Work with learners who have difficulty processing language and are just learning to use their AAC systems? Dr. Jill Senner has a strategy for you! Thanks to DynaVox for hosting this terrific presentation. Direct link to video: http://www.dynavoxtech.com/training/toolkit/details.aspx?id=261
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...]
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...]
“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
Not everyone communicates with words. Not everyone communicates with symbols. Not everyone communicates conventionally. But everyone communicates. Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp4PW17U_h8
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
“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
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
Nothing makes us smile like learning about AAC-related content from people who use technology to communicate their message to the world. In this post, we hear about and from film maker Christopher Hill. Take a peek at his presentation at the ILT 2014 conference. Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFieqM09nSQ#t=510l
There are so many wonderful things about reading with kids, and practicing AAC is one of them. Every month, we’ll try to pick a book and provide some prAACtical suggestions for how to read it and sneak in some opportunities for receptive and expressive AAC use. You can make book-specific screens, overlays, or boards, but we favor a more powerful approach: use core vocabulary as your base and supplement with words specific to that book. Need some core language displays? There are many floating around, but here’s a link to ours if you need some more. We thought we’d start off this series with a book that is familiar to most, if not all, of you. Pull it off your shelf, find your prAACtical pal, grab that core language board, get to a cozy spot, and let’s get started. PrAACtically Reading with Brown Bear Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do... [Read More...]