instagram and Pinterest because there are so many cool educators doing cool things, and I get so inspired by them. As an AAC SLP, I follow a lot of SLP and teacher accounts. But I also follow some crafty accounts, because you never know where your next inspiration will come from for a super fun and engaging... [Read More...]
October 7, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Given that October is AAC Awareness Month we thought that some of you AAC lovers would appreciate a stroll down memory lane. Here are a few things you may not know about the early days of AAC. The first papers that focused on AAC intervention were published in the 1950’s. In 1952, Goldstein and Cameron wrote about their use of communication boards with people with aphasia, and, a few years later, Sklar and Bennett discussed their experiences in using communication charts with this same population. Toward the end of the decade, professionals began describing their efforts in using communication boards with people with physical disabilities (e.g., Feallock,1958; Goldberg & Fenton, 1960). While speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists were among the first to disseminate their AAC work, professionals from many backgrounds contributed to its growth. In the early days, some of the strongest contributors to the field of AAC were rehabilitation... [Read More...]
September 16, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Welcome back to another installment of TELL ME About it, guest authored by Jeanna Antrim and Maggie Judson. Maggie and Jeanna are speech-language pathologists who work in the Assistive Technology Department for the Belleville Area Special Services Cooperative (BASSC) in southern Illinois. They are AT/AAC facilitators and provide evaluations, direct therapy, consultations, and trainings with school teams. In this series, they discuss how they support preschool teachers who are implementing the TELL ME program with their young students. Today, they walk us through the ways that they facilitate AAC use while focusing on a beloved book by Eric Carle. TELL ME About It: AAC Learning with Brown Bear, Brown Bear TELL ME About Reading: The first book in the TELL ME program (Teaching Early Language and Literacy through Multimodal Expression) is the warm-up book, “Brown Bear, Brown Bear”. A wonderful classic that may already be part of your classroom... [Read More...]
August 29, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Are you supporting AAC learners who have SGDs or communication boards/books with high-frequency words? If so, join us as we work to model, practice, and teach these words throughout the day. It can feel overwhelming, so we tend to focus on a subset of words each month. The Year of Core Vocabulary approach isn’t a developmental list of words to be introduced in a specific order, but rather a way of gradually exposing learners to more and more words over time. We do that by modeling them on their device or communication aid when we talk, and plan specific instructional activities to teach word meanings, play games to help them better recognize and understand the symbols for those words, and, elicit them frequently from those who are just learning their AAC systems. Our AAC friends need practice, practice, and more practice. Over time, they will gain more fluency and automaticity with the words in their AAC... [Read More...]
August 19, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Combining AAC learning with literacy activities is one of our favorite ways to support young learners. We start off the week with a taste of how AT specialists in one school district are helping preschool special education teachers build a foundation of core vocabulary in their students. Maggie Judson and Jeanna Antrim are speech-language pathologists who work in the Assistive Technology Department for the Belleville Area Special Services Cooperative (BASSC) in southern Illinois. They are AT/AAC facilitators and provide evaluations, direct therapy, consultations, and trainings with school teams. This is the first of a series of posts in which Maggie and Jeanna discuss ways that books from the TELL ME program can be used to support AAC learning. Enjoy! :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: As AAC facilitators for a special education cooperative, we are always on the lookout for effective ways to provide our students access to instructional materials and activities that not... [Read More...]
April 1, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
What does Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month mean to you? From where I sit, it is a personal challenge to learn more about the lived experiences of autistic people and discover the most impactful ways to support communication learning and quality of life. Our understanding of what autism is and how we can help autistic people have a rich, fulfilling, self-directed lives is evolving. Even if you’ve worked with autistic people for a long time, chances are that there are still many more things to learn. Here are some ideas for things to do in honor of people with autism. Take advantage of the deep discounts offered by many AAC app developers and share this information with those who might benefit from it. AAC Specialist and SLP Lauren Enders does a wonderful service to the AAC community by tracking the app discounts in the US app store and sharing that... [Read More...]
January 21, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
This is an updated version of a post originally authored by Dr. Robin Parker in 2013. We hope you find something of value in the resources that were shared. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: To integrate reading and writing into communication and language learning we need to have lots of books that are easily accessible. Books should be accessible physically as well as through content and interest. This holds true for ALL learners even those that don’t like books but do like…… wheels. We have made literacy accessible for a young girl who only liked elevators, and a boy who only liked balls, and a young adult who liked Barney books but not much else. It holds true for ALL disabilities and ALL levels of reading and writing. Today, we share resources for making and using adapted books to make literacy more accessible. Check out these awesome resources for making your own adapted books... [Read More...]
January 7, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for a clear way to introduce people to AAC? Check out the Explore AAC website developed by Prentke Romich and Saltillo. You can access the first learning module here. Browse the site for information, downloadable communication boards, videos, and more. Have fun, AAC explorers!
December 31, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Before we say goodbye to 2018, let’s look back on the posts that were most popular among PrAACtical AAC readers. How I Do It: Writing IEP Goals for Students Who Use AAC with Lauren Enders How I Do It: Using PODD books and Aided Language Displays with Young Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder Core Samples PrAACtical AAC Goals 5 Great Resources for Pre-Made Communication Boards AAC Assessment Forms Teaching Core Vocabulary Make It Monday: Manual Communication Boards with Core Vocabulary Literacy for Everyone with Adapted Books How I Do It by Rachael Langley – PODD in the Classroom: Portable, Wearable, & Comfortable Do you have a favorite that didn’t make the list? We’d love to hear about it.
December 23, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Hope you are enjoying the holiday season, AAC friends. Here are some posts you may have missed amid the hustle and bustle. Monday – AAC Goes to High School: The Power of Peers Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Helping Students with Autism Prepare for Non-routine Events Thursday – Christmas, AAC Style ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: If you can squeeze in a few more, take a look at some of these posts from the archives. How We Do It: Using AAC to Repair Communication Breakdowns Data Collection for the Beginning AAC User: Essential Things to Measure AAC & ASD: Beyond Scripting More Words, Please! Expanding Our Manual Communication Boards Activity Schedule AACtion