It’s almost that time of year, AAC friends. With AAC Awareness Month right around the corner, AAC and AT Specialist, Lauren Gonzales is upholding her tradition of creating a graphic that shows all of the upcoming AAC app sales. You can see the updated version of each graphic by clicking here or on the image below. Thank you, Lauren, and all of the AAC companies who provide deep discounts in support of the AAC community.
Looking for information on scanning, eye gaze, and other forms of alternative access? Here are some posts from the past that may be of interest. Articles Alternative Access for AAC PrAACtical Research: Improving Accessibility for People with Significant Speech Disabilities Make It PrAACtical: DIY Switch-accessible Scanner AAC Assessment Corner with Vicki Clarke: The Eyes Have It-Assessment Considerations for High Tech Eye Gaze Access Videos Methods of Accessing AAC Systems Stepping Stones to Switch Access, Part 1 Stepping Stones to Switch Access, Part 2 Alternative Access for AT & AAC Deep Dive into the Hardware for iPad Switch Accessibility AAC Access for Individuals with Significant Motor Limitations Through Partner Assisted Scanning
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. We have some posts that you might enjoy. Monday – AAC Reading Material: 3 Book Suggestions Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Funding for AAC Thursday – Throwback Thursday: Summertime & AAC :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: If you have the time, here are some past posts you may enjoy. Beyond AAC Modeling: 3 Things to Add to Your AAC Teaching Plan AAC Skills Assessment for Direct Selectors Selecting AAC Apps & Devices: A Handful of Reasons Not to Skip the Trial Period Observational Assessment of Beginning Communicators Bilingual AAC Assessment Tips by Lindsay Oesch Say What?!? AAC Assessment for Children Who Speak with Dr. Jill Senner and Matthew Baud
Here in the US, we celebrated Memorial Day on Monday, a time for remembering those who died in military service to our country. While we honor them and their tremendous sacrifices, it’s impossible not to be reminded of the tragic shooting that recently took the lives of so many elementary school children and their teachers. As we move through our grief we also start thinking of the practical aspects of helping children with AAC needs become better prepared for emergency situations in schools. We’ve updated these resources in hopes that they may be helpful to some of you. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Recent events, such as the horrific mass shooting at Robb Elementary School, have led us all to re-examine policies and procedures that impact school safety. Throughout the country, school communities are re-evaluating and fine-tuning their processes for keeping students and staff safe in the unlikely event of violent acts, such as... [Read More...]
Working with individuals who have AAC needs and can’t use their hands and fingers for direct access? Here are some past posts on alternative access that may be helpful. Articles PrAACtical Research: Improving Accessibility for People with Significant Speech Disabilities Fast FAACt Friday: Accidental Access Let’s Play! Using Switch-accessible iPad Games for AAC Learning Make It PrAACtical: Modify a Battery-Operated Toy to Make It Accessible by Switches AAC Assessment Corner with Vicki Clarke: The Eyes Have It-Assessment Considerations for High Tech Eye Gaze Access Videos Stepping Stones to Switch Access, Part 1 Stepping Stones to Switch Access, Part 2 Methods of Accessing AAC Systems Alternative Access for AT & AAC Angling Switches for Better Access Deep Dive into the Hardware for iPad Switch Accessibility Accessing the World with a Head Switch Seating and Positioning for AT Access AAC Access for Individuals with Significant Motor Limitations Through Partner Assisted Scanning
Looking to purchase some AAC and related apps? Longtime PrAACtical AAC friend Lauren Enders is continuing her tradition of compiling information from AAC app developers and others who offer deep discounts for Autism Acceptance Month. With April just around the corner, you might want to mark your calendars with dates for any planned purchases. Those of you who run large AAC or AT programs, take note of the discounts for Apple’s Volume Purchase Program. You can click on the image below (or here) to access an interactive version of this graphic. That version has clickable hotspots to allow for easier navigation to each company’s website for those who want more information or to purchase the product. Thank you, Lauren, for this wonderful act of service to the AAC field. Note: This may be updated with additional discounts over the next week or so.
It’s prAACtically Valentine’s Day so we’re reprising this past post with AAC-friendly resources for one of our favorite holidays. Valentine’s Day, a celebration of love and romance, is just around the corner. We’re keeping up the tradition of sharing ideas for an AAC-friendly holiday so that you can focus your attention on the supportive strategies that facilitate AAC learning. Take a look. Have fun with this animated PowerPoint poem, 5 Little Valentines, from Bloom. Print and send these Valentine’s Day cards from CoughDrop Valentine’s Day Is Here: Enjoy a video sing along with the Swingset Mamas Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR2S1AanFmFOY-W42JGdsuloRizrpmEE9e-YcrqU_Aqmo4McFJpqRfDnokY&v=Rbtgl9n3mJg&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=Swingsetmamas Supporting someone in a virtual platform? Check out these Boom cards From Beautiful Speech Life: I LIKE Activity From Welcome to Words: Cupid, Cupid, What Do You See? Make a bracelet with Valentine’s Day vocabulary and print out fun gift tags with this packet from... [Read More...]
AAC SLP Vicki Clarke is known to long-time readers for her excellent series, AAC Assessment Corner, and her collaboration with Holly Schneider in creating the Dynamic AAC Goals Grid (DAGG-2). Today, we welcome her back to tell us about the revised version of her goal-setting guide designed especially for school settings. Join us in learning about the Classroom Communication Goals Grid and download a free copy. Classroom Communication Goals Grid- Revised https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/AAC-Classroom-Communication-Project-2021-Intro-and-Tools-4219461 It’s been over 5 years since I developed the Classroom Communication Goals Grid. During that time it’s been in use in many of our districts helping teachers and therapists assess the communication skills of their students, select goals relevant to the academic environment, and show progress at annual IEP time. The Grid needed some revision, a little more review of current research, a little reorganization of goals, and a facelift! This article is to introduce you to the... [Read More...]
Writing goals for AAC learners, whether they are beginning communicators or focusing on more advanced linguistic concepts, can be tricky and intimidating. Today, we introduce a new series authored by PrAACtical AAC friend and AAC/AT expert Lauren Enders to give us insight on the process and tips for developing strong goals and objectives. Throughout this series, Lauren shares her perspective developed from her years of experience in public schools and as a nationally recognized presenter. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Though it may be hard to believe, back-to-school is around the corner! As we get ready to head back into the classroom, now seems like the perfect time to launch a series exploring best practices to consider when writing IEPs for our AAC learners. The thought of crafting IEP goals and objectives for students who are learning to use AAC strikes fear into the hearts of many SLPs, special education teachers, and other school... [Read More...]
Need some tips for conducting good AAC assessments? Today we look back at some detailed posts on AAC assessment practices from Vicki Clarke’s series, AAC Assessment Corner. Enjoy! Ready, SETT, AAC Evaluate! AAC Skills Assessment for Direct Selectors Standardized Tests For AAC Users AAC Assessment for Emergent Communicators The Eyes Have It-Assessment Considerations for High Tech Eye Gaze Access Is AAC Feature Matching Still Relevant? Thinking Inside the Box for AAC Evaluations Procedural Resources Evaluating Skills for Use of Comprehensive AAC Dynamic Display SGDs Language Representation Elements – Noun Symbol Use for Functional Communication