597 Search Results for tell me about it
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...]
April 16, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
Hope you had a meaningful holiday. Here are some posts you may have missed while you were enjoying the company of friends and family. Monday: PrAACtical Resources: 10 Things You May Not Know About AAC Wednesday: Video of the Week: TELL ME – AAC in the Preschool Classroom Thursday: PrAACtical Perspectives: Randomness and AAC
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 30, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
April is just around the corner and that means we’re getting ready to support the acceptance and inclusion of autistic people. Looking for ideas? Here are some to get you started. Treat yourself to some goodies from The Chocolate Spectrum (where you can order online, visit the cafe, or take a chocolate-making class) or other places that employ people with autism. Read and share 5 references that support the use of AAC & Autism. Help your family or community go beyond awareness and into acceptance. Learn and share information about Autism Safety – Be AWAARE! Know an autistic MineCraft lover? Introduce them to AutCraft. Educate yourself on terminology that relates to autism and people with ASD. We may have learned people-first language back in grad school, but there are different points of view on that. This is a great time to learn about identity-first language. Apply your critical reasoning skills to... [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...]
March 27, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
It’s almost time to turn the calendar to a new page and that gives us the opportunity to highlight a new set of core words. Whether you are following along with the Set 1 (2013) (12 words/month) or the Set 2 (2014) words (16 words/month; Different than the previous year’s core words), or are just getting started, this post has some helpful resources. We’re grateful to Nancy Inman, Brian Whitmer, Tina Lombardi, Barbara Fernandes Russell Cross, Gail Van Tatenhove, Allison Wade, Eric Sailers, Bill and Lori Binko, Heidi LoStracco, Rachael Langley, and all the others who have contributed to this effort. Our words for this month are as follows. Set 1 (2013) List: big, busy, do, drink, feel, he, in, make, out, some, tell, who Set 2 (2014) List: blue, brother, close, family, head, last, long, no, old, right, scared, soft, thing, top, wash, whole Here are some resources to help with implementation. Templates... [Read More...]
February 1, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
Gaby is a huge Miami Dolphins fan and is dying to share the latest team stats with anyone she meets. Thomas knows all there is to know about rocks and isn’t shy about telling you lots of facts about them. Antonio is fascinated by washing machines and Simone could look at doors from sunrise to sundown. When individuals with AAC needs have an intense interest in a particular topic, service providers sometimes struggle with how to respond to these interests. How do we respect the individual and support their growth? Are these ‘obsessions’ that should be discouraged or preferences that should be honored? Do we incorporate these materials into our intervention or avoid them? What strategies can we use to use their special interests in a supportive and beneficial way? When dealing with learners who have strong interests in specific topics, professionals have many questions about how to proceed. In today’s... [Read More...]
January 12, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
The NJC has been one of my go-to resources for many years, so I was delighted when Amy Goldman agreed to write an update on recent activities. Amy is one of my AAC heroes but you may know her best from her long career of advocacy with AAC and AT through professional organizations (e.g., ASHA, USSAAC, ATIA, PSHA, ATAP). Amy is now one of three technical assistance specialists with the national Assistive Technology Act Technical Assistance and Training Center (AT3). She recently retired from her position as Co-Executive Director of the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University, PA’s University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities where she directed local, state, and federal projects related to assistive technology. She is honored to represent ASHA on the National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities (NJC). She and I co-chair the ATIA strand on AAC and hope to see many... [Read More...]
December 29, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
We are closing out the year with a bang by combining two of our favorite things: working on AAC and literacy. In this post, Michigan-based teachers Amy Devin and Lauren Pawlowski return to discuss their strategies for building communication skills in the context of writing activities. Enjoy their detailed descriptions of how they implement a 5-day writing sequence in their classrooms! :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Predictable Chart Writing with Core Vocabulary If writing with your students is something you are apprehensive about, then Predictable Chart writing is a good place to start. You get a lot of bang for your buck, as you can work on many different concepts as you are instructing through the week. Some areas you will be able to work on is location and meaning of core, concepts about print, print awareness and fine motor skills. Prior to starting your Predictable Chart Writing, you have to have a plan on which... [Read More...]
October 31, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
We are pleased to have a return visit from special educators Lauren Pawlowski and Amy Devin with ideas for supporting AAC learners in the classroom. Amy and Lauren, who work in the public school system in Michigan, taught in resource rooms for years and have been teaching in self‐contained ASD elementary classrooms since 2009. At that time, there were few classrooms who were integrating core language instruction, but they didn’t let that stop them. Currently, they use manual communication boards, large instructional core boards, and individual AAC devices with their students. They are passionate literacy teachers and, in today’s post, tell us about their approach to shared reading lessons. Their video is chock full of tips to help you make these lessons successful. Enjoy! Shared Reading: It’s Not What They Know, It’s What They THINK! Happy Fall AAC users and facilitators! This month we would like to share some of our tips for... [Read More...]