375 Search Results for complex communication
May 18, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
When we think of AAC apps, expressive communication and voice output generally come to mind. But there are other kinds of AAC apps, too, including those that are used to create printable materials. Today, we hear from a clinician who uses this kind of AAC app on a regular basis. Georgia Karavias is a speech language pathologist whose career has centered around working with school-aged children and adolescents who have physical disabilities and communication difficulties. Georgia is passionate about utilizing alternative access methods and inclusive technologies to enable independent communication using AAC systems. She currently works at Scope’s Communication and Inclusion Resource Centre (CIRC) as part of the communication access team in a community capacity building role. In this post, she talks about how she uses AAC and visual supports created with an app developed at her workplace. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: I am a speech pathologist who has worked with children with complex... [Read More...]
May 4, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
In today’s post, we welcome Dr. Kathy Howery who will be appearing here periodically to review some of the AAC research that is published in journals around the world. Kathy joins us from Alberta, Canada, and has worked in the field of assistive technology and special education for over three decades. Most recently she has completed her doctoral studies where she used phenomenological methods to seek understanding of the lived experience of speaking with/through a speech generating device. Kathy is currently working as consultant to schools and school districts across Alberta focusing primarily on children and youth with complex communication needs. In this first post, she helps us understand a study by Drs. Karen Erickson and Lori Geist published in the AAC journal last year. Enjoy! ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Erickson, K. A. & Geist, L. A. (2016). The profiles of students with significant cognitive disabilities and complex communication needs. Augmentative and Alternative Communication,... [Read More...]
May 3, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
There aren’t many formal assessment instruments designed expressly for people who need AAC, so it’s important to know about the ones that are available. In today’s post, we feature two videos on the Test of Aided Communication Symbol Performance (the TASP). Authored by Dr. Joan Bruno (creator of the Gateway programs for SGDs and AAC apps), this test helps us answer some of the questions we have when selecting or creating AAC systems for people with complex communication needs. In this first video, we get a brief overview of the TASP from Dr. Lori Geist. Next, let’s hear more about it from practicing clinicians and see a demonstration of some of the subtests. Do you use formal testing in your AAC assessments? We’d love to hear about those experiences.
May 1, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
Here in the US, today is the start of Better Hearing and Speech Month (#BHSM).This year’s theme, Communication-The Key to Connection, has lots of prAACtical implications. The American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) sponsors activities and shares resources every year, encouraging us to build awareness of communication and the professionals who serve those with speech, language, hearing, and swallowing disorders. For those of us interested in AAC, it’s also an opportunity to help our fellow professionals better understand the needs of people with complex communication needs. There are lots of ways that you can get involved to support AAC and spread the word about effective AAC practices to colleagues and families. Click on the image below to learn about what the ASHA is doing and to get a few ideas to get you started. Let’s make an impact.
April 26, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
At school In clinics and hospitals At home In restaurants and shops People are supporting children with complex communication needs by speaking AAC and building opportunities for communication learning. Here are a few short videos showing what they’ve been up to. Vanderbilt’s Early Intervention Program are getting some communication in while playing and making music in preschool. Check out Shelane Nielsen and her handsome guy gooping it up in AACtion at home. Jill Baldessari explains how Miguel and his SLP get their eye gaze on. Take a peek at Deb using both prestored messages and single word vocabulary at a restaurant. Let’s see how these classmates are working together in their general education classroom. Ready for a bit of reading instruction, AAC style? Do you have videos of AACtual communication? We’d love to have you share them!
April 3, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
When we first started writing about core vocabulary, it was largely due to the fact that most SGDs, AAC apps, and communication boards/ books had two big deficits. At the time, most of them lacked the words needed to function throughout the day and/or didn’t have the kinds of words that allow for progression of syntactic skills. Now things look very different. Over the years, the pendulum has moved quite dramatically and now core vocabulary permeates AAC systems that are considered to be ‘robust.’ That’s a lot of movement in a short period of time. When big changes happen rapidly, it stands to reason that there will be some cracks that open up. Misunderstandings, misinterpretations, misconceptions. Here are some of the ones we’ve observed in the recent past. Core words are all that are needed in an AAC system. (Not in most cases. We all want to talk about the... [Read More...]
March 28, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
NOTE: Scroll down for the latest update on AAC app discounts and other sales. —————————————- Many of you know the work of Pennsylvania-based SLP Lauren Enders, whose contributions here and on Pinterest, Facebook, and other social media have been invaluable in our clinical and educational work. Lauren does a terrific job of identifying AAC, AT, and related resources and goes the extra mile in sharing them with others. Today, we feature a graphic that she developed to alert us of AAC apps that are discounted in support of Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month in the US app store. The discounts may be available in other areas as well. The graphic is not interactive so if you wish to purchase an app, you’ll need to visit the iTunes App Store and search for the app you’re interested in or visit the company’s website. OR you can scroll down to the bottom... [Read More...]
January 23, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
The good news is this: A growing number of people with complex communication needs are getting access to AAC. Educators whose students had AAC only at circle and snack time are now using it more consistently with their students throughout the day and teaching lessons specifically designed to build skills with AAC systems. SLPs who had eschewed AAC or who had focused their AAC efforts on choicemaking, requesting, and labeling are now embracing their role as language specialists and teaching a fuller array of semantic, morphological, and syntactic skills to AAC learners. AT specialists who had been doling out the same few SGDs and AAC apps are now digging deeper and using established practices for AT selection in supporting minimally verbal and nonverbal students. Behaviorists who had previously focused primarily on receptive identification and verbal imitation are supporting the expressive needs of their clients in new ways. Families who had little... [Read More...]
January 19, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
As a speech-language pathologist, most of my attention goes to strategies for building language and communication, but there is, of course, much more to AAC. The Independent Living Centre Western Australia (ILC) has a wonderful set of resources that focus on the operational aspects of AAC, a critical area for many individuals with complex communication needs. This is a great site to check out for ‘how-to’ information on how to help AAC users develop skills with direct selection (eye gaze, touch screen) and scanning. Many thanks to ILC and the Unlocking Abilities Project for making these available.
December 22, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
In an earlier post, we talked about why a period of trial use with multiple AAC devices and/or apps is an important part of the process of selecting a communication tool. As with test driving a car prior to purchasing it, giving clients an opportunity to use the AAC options that have the features they need allows us to better determine whether it is likely to meet their needs and expectations. Few of us would purchase a car without taking it out for a spin. It makes a lot of sense, but what does the ‘test drive’ equivalent look like in AAC? What makes for a fair and reasonable period of trial use when we’re trying out an SGD or AAC app? Here are some thoughts to get us started. Clarify the primary purpose of the trial, which generally involves determining a) whether the person can actually utilize it, and... [Read More...]