56 Search Results for angelman
December 20, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
In a perfect world, everyone who needs AAC would participate in a comprehensive assessment to guide the selection of what SGD and/or AAC app will best meet their needs. That evaluation would include a records review, interviews with key stakeholders, observation, direct assessment, and a period of trial use with the communication aids that seem to be the best fit. It’s a complex and time-consuming endeavor, but the feature match process has been the gold standard for AAC device/app selection for several decades. At times, this process is skipped in favor of a quicker approach. Bhodie’s school team already supports several other students with AAC needs and most of them use a popular AAC app on an iPad. Since they are already familiar with that tool and it seems to be working well for other students, they tried it with Bhodie, too. He was successful in using it to request... [Read More...]
August 22, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. Here are some posts you may have missed in your busy week. Monday – AAC in Secondary School: 5 Progress Monitoring Tips for Secondary Students Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Communication Basics in Angelman Syndrome Thursday – 3 Resources for an AAC-friendly School Year ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: While you’re here, take a look at some of these posts from the archives. Write to Talk with Dr. Caroline Musselwhite Sound/Music Cause and Effect Apps for Engaging AAC Learners Beyond the Basics: Thoughts On Effective Language Instruction for AAC Learners When Materials Aren’t Effective in AAC Teaching: 5 Things to Try When Students are Reluctant to Use AAC: 5 Things to Try
May 7, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
AAC friends, we are back with our 8th AAC Link Up in Spanish. If you have 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. In today’s post, we travel to Colombia to hear from Jhonatan Muñoz, father of Juan Nicolás, who uses AAC. Their story first appears in Spanish and then in English, and is followed by a video. Thank you, Jhonatan and Juan Nicolás! ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Es el primer Viernes de Mayo!! Recuerda compartir tus links en español y acompáñanos a seguir viajando y recorriendo países donde se habla español, encontrando nuevas historias y experiencias de CAA, que nos alegran, nos motivan y dan cuenta de lo importante que es para los niños... [Read More...]
February 5, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
AAC friends, we are back with another AAC Link Up in Spanish. If you have 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. But before we get to that, we want to continue sharing AAC experiences with families in different Spanish-speaking countries, to help us create ties and form AAC communities in Spanish, to learn from each other. From Guatemala, we share with Isabel Orellana, who tells us her personal story with AAC and how she has contributed to making this field known in her country and offering AAC alternatives to many children, families, and professionals. “I’m the mother of 9-year-old Eddyto. Eddyto has complex communication needs and has been using Proloquo2Go since... [Read More...]
January 4, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
We’re excited to start off 2021 with a new series focusing on supporting students who use AAC during their high school years. AAC SLP Ashley Larisey is the guest author for the AAC in Secondary School series which will have ideas for specific activities in some months and articles on issues pertinent to secondary school AAC in others. Ashley is an SLP at Community High School District 218 in Oak Lawn, Illinois. She is also an Adjunct Clinical Supervisor and Instructor at Saint Xavier University. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Introduction to the Series: AAC for Secondary Students Some of the most common questions that I hear from my SLP colleagues are specific to AAC treatment planning and implementation. As a high school AAC SLP, I am privileged to have the opportunity to work with students as they prepare and transition into adulthood. I often find that many SLPs are looking to provide their students... [Read More...]
November 6, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Octubre – Mes de la CAA Las personas sin habla tienen mucho que decir. Esta comunicación no será posible si no disponen de las herramientas y los aprendizajes para conseguirlo. La Comunicación Aumentativa y Alternativa (CAA) es la vía de acceso a una participación plena para muchas, muchas personas. ¿Es necesaria una campaña de concienciación y sensibilización? Rotundamente sí. Familiares y profesionales de personas usuarias de CAA tienen todavía en este momento muchas dificultades para acceder a todas las opciones de SAAC, a veces por desconocimiento, a veces por cuestiones económicas e incluso por falta de un equipo de apoyo para su implementación. Nuestro objetivo para el mes de octubre ha sido ofrecer un espacio para dar a conocer en redes la realidad de nuestro día a día y cómo la CAA nos está proporcionando una herramienta de crecimiento personal. Así que bajo la guía de María @5sentidosymedio iniciamos el... [Read More...]
July 20, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Finding ways to engage AAC learners is important to professionals across disciplines and service delivery settings. In today’s post, we feature guest author Kate McLaughlin, who is an SLP serving individuals with AAC needs in Connecticut. She shares a perspective on building engagement through the perspective of meaning making. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: “Motivating” Emergent Communicators through Shared “Meaning-Making” & Communication Responsibility Are you a speech-language pathologist (SLP), teacher, or parent supporting an emergent AAC learner? Maybe you are just starting AAC with a learner who has a complex profile (for example, significant motor impairments, difficulties with motor planning, and/or sensory processing differences)? Maybe you have a learner who has learned to ask for some favorite things, but is not communicating beyond that? Do you struggle to “motivate” them? You’re not alone. I’ve met many kids who have been described as “not motivated to communicate.” I’ve also met many parents and professionals... [Read More...]
May 4, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
May is Better Hearing and Speech Month here in the US and in celebration of that, today’s post features an important resource from the American Speech-Language-Heating Association. The AAC Evidence Map was launched a few years ago and has been growing steadily since that time. ASHA’s Evidence Maps call attention to the three pillars of evidence-based practice (EBP): scientific evidence, clinical expertise, and client values/perspectives They were created for many different areas within the field of speech-language pathology and address clinical services across disability and age groups. Each of the 40+ evidence maps includes information on assessment, intervention, and service delivery for that specific communication difficulty. The information in each one comes from a variety of sources, including refereed journals and professional organizations in several countries. The AAC Evidence Map includes two types of external scientific information, Clinical Guidelines, and systematic reviews. Individuals studies are not included here. There are... [Read More...]
February 26, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
How can we help learners with significant learning challenges advance their communication skills? In today’s video, we feature AAC SLP Jane Farrall who provides an overview of good practices in AAC and suggestions for how to implement them successfully. This video stems from Jane’s presentation at the 2019 Angelman UK Conference. We are grateful to them for making this available to those who were unable to attend. Direct Link to Video – https://vimeo.com/367105163
February 5, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
How can we create educational settings that support the communicative development of children with AAC needs? Today, we turn to Angelman UK for a presentation on this topic by Rosie Clark, Carly Hynes, and Livvy Hepburn. This session was recorded during the Angelman UK Communication and Literacy Conference in 2019. Our thanks to the presenters and to the team at Angelman UK for this wonderful video. Enjoy! Direct Link to Video – https://vimeo.com/372462297