328 Search Results for communication boards
December 31, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Goodbye, December! Before we turn the calendar page, here are some of the most popular posts of 2015. Many thanks to Lauren Enders, Rachael Langley, and all of our guest bloggers for being so generous with their time and expertise. I couldn’t do it without you!! 5 Great Resources for Pre-Made Communication Boards How I Do It: Writing IEP Goals for Students Who Use AAC with Lauren Enders How I Do It by Rachael Langley – PODD in the Classroom: Portable, Wearable, & Comfortable How I Do It: Using PODD books and Aided Language Displays with Young Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder Core Samples Teaching Core Vocabulary A Year of Core Vocabulary Words Pivotal Skills for AAC Intervention: Aided Language Input Literacy for Everyone with Adapted Books Communication Boards: Colorful Considerations 30 Ways to Celebrate Autism Awareness Month
November 24, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
When SLPs and teachers work together for the benefit of students with little or no functional speech, the results can be magical. Today, we travel to Wisconsin to visit with SLP Dana Brown and Special Educator Sara Olsen who work together at the elementary school level. In this post, Dana and Sara tell us about their experiences using PODD in a classroom of students with intellectual disability. You can learn more about their work on YouTube (Watch Your Language) where they post Word of the Week videos and snippets of AAC use in different clasroom activities. Regular readers know that we’ve posted a few articles and videos on PODD. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: We write as a team of special educators, a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) and an Intellectual Disabilities teacher, and one thing that we’ve learned working closely together is that AAC is difficult and ongoing. In this post, we are excited to share... [Read More...]
November 11, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Expectations without demands Communication boards vs choice boards Too many words?? For whom?? Increasing AAC use at home Motivate, model, and move out of the way Special educator and AT specialist Kate Ahern discusses these concepts and more at this wonderful talk hosted by the Angelman Syndrome Foundation. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYJcvTYQST4
October 27, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
As far as I can tell, most AAC learners are taught by people who don’t specialize in AAC. Their school SLPs may have caseloads of 50, 60, 70, or more students with IEPs, 90% of whom have goals for articulation, language, and fluency. Their classroom teachers serve students whose disabilities range from none at all, to dyslexia to cerebral palsy, to significant intellectual disabilities, and everywhere in between. In all likelihood, neither group had much AAC training. What little AAC they know, they’ve picked up on their own from reading, going to workshops and conferences (usually self-funded), talking to colleagues, and exploring online resources. Many times, their first foray into AAC is with things like choice boards and visual supports, such as daily schedules and first/then boards. From there, they may begin labeling the environment with pictures symbols (e.g., ‘table’ on the table, ‘on/off’ near the light switch), using mini-schedules... [Read More...]
October 19, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
What better way to celebrate AAC Awareness Month than to share AAC stories from around the world? In this post, we welcome Desirae Pillay, who shares a bit about her daughter, Savannah, and their AAC journey. As the mother of a young adult with ASD and cerebral palsy, Desirae has taken what she has learned about AAC and is using it to help others outside of her family. Desirae began her journey with AAC in 2003 when she could not find a qualified AAC specialist to assist her with her daughter. Her experience and informal learning gained her a job for an AT company. When her daughter’s health needs became pressing, she resigned her job and worked part time as a Disability Consultant for various organisations. Desirae recently returned to work as an AT Advisor, where she trains on a range of topics about communication for people with disabilities. Her passion is for... [Read More...]
September 28, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
It has been so exciting to hear about the growing number of classrooms, therapy sessions, and families who are prioritizing high-frequency core words with AAC learners. Whether you are using a high tech SGD, AAC app, or no-tech communication boards/books, core vocabulary teaching can play a powerful role in building language skills. If you are following along with our 2013 Year of Core (first set with 12 words/month) or the 2014 A(nother) Year of Core: (second set 16 words/month; Different than the previous year’s core words), you may have printed out some of the word cards to use with the AAC learners in your life. Thanks to the kindness of PrAACtical AAC readers (Bill and Lori Binko, Heidi LoStracco, Alison Wade, Russell Cross, Gail Van Tatenhove, Eric Sailers, Rachael Langley, Laura Kessell, Christine Bayley and others) we have a variety of resources to explore. Once you have them, the idea... [Read More...]
August 27, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Even when everyone has good intentions, AAC implementation doesn’t happen overnight. Strengthening our resolve to learn the student’s AAC system, model it as we speak to them, provide instruction, and give ample opportunities for practice takes commitment and leadership. In the past, we’ve talked about strategies to get the team onboard with skills like aided language input, using no-tech communication boards to build language, and shared training materials. In this series, we’re sharing some printables to recognize the efforts of our team members, and keep them energized to keep going. Here is the second set of tags/bookmarks to share with your teams. You can download them here. If you missed the first set, you can get those here.
July 16, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
In Robin’s honor, we revisit some of her most popular posts. Please share them with people who might find them helpful. Beyond Requesting: Let’s Chat with Peers Begin AAC Now: 10 Things to Do AAC Must-Have’s for the Classroom and Therapy Room The First 12: Getting Started with Core Words Literacy For Everyone with Adapted Books Beyond Requesting: Using Scripts to Teach Conversation AAC Goals That Matter Creating Communication Boards: There are Lot of Apps for That! Join Together: Core and Fringe Vocabulary 30 Ways to Celebrate Autism Awareness Month
June 18, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
These days, there are so many wonderful websites for resources and AAC-related information that sometimes it is hard to remember where to look. When I decided to feature some of my favorite sites, I wanted to start with a site that has been helping SLPs, teachers, and families for a long time. The website for preschool special education program at Miami Dade County Public Schools has been a ‘go-to’ resources for many years. The AT team, which serves over 200 preK classrooms, has evolved over the years, but what has not changed is their commitment to helping children learn to communicate. If you work with little ones, you may want to spend some time exploring their site. Here are some of the AAC-related highlights to get you started. Implementing AAC in the Preschool Classroom Using the daily routine as a framework Motivating messages Modeling AAC Using cues and wait time Using... [Read More...]
November 20, 2014
by Carole Zangari -
While I’m soaking up AAC knowledge at the ASHA Convention, here’s a post from the past. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Among the many changes that the AAC field has experienced in the last decade is the notion that core vocabulary is (or should be) an integral part of any AAC system. We grew to understand the limitations of AAC supports that consist primarily of nouns and descriptors, realizing that those kinds of communication displays restricted our clients to requesting and labeling. Our field realized the inadequacy of providing only prestored messages (e.g., limited the client’s ability to communicate anything novel, not flexible enough to meet most communication needs, etc.). In essence, we realized that without core vocabulary, we were imposing a ceiling on language development. We’re thrilled to see so many communication boards, books, SGDs, and AAC apps reflect this knowledge. Having tools with the appropriate vocabulary is a big step in the... [Read More...]