1457 Search Results for link up

Learn by Listening with Chris Bugaj

August 7, 2014 by - Leave your thoughts

AAC professionals seem to love professional development. Unfortunately, there just never seems to be enough time to indulge our love for learning about new technologies and strategies. Sound familiar? Well, Chris Bugaj has been a solution worth listening to. Chris is an SLP and a founding member the Assistive Technology Team for Loudoun County Public Schools. He hosts The A.T.TIPSCAST , a multi‐award winning podcast featuring strategies useful in differentiating the learning experience. Chris is the co‐author of The Practical (and Fun) Guide to Assistive Technology in Public Schools and  ATEval2Go, and has two chapters in Technology Tools for Students with Autism. Chris co‐produces and co‐authors the popular Night Light Stories podcast which features original stories for children of all ages. Today, we share his wonderful presentation (complete with hyperlinks) that will help us to learn how to use podcasts to learn while we’re driving, exercising, or just hanging out. If you’ve thought about maximizing your learning opportunities by listening... [Read More...]

Watch It Wednesday: Eye Gaze Research

August 6, 2014 by - Leave your thoughts

Watch It Wednesday: Eye Gaze Research

Today, we’ll take a look at a collaborative effort by researchers at University College London (Department of Developmental Science), Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (Neurodisability Service), and Barnsley Hospital. These researchers are investigating the eye gaze patterns of children with cerebral palsy who have little or no functional speech. Could tracking eye movements be a useful way to assess language skills? This is a line of research we will be watching. Direct Link: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/gaze

AACtual Therapy: Informal Assessment Activity with Jeanne Tuthill

July 31, 2014 by - Leave your thoughts

AACtual Therapy: Informal Assessment Activity with Jeanne Tuthill

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...]

3 Ways to Promote Interest in Language Therapy for AAC Learners

July 30, 2014 by - Leave your thoughts

3 Ways to Promote Interest in Language Therapy for AAC Learners

In an earlier post, we raised this question: Why work hard at something you don’t care about? The truth is that all of us put more effort into learning things that allow us to accomplish something important to US. As SLPs, we can spout many reasons why learning to use and comprehend more advanced language is a good idea. Making that meaningful to our clients, though, is another thing altogether. How can we align our therapy objectives with things of true value to our clients? Figure out what the AAC learner wants: More friends? A job? Good grades? Link the language and AAC objectives to those things. Seek the AAC learner’s input on goals and objectives: If the learner can’t nominate his/her own goals for consideration, maybe you can offer choices or help them use a rating scale to give their opinion on the suggested goals. Provide rationales for why... [Read More...]

Video of the Week: Every Move Counts

July 27, 2014 by - 1 Comment

“Empowerment and participation come with the ability to to experience the world and communicate.” We’ve talked before about Every Move Counts, a program for building communication in individuals with significant sensory motor difficulties. If you aren’t familiar with what it has to offer, take a look. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV35UNwlZUU&index=8&list=PLF0FF133603F1E89F  

Watch It Wednesday: Selfie Bandit

July 16, 2014 by - Leave your thoughts

The only thing that makes us happier than seeing AAC take center stage is when it doesn’t. We loved watching this camp video in which one of the actors just happens to use AAC. Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82XyZ9SwKu8&list=UUV9eMzg1kYuYd_hcfJZGWyQ  

Video of the Week: The Right to Be Heard

July 13, 2014 by - Leave your thoughts

“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  

Video of the Week: Writing Instruction for Students with Angelman Syndrome

July 6, 2014 by - 1 Comment

Today we return to the Angelman Syndrome Foundation and learn more about how to teach writing to children with Angelman Syndrome. Erin Sheldon shares prAACtical information that applies to MANY children with signficant communication challenges. This is a great video for us SLPs, but also one to share with families. Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iInuYeNraEU&feature=youtu.be