375 Search Results for complex communication
May 1, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Aided language input and other forms of AAC modeling are often used to help individuals with complex communication needs learn in an immersive AAC environment. Today, we turn to Mara Rogers and her fellow AAC SLPs at the Northeast Intermediate Metro School District in Minnesota. In order to better support their students with AAC needs, they created a series of videos to demonstrate what aided language input looks like for beginning communicators. Enjoy! During Reading Creating Communication Opportunities Group Activities Requesting Rejecting Thank you, Mara, Sara, Maggie, and Olivia for making these videos and to the Northeast Intermediate Metro School District for support of this dissemination effort. Direct Link to Intro Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qC6q1B3jHEs
March 7, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
What would happen if a group of dedicated AAC stakeholders could come together around the idea of improving AAC services? Today’s guest authors, Chris Bugaj, Chris CichoskiKelly, and Shaun Pearson set out to explore issues around AAC practices and are inviting us all to join in the conversation. Let’s see where this takes us! :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: The Genesis of the AAC Agreements In 2016, Chris CichoskiKelly went to the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) conference with a question: what are the best practices for AAC implementation? He saw a lot of great talks on AAC but found little in the way of common ground or agreement amongst them. One of those sessions was co-presented by Chris Bugaj. After the session, the two Chris’s got to talking about the differences. An idea emerged. Given all the difference, what would be the similarities? If all those invested in AAC got together in one... [Read More...]
January 3, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
We are delighted to start off the New Year by welcoming back Dr. Kathy Howery for another wonderful review of an AAC research article. Dr. Howery has worked in the field of assistive technology and special education for over three decades. Her research uses phenomenological methods to seek understanding of the lived experience of speaking with/through a speech-generating device. She is currently on contract with the Ministry of Education low incidence team, and as a consultant to schools and school districts across Alberta focusing primarily on children and youth with complex communication needs. In today’s post, she discusses a research study that sheds light on the ways that we can better support students with AAC needs. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Chung, Y-C. & Stoner, J. B. (2016). A meta-synthesis of team members’ voices: what we need and what we do to support students who use AAC. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 32 (3), 175-186.... [Read More...]
December 17, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
We’re so pleased to welcome back Sarah Mueller, who teaches high school students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Rochester, Michigan. In this post, she shares her experiences in working with peer mentors and how she has helped to facilitate meaningful relationships between students with and without disabilities. Don’t miss her video or the links to download some of the materials they used. Enjoy! The Power of Peers We often talk about the functions of communication and their importance in developing and expanding the students’ communicative repertoire. Moving beyond requesting to protesting, commenting, and greeting and other functions is often the focus. But as high schoolers included in the school community, my students want to be social with their peers without disabilities. What does that look like for students with complex communication needs? How, as a teacher, can you structure social opportunities to teach and practice core? What... [Read More...]
December 3, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
How can we best support learners with complex communication needs who come from a variety of cultural and linguistic backgrounds? Today, we turn the reins over to Arizona-based SLP Deanna Wagner who shares her thoughts on embracing and encouraging multilingualism and diversity in our AAC work. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: My latest article on cultural diversity has just been published in the ASHA Special Issue on Cultural and Linguistic Diversity and AAC, guest edited by Gloria Soto! That means that ASHA members who have a Special Interest Group affiliation can access it and receive CEU credit for studying the content and answering a few questions. Since not all readers are members of an ASHA SIG, I would like to take a moment to share my experiences in preparing the manuscript that I submitted for this article. Most importantly, as people who serve the needs of those who benefit from AAC, we all need... [Read More...]
November 26, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for resources that promote successful school experiences? Need tools that support inclusive educational practices? Developed by Communication Rights Australia, the Teachers’ Toolkit for Students with Little or No Speech is a website that school personnel can use to identify effective strategies and supports for students with complex communication needs. Their Teachers’ Checklist contains a series of questions that are linked to topics on a range of supports and strategies that can make a big difference in the lives of AAC learners. There are also helpful forms for teams to develop a Student Profile and Individual Learning Plan. You can begin to explore their AAC resources here.
November 22, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
grat·i·tude /ˈɡradəˌt(y)o͞od/ noun the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness In the spirit of our American tradition of Thanksgiving, we pause to reflect on our blessings and offer thanks. We’re grateful for: The people who use AAC and their families for all they do to help us get better at this business of supporting communication Service providers in homes, schools, clinics, hospitals, and community agencies The university programs that have a dedicated AAC class, especially if they have a permanent faculty member with expertise in this area Bonus thanks to those that also offer supervised clinical or student teaching experiences with AAC mentorship opportunities or an AAC lab with SGDs, AAC apps, switches, and mounts. The professional and service organizations that support AAC through professional development opportunities, grants, mentorship programs The power of e-communication platforms for the AAC support on listservs, blogs, groups, threaded... [Read More...]
November 15, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
The weather is nippy here in Boston where 12,000+ professionals are gathered for the annual ASHA Convention, and the blustery wind makes us think back longingly to the warmer days of summer. Today. Ohio-based SLP Tina Moreno helps us do just that as she returns to share more information on the reading and writing activities that AAC learners in Camp ALEC experienced. In today’s post, she shares some of the details about Working with Words. If you missed it the first time, you can visit Tina’s earlier post here. Many thank to AAC mom and SLP Tina Moreno for giving us a peek into the wonderful instruction provided to these AAC learners! ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Working with Words at Camp ALEC At Camp ALEC in August, our literacy counselors planned fun, motivating activities that helped our campers learn to read and write new words. In another setting, we might refer to these... [Read More...]
November 7, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Hearing the AAC stories of people with complex communication needs is always enlightening, but even more so when the narratives are told directly by those individuals. In today’s featured video, we hear from South African teenager Zainab Omar. Enjoy! Many thanks to Zainab for sharing her story and to ISAAC for making this available to all of us. Please consider supporting this wonderful international organization (here’s how). Communication is everyone’s birthright. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrAe7oc-Rjo
November 4, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Happy November, AAC friends! Here are some posts you may have missed in your busy week. Monday – PrAACtically November: AAC Resources for a Year of Core Vocabulary Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Talk AAC with Me Thursday – Building AAC Facilitation Skills with Tabi Jones-Wohleber: MASTER PAL Training, Module 11 (Let the Child Lead) ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Have room for a little more AAC in your day? Here’s a sampling to choose from. Beyond Behavior Problems: How Visual Supports Can Help Our AAC Teaching AAC Intervention: 5 Activities with PrAACtical Potential AACtual Therapy: Positive Behavior Management with Gail Bennell Daylight Savings Time and Behavior Extension Activities for AAC Practice And, finally, if working with young children who have complex communication needs is your thing, we invite you to join us for a full day of preschool AAC in January. (Use the sliding bar on the right to navigate... [Read More...]