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April 29, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
To wrap up Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month, we turn to the Autism Internet Modules, created by the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders. Ellen Franzone introduces us to a comprehensive look at SGDs and their application with people who have ASD. You may have to register to access the site, but the information is worth the extra effort. Also, don’t miss the downloadable resources, such as this SGD Implementation Checklist. Direct Link: http://www.autisminternetmodules.org/mod_intro.php?mod_id=35 Franzone, E., & Collet-Klingenberg, L. (2010). Speech generating devices for children and youth with autism spectrum disorders. Madison: The University of Wisconsin, The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders, Waisman Center.
February 23, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
It’s been quite a while since we’ve done a Magic Moments post, and I’ve got a backlog of digital tools and tangible materials that we’ve used in our prAACtical therapy sessions and too little time to write about them. In this post, let’s look at word clouds. You may not be familiar with the term, but you certainly know them when you see them. Word clouds are images made from text. The larger the word in the image, the more frequently it appeared in the text. Here’s one made from the paragraph you are reading right now. Take a look to see which words are the largest and you’ll know which ones were repeated most often in this paragraph. There are lots of sites and apps that you can use to make word clouds and there are links to some of them at the end of this post. But, first, let’s... [Read More...]
February 19, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
The 2015 ATIA conferences was one of the strongest in recent memory, with lots of AAC presentations to choose from. As you can see, I had a blast! There was AAC in every direction, from the Town Hall Meetings, App Smackdowns, expanded poster sessions, traditional sessions, and, of course, the exhibit hall. If professional development in AAC is a priority for you, be sure to put the 2016 conference (in Orlando) on your radar for February 2-6, 2016. In the meantime, here are some of the handouts to whet your appetite. Lori Wise and Marlene Sotelo’s terrific talk on using iPads to build social engagement with people who have ASD along with their app lists here and here was one of my favorite presentations of the conference. [Note: Their handouts are hosted on the ATIA conference site and may only be available for a limited time. Grab them while you can!] Gretchen... [Read More...]
February 16, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
If you are among those who believe that AAC is a 24/7 proposition, then, like us, you may be looking for ways that we SLPs can better support our clients in the community. Like the rest of us, our AAC clients want and need to be active participants in their healthcare, and we can play an important role in helping them build the receptive and expressive communication skills to be more successful in that. In today’s post, we hear from Dr. Rachel Menzies (Email: r.menzies@dundee.ac.uk) from the AAC Research Group in the School of Computing at the University of Dundee. Dr. Menzies shares ways in which her team is developing social narratives around visiting the dentist. I’ve never been a fan of going to the dentist, but I am lucky. I have the cognitive capacity and understanding to consider the consequences of NOT going to the dentist and to regulate my emotions when I... [Read More...]
January 6, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for some ways to help your AAC learners become more competent in using core words? Here’s an approach you may want to try: Keep it manageable by choosing only a dozen or two core words to focus on each month. In previous years, we shared lists of some core words to help you do just that. 2013: A Year of Core (12 words/month) 2014: A(nother) Year of Core (16 words/month; Note: These are different than the core words covered in 2013) Those posts have links to downloadable grids with the core words for each month that can be used as a focal point for lesson planning. Rather than introducing new words at this point, let’s take some time to strengthen our core by modeling the words in everyday interactions. Here are some suggested phrases, sentences, and questions for each of the core words from our 2013 list. Click on the... [Read More...]
December 31, 2014
by Carole Zangari -
“A 21st century clinician who cannot critically read a study is as unprepared as one who cannot take blood pressure or examine the cardiovascular system.” What better way to end one year and usher in the new, than a reminder of the role of scientific study in our profession? In AAC, there isn’t as much research as we would like, but we sure do need to make it our business to evaluate and use the empirical evidence that we do have. P.S. We like Coldplay a little more now. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Glasziou, P., Burls, A.,& Gilbert, R. (2008). Evidence based medicine and the medical curriculum: The search engine is now as essential as the stethoscope. The BMJ, 337, 704. Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUW0Q8tXVUc
December 17, 2014
by Carole Zangari -
Today we’re pleased to share this video, a project of the North Carolina AT Program. Let’s peek in at Kayla, Logan, Bryan, and others share ways in which AT helps them live their best lives. Direct Link to Video: https://vimeo.com/110355711
December 10, 2014
by Carole Zangari -
We’ve talked a lot about innovative communication displays and today we’re going to highlight a recently released one. I was delighted to hear about CommuniKate from Dr. Joe Reddington, who blogs at joereddington.com. Joe is a principal of White Water Writers, a project that trains teachers and youth leaders to run inspiration literacy camps, and works toward a world where all children can hold books they have written. He researches ethical issues around power and control in the context of communication disability, and produces open datasets for AT provision, among other things. In this post, Joe introduces us to CommuniKate. CommuniKate 20 is a socially focused page set designed exclusively for people who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). It was designed so that it could be easily used in conjunction with a low-tech communication book and as a progression from a book to a dynamic display device. It covers core vocabulary and... [Read More...]
December 2, 2014
by Carole Zangari -
Chances are that most of our US-based SLPs have heard about the funding challenges with Medicare. We now have only a few more days to make our voices heard to support clients with AAC needs. If you haven’t already submitted public comment, please take the time to help in these advocacy efforts. Medicare (CMS) currently is reconsidering its National Coverage Decision (NCD) for Speech Generating Devices (SGDs). As part of that process, CMS will allow interested members of the public to submit comments about future Medicare SGD coverage until December 6, 2014. The information that follows was prepared by the Medicare Implementation Team, an ad hoc group of AAC clinicians, researchers, advocates, educators, manufacturers, etc., many of whom worked on the 2001 NCD. FOLLOW THESE 5 SIMPLE STEPS TO SUBMIT A COMMENT TO CMS. 1. Review the 8 PROPOSED COMMENT AREAS below that are critical to include in a revised NCD for... [Read More...]
November 19, 2014
by Carole Zangari -
Without the vision of what is possible, it is hard for some families and teams to set the bar high enough for AAC learners. Kevin Enners helps us see some of the possibilities in this short video. Direct link to video: http://vimeo.com/110529238