Looking for information on how to help people with autism and significant communication challenges become readers and writers? Dr. Janice Light has a full webinar on this topic that will certainly be of interest. Many thanks to the AAC RERC for the support in making this available to all.
Our video for this week features Beth Poss, an SLP and AT consultant, with a wealth of experience. In this video, Beth reviews the many ways in which mobile technology can be used to to support the development of early language and literacy with young children who have disabilities. Many thanks to the Center for Technology and Disability for making this available.
We’re so pleased to be able to share this terrific webinar presented by Erin Sheldon and hosted by the Angelman Syndrome Foundation. This presentation is chock full of prAACtical ideas for assessment and skill-building. Erin discusses a free literacy assessment tool, The Bridge, from the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies that you might want to download and keep handy as you watch the presentation. (We linked to it in a previous post and you can access it here.) Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFgJLhYCPMo&feature=youtu.be
Dr. Caroline Musselwhite addresses the topic of overall good literacy instruction. She presents information about how to teach students with significant disabilities using fairly common literacy instruction strategies. There are 11 short video posts to help you get started. She discusses the issues of AAC and suggests strategies that are easy to implement and highly effective. Keep Calm and Watch On…
Looking for suggestions on how to beef up support for AAC and reading? Check out these past posts on the subject. Reading and Talking with AAC As They Grow: Books for Beginning Readers of Any Age Making Shared Book Reading Awesome for AAC Users Who Don’t Like Books Alphabet Books & AAC Implementation AAC, Literacy, & Squishy Books Asking Good Questions During Interactive Book Reading with AAC Learners AAC & Book Creator Loving Literacy-Let’s Read and Write Storybooks Growing AAC Professionals: AAC-friendly Books 5 Ways to Use Books to Build Interaction with AAC Learners Adapting Books with Visual Scenes AAC-friendly Accessible Books Make It PrAACtical: Display Stand for Visual Supports or Books 5 Books Featuring Children Who Use AAC Reading with AAC Across the Stages of Language Development Using Adapted Books with AAC Learners: 3 Important Questions to Ask Reading with AAC at the Beenleigh School Library-based Reading Program for... [Read More...]
Individuals with strong language and literacy skills often prefer text-based AAC tools rather than those that use picture symbols. In today’s featured video, we learn about the options from AT Specialists Elizabeth Barry and Jacqueline Wilkie from the Simon Technology Center at the Pacer Center in Minnesota. In this presentation, they discuss some of the important features and issues to consider in helping AAC users select a text-based AAC app. Both free and paid apps are included in their review. You can download the handout for this session here. Many thanks to Elizabeth, Jackie, and the Simon Technology Center for this helpful webinar. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZUxrsnta4M&ab_channel=SimonTechnologyCenter
What happens when creative OTs and SLPs team up to jointly plan and conduct therapy sessions that support communication and literacy in individuals who are learning to use AAC? In today’s featured video, we learn from SLP Melissa Petersen and OTs Mackenzie Hess and Mackenzie Light about their approach to developing functional and engaging lessons. Many thanks to the presenters and the AbleNet for this fun presentation. You can obtain the handout for this session, with links to each 7 downloadable lesson plans, here. Enjoy! Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp5rFeVfOOY&ab_channel=ableUOn-demandProfessionalDevelopment
Play is not only the ‘work’ of childhood but also a powerful vehicle for the development of communication and literacy skills. In today’s featured video, Kelly Fonner and Donna McNear share a wealth of ideas for how to use pretend play to maximize AAC learning. This session was originally presented at the 2023 AAC in the Cloud Conference hosted by CoughDrop. You can obtain the handout for this presentation here. Many thanks to Kelly, Donna and the CoughDrop conference team for making this recorded presentation available. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWGXaDrHImE&ab_channel=CoughDrop —
The Teaching Early Language & Literacy through Multimodal Expression (TELL ME) program that I co-authored with Lori Wise, is a classroom-based approach to supporting core vocabulary learning in preschool students who use AAC. In today’s post, we reach into the archives to revisit past posts on this program. Video Overview: AAC in the Preschool Classroom TELL ME About It Series by Maggie Judson & Jeanna Antrim Creating TELL ME AAC Literacy Kits TELL ME Virtual Classrooms TELL ME Books Max’s Breakfast If You’re Angry and You Know It The Lunch Box Surprise Come Out and Play, Little Mouse No, David Go Away Big Green Monster What Do You Like? Here Are My Hands From Head to Toe I Went Walking Brown Bear, Brown Bear Using the TELL ME Approach with Other Books If You Give a Mouse a Cookie I Like Myself Where’s Spot All Are Welcome! I Know a... [Read More...]
We love learning about literacy from Australian SLP Jane Farrall. In today’s featured video, she discusses the Writing with All Tools Continuum, a 34-item AT-friendly scale for assessing writing samples from developing writers. This is an important one for anyone focused on literacy and AAC. Many, many thanks to Jane and those who supported her in creating this incredibly useful tool Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lIhBcrCQJQ&ab_channel=JaneFarrall