Want to learn more about the M-8 from Tobii-Dynavox? Here are some links to explore. Product Overview User Manual Video Tutorials: Getting Started Technical Specs Where to Go for Help 800/793-9927; support.na@tobiidynavox.com Knowledge Base (Select M-Series in the dropdown menu)
When people have significant motor impairments, finding a sustainable way for them to select and convey messages is a challenging task. This week, we turn to the ALS Association of Iowa for two wonderful videos on how to use ‘no tech’ eye gaze boards for communication. Direct Links to Videos Etran https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLkpRbUQzVo Eye Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHyXCcS38XM
The Dynamic Learning Maps Professional Development Team, headed by Dr. Karen Erickson, put together a wonderful video to introduce professionals and families to the concept of core vocabulary. This is a great resource to use to introduce team members to key concepts in core vocabulary and the instructional strategies that support students in learning to use it. Take a look. Direct Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryda0ViRekU&feature=youtu.be
It’s prAACtically June and that means we are preparing for a new set of core words to focus on. Join us in highlighting a set of core words for the month and helping our AAC learners become more fluent in using them on a day-to-day basis. Whether you are following along with the 2013 Year of Core (12 words/month) or the 2014 A(nother) Year of Core: (16 words/month; Different than the previous year’s core words), or just getting started, the resources linked in this post may be helpful. Our June words are listed below. 2013 List: after, am/be/is, because, can, cold, fast, fun, have, hungry, let, need, talk 2014 List: about, back, buy, grandmother, hand, inside, lose, move, okay, people, quiet, short, show, two, water, yellow Resources Templates for you to plug in your own symbols: 2013 words, 2014 words Minspeak/Unity version: 2013 words PCS versions: 2013 words, 2014 words Symbol... [Read More...]
Better Hearing and Speech Month continues with guest blogger Tina Moreno. In this post, Tina shares some thoughts on building meaningful conversations in the classroom. She also made her visual support materials available for downloading (link at the end of her post). You can read Tina’s previous post for BHSM here. CONVERSATIONS IN THE CLASSROOM Fostering opportunities for meaningful conversation is critical throughout the school setting. Great discussions can happen in the classroom, but it can prove challenging for students to remain on topic, take conversational turns and give their peers wait time. In order to help students acquire these skills, we need to provide direct instruction, modeling by adults (and typically developing peers whenever possible!) and visual supports. Aim for the conversation target It can be difficult for students to keep track of the conversation target, especially in large group, fast-paced settings. It can be especially challenging for... [Read More...]
While the Index of Augmented Speech Comprehensibility in Children (I-ASCC) has been around for almost 20 years, few clinicians know and use it. In this post, we welcome back Matthew Baud and Jill Senner to talk about how they are using this assessment tool. Enjoy! AAC evaluations can be challenging, especially if there is disagreement among team members as to whether AAC is necessary or not. We frequently see disagreements about AAC arise when a student is able to speak. Let’s examine the following case. Mrs. Brown has had Johnny in her class for the last 2 years and she “understands everything” he is saying during their routine calendar time. The new SLP, who only sees Johnny once weekly for 30 minutes, tried to elicit information about his weekend at home and reported that she “didn’t understand anything.” What is going on here? How can two communication partners have such vastly... [Read More...]
All around the world, students with AAC needs are increasingly afforded the tools and supports that they need to build effective communication skills. Today, we travel to England to peek into a classroom at the Milestone School in Gloucestershire. One thing that I just love about this video is that the adults honor and model multiple modes of communication. AAC devices are wonderful, but we can’t get so focused on them that we forget the important role that gestures, vocalizations and manual signs can play. Take a look. Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HygplCyZtoA
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.
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...]
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...]