699 Search Results for communication book
March 6, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. We have some good posts for you to explore today. Monday –The PrAACtical Power of Co-Construction in AAC Support Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Alternative Access for AT & AAC Thursday – PrAACtical Reading for March: AAC-friendly Book Suggestions Friday – CAA Con Links: Marzo 2022 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: If you have a little more time, stick around to browse some of these past posts. “Can I Ask You a Question?” Language Experience Surveys Language Experience Surveys: 8 Fun Ideas Strengthening the Communication Environment Barriers to Access for AAC Learners Living an Accessible Life
January 17, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
Wildfires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and other disasters can have a devastating impact on anyone but people who use AAC are particularly vulnerable. It never seems like it could happen to us until it does. Here in the US, it seems like hardly a week goes by without news of another destructive event that upends a community. Even with the best emergency preparation, people who use AAC can find themselves without a functioning communication device after these catastrophic events. Fortunately, USSAAC’s AAC Disaster Relief Committee is able to provide assistance to those whose communication systems get lost or damaged in a hurricane, flood, wildfire, or other major disasters. We can’t predict when disaster will strike but we can prepare. Please take a moment to bookmark this post for future use. And if you live in an area affected by a recent disaster, please help us the word out to those in... [Read More...]
January 10, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
In some areas of the country, professionals and school districts are creating their own no-tech AAC systems. These are usually focused on core vocabulary and are often fairly similar to things that are commercially available. There are several reasons that schools or clinical practices might create their own tools, such as having consistency across classrooms so that staff can learn the tool well and focus their efforts on strong implementation practices. Along with the advantages, there are a number of drawbacks to consider in your decision-making. Here are some considerations in determining whether to use locally-created AAC materials. Examine the words that populate the system. Are the words, phrases, and/or sentences on their AAC tool a good fit for the learner in question? Look at the size of the vocabulary it offers. Are there enough words? Review the vocabulary layout to see how words are organized. Does it facilitate language... [Read More...]
January 7, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
On the first Friday of every month, we feature a Spanish version of our AAC Link Up, CAA con Links. If you have AAC-related announcements, materials, or videos in Spanish that you would like others to know about, we’d love to have you add that information below. Also, please share this with anyone who might be interested in contributing to or using the materials that get added to these posts. Organized by Claudia Marimón, these posts also feature AAC work being done in Spanish-speaking countries. Today, she shares some video stories of AAC in action. Enjoy! :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Bienvenido 2022, comenzamos este nuevo año con muchos deseos y proyectos personales y colectivos para aprovechar al máximo las oportunidades y el poder de la CAA en la comunidad de hispano hablante. A través de este espacio queremos compartir experiencias, ideas e información que haga posible a todos tener acceso a sistemas de... [Read More...]
December 30, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
As we wave goodbye to December and welcome the New Year, let’s revisit some of the most popular posts of 2021. PrAACtical Goals That Matter How I Do It: Writing IEP Goals for Students Who Use AAC with Lauren Enders PrAACtical AAC Goals How I Do It: Using PODD books and Aided Language Displays with Young Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder AAC Assessment Forms Building Your AAC SLP Toolkit: Obtaining Free Apps for AAC Evaluations The First 12: Getting Started with Core Vocabulary Teaching Core Vocabulary Literacy for Everyone with Adapted Books A Year of Core Vocabulary Words Make It Monday: Manual Communication Boards with Core Vocabulary Communication Boards: Colorful Considerations School Year of Core Vocabulary Words: AAC Resources for Month 1 (August) by Michaela Sullivan, Alisa Lego, & Beth Lytle Do you have a favorite that didn’t make the list? We’d love to hear about it.
December 23, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the town Not a creature was stirring, they were all safe and sound. The stockings were hung by their chimneys with care, In hopes that AAC Elves would soon visit there. The teachers were nestled all snug in their beds, With visions of lesson plans banished from their heads. The therapists with data sheets and the strategies they love best, Had just settled in for a good winter-break rest. When outside the schoolyard, there arose such a clatter I rushed toward the window to see what was the matter. Stepping on Legos (does that pain ever fade?) I ran to the window and lifted the shade. With her silvery face, the moon shone from the night sky, Illuminating the landscape from her perch way up high. And what to my sleep-deprived eyes should appear But an accessible sleigh, and 8 AT reindeer.... [Read More...]
December 2, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
Teenagers are a fun and exciting group to work with. In today’s post, we reach into the archives for some past posts that address some of the issues that arise in serving this age group. Starting AAC in the Teen Years: 3 Considerations for Families & Practitioners How I Do It: Starting AAC with Teens & Young Adults by Angela Adams How I Do It: Pocket Flipbooks for Adults & Teens How I Do It: Pocket Flipbooks for Adults & Teens, Part 2 How I Do It: Pocket Flipbooks for Teens, Part 3 How I Do It: Conversation Practice with Teens and Young Adults by Angela Adams Faces of AAC – Zainab Omar Let’s Hit the Town, AAC Style Bridging Literacy and AAC for Adolescents Communication Strategies for Adolescents as They Transition through Adulthood AAC in Secondary School: Defining Age Respectful
November 21, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. Here are some posts that you may have missed. Monday – AAC in School: Classroom Communication Goals Grid – Revised Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: AAC for Emergent Communicators Thursday – AAC Fair Testing Practices: Communication & Documentation ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: While you’re here, check out some of these previously published posts. 5 Ways to Tell If Your Students are Becoming Competent Communicators A Look at PODD Books Using Visual Supports to Bring Music Alive Supports for When Modeling AAC is Hard AACtual Therapy: Use Your Best Spud to Teach Vocabulary With Tanna Neufeld The Critical Nature of Literacy in AAC
November 11, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
We love learning from people who use AAC and sharing their perspectives on things related to supports and services. So when Mike Hipple reached out with an offer to guest post, we jumped on the chance to publish his thoughts. In this post, Mike, an AAC user who founded the Wisconsin AAC Network, shares his experiences and thoughts on AAC and special education. Enjoy! ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: There are many false facts about the augmentative alternative communication community that may interfere with students getting what they need. One AAC false fact that always bugs me as an AAC communicator is all AAC Communicators have a cognitive disability. Mmm, this couldn’t be more wrong. Yes, some do but there is a large number like me that do not. Google says 5.7% of students in public schools during the 2018-19 school year had a cognitive disability. Sadly, when doing research for this paper, I... [Read More...]
October 28, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
For individuals with AAC needs to be able to demonstrate what they know in assessment situations, we need to think carefully about the test materials and consider what adjustments are needed. In this continuation of our series on AAC Fair Testing Practices, we’ll explore this in some detail. TOPIC 9: Test Materials There are two categories of test materials for us to consider: those that are part of the assessment process for all learners and those that may be needed primarily by students who use AAC. In both cases, teams should discuss what is relevant, fair, and helpful to a particular student. Detailed notes should be kept to aid in replicating the set-up for re-testing at a later point in time or for use in other assessments. Additionally, teams will want to keep the purpose of the assessment in mind as they address this topic. Knowing why we are conducting... [Read More...]