Would it be helpful to have an overview of some of the most common AT tools in classrooms? Stay tuned! Today’s post features Sharon Plante, and covers a wide range of AT tools that are used for reading, writing, executive functioning, and more. Many thanks to the Center on Technology and Disability for making this available. Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyfDRWatUwU
Have you been having some AAC Awareness Month fun? Let’s keep it going! Monday – AAC Awareness Month, Week 1: Hands-on Activities Wednesday – Video of the Week: The Power of Core Thursday – How We Do It: Developing & Implementing a District-wide Focus on Communication and Core Vocabulary (Part 2) ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: If you’re in the mood to browse around the AAC universe a bit more, here are some posts to explore. They each link to handouts from AAC-related presentations by various researchers and practitioners. Core Vocabulary Implementation AAC and Literacy The World’s AAC Conference AAC Implementation AAC in the Classroom
Welcome to ISAAC‘s 10th Annual International AAC Awareness Month! For the past decade, October has given us some extra opportunities to spread the word about all things AAC, and it’s pretty exciting to think back on all we’ve done and also to plan for the current year. Each week during AAC Awareness Month we’ll share suggestions for things to do to help others learn about a field that emerged to support children and adults with complex communication needs. This week, we’ll focus on hands-on activities. A popular approach to AAC Awareness Month is to invite a group of colleagues or families to come together and communicate only through AAC for the event. Some years, we’ve held ‘Silent Snack’ events before class where we put out a variety of board games and invited some of our AAC clients to come in and play along. They enjoyed serving as our AAC Ambassadors,... [Read More...]
Today marks the start of AAC Awareness Month. Let’s kick it off with some posts from last week and then dig into the archives. Monday – PrAACtically October: AAC Resources for A Year of Core Vocabulary Wednesday – Video of the Week: Breaking Down Barriers to AAC Implementation Thursday – How We Do It: Developing & Implementing a District-wide Focus on Communication and Core Vocabulary (Part 1) Need some information or videos on ways to better support people with challenging behavior? Here are some posts that may be of interest. PrAACtical Resources: Behavioral Supports for Young Children AAC and Challenging Behavior Using Structure to Minimize Behavioral Challenges Preventing Problem Behavior at School with Dr. Barry Prizant Communication Supports for Problem Behavior with Dr. Pat Mirenda Starting tomorrow, we’ll share ideas and materials for celebrating AAC Awareness Month, but we just couldn’t wait to share Lauren Enders‘ collection of AAC and literacy apps... [Read More...]
Today, we return to CoughDrop’s free online conference, AAC in the Cloud, to share one of the archived presentations. In this session, SLPs Vicki Haddix and JoClaire Merrill share their experiences and ideas on overcoming some of the barriers to effective implementation of AAC supports. Many thanks to the CoughDrop team for organizing the conference and archiving the presentations, and to Vicki and JoClaire for sharing their perspective. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIB6osi-K4w&index=22&list=PL8oiM_hsU8kYofdlpC4vcYX49yuBZvv9v —-
We’ve posted many times on the topic of AAC assessment and selecting the right AAC tools through the feature match process. In today’s featured video, Justin Sims from the Louisiana AT Initiative shares his thoughts on selecting AAC apps. Many thanks to Justin and the wonderful team at LATI for making this available. Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HrkCqOw9zg
How do we make it feasible to implement AAC throughout the school day? Arizona-based SLP Anne Page, of Beautiful Speech Life, has some ideas for us. This presentation is packed full of prAACtical tips and was made possible by CoughDrop’s AAC in the Cloud Conference. Many thanks to Anne and to CoughDrop for sharing this positive approach to AAC in the classroom! Enjoy! Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohvOfkyejso&list=PL8oiM_hsU8kYofdlpC4vcYX49yuBZvv9v&index=10
Happy Sunday, AAC friends! Things just keep getting busier and busier around here and I bet it’s the same for you. If you had your hands full and missed our AAC posts, you can check them out by clicking on the links below. Monday – PrAACtical Ideas for Repurposing Older AAC Technology Wednesday – Video of the Week: AAC and Core Vocabulary in the Classroom Looking for a few more places to browse? Check out some of these posts on working with teens and young adults. Starting AAC with Teens and Young Adults Conversation Practice with Teens and Young Adults 5 Ways to Use Magazines in AAC Therapy Books for Beginning Readers of Any Age Visual Supports in AAC Therapy with Older Student and Adults Have a great week, everyone!
Across the world, therapists, teachers, and parents are getting ready for AAC lessons or therapy sessions. Robust AAC systems? Check! Goals that matter? Check! Effective intervention strategies? Check! Let’s put them all together with some engaging activities that won’t break the bank in terms of materials. Here are some suggestions for tried-and-true activities. Language Experience Surveys: Looking for a fun activity that gives your AAC learner an opportunity to prAACtical his/her skills with a variety of communication partners? Language experience surveys are a great tool for that not just because they are a great way to build generalization in a way that kids really love, but also because it helps the communication partners have supported conversations with AAC users. This helps them get comfortable in interacting with our AAC learners which, in turn, increases the chances that they will want to interact with these students in the future. This is... [Read More...]
Many AAC learners struggle with sensory input and there are several interventions designed to help them cope with these issues. Today, we learn from Dr. Pat Mirenda of the University of British Columbia in a 2014 presentation hosted by the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration in Autism (CIRCA). If you are committed to providing evidence-based practice to your AAC learners, this is an important video to watch. Direct link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Yh5og9wAss&t=31s