448 Search Results for autism
August 25, 2012
by Robin Parker -
We live in Florida and there are lots of general summer storms. They can be very loud and dark. There are also many hurricane warnings (like now for Hurricane Isaac). Many children and adults with communication challenges can become upset or anxious because of the loud noises, the change in routines, and/or the heightened state of anxiety that is usually around the house or community. Because of this we are often asked to help find visual support resources. Here are some great prepared visual support stories and resources that we use: Bad Weather Tips and Story by Hands in Autism Hurricane Preparedness More Hurricane Preparedness Thunder/Lightning Storms Thunder Box Sometimes though the prepared supports do not meet the needs for specific learners. Here are our tips for developing your own storm visual supports and resources Creating Personal Participation Stories Use language of the story that is at the... [Read More...]
August 25, 2012
by Carole Zangari -
It seems like only last week that I was enjoying ISAAC 2012, spending time with friends, and attending AAC sessions. Here are some links to handouts for a few of the sessions. 1. Sarah Blackstone and many others: Effective Patient Provider Communication: The Expanding Role of our Professions 2. Jane Farrall: What’s APPropriate: AAC Apps for iPhones, iPads and other devices 3. Melanie Fried-Oken: A Comparison of Communication Board Use for Conversations in Primary Progressive Aphasia and Alzheimer’s Disease 4. Janice Light and her colleagues: Effects of AAC Systems with “Just in Time” Programming For Children with Complex Communication Needs 5. Janice Light & David McNaughton: Evidence-based Literacy Intervention for Individuals with Autism who Require AAC
August 5, 2012
by Carole Zangari -
Cohesion is a tough concept for many of our learners who are developing their AAC skills and struggling to build relationships. In this week’s featured video, Joel Shaul, from Autism Teaching Strategies, discusses how to use two metaphors for building cohesive conversations. One is the idea of links in a chain and the other is the girders of a building. Of course, we are big fans of the use of visual supports whenever we talk and teach. — Although the focus here is learners with ASD, we’ve used this and similar strategies many kinds of learners. Hope you enjoy this informative video. – – – –
July 29, 2012
by Carole Zangari -
This week we return to the Geneva Centre for Autism for have two short videos from on strategies to support positive behavior. – Enjoy these explanatory videos on Clear Expectations With Visual Rules and Classroom Rules. –
July 28, 2012
by Robin Parker -
Throughout this month we focused on visual supports & strategies for positive behavior. We have discussed transition supports, environmental arrangements, and consequence mapping. As we wrap up, we don’t want to forget PrAACtical AAC strategies for self-calming. We like to think about self-calming like this- some weeks we need it more than others, some days we need it more than others. We all need self- calming strategies. Whether we vent to a friend, go for a run, knit, take deep breaths, or get a glass of wine (although we are not advocating this), we all use self-calming strategies. It makes a huge difference. Sometimes though helping our students self-calm at times may seem “easier said than done”, but we know it truly is ‘easier when SEEN‘. Self-calming strategies can help before, during, and after behavior challenges . We will often teach and use self calming strategies if we know a potentially stressful situation will... [Read More...]
July 22, 2012
by Carole Zangari -
This week’s video comes from Katie Thomas of the Autism and Tertiary Behavior Supports Project of the Kansas Technical Assistance Network and deals with the who, what, when, where, and why of using visual supports to promote positive behavior. – There are several supporting documents including the PowerPoint handout, and some of the supports they review (e.g., calendar, first/then, wait card). We love the detailed description and the many examples they share. – Click here to view the video. –
July 15, 2012
by Carole Zangari -
This week we have a series of short videos from the Geneva Centre for Autism on strategies to support positive behavior. Enjoy these explanatory videos on Supporting Positive Behaviors During Changes, Change in Routine, and Learning to Wait. –
July 14, 2012
by Carole Zangari -
1. Partner-assisted scanning (PAS) offers great flexibility and spontaneity. Don’t want to take your SGD to the beach? A print-out of the screens and PAS is a great option. Missing key messages for the trip to the doctor’s office? A minute of brainstorming and the use of PAS may just save the day. No way for your client to access her device once she’s in bed? A communication board/book and PAS just might do the trick. – 2. Voice banking: For people are likely to lose their speech due to a degenerative disease, like ALS, the option of saving samples of their speech and having it digitized for future use seems to hold great appeal. We’d love to see more SLPs familiarize themselves with this strategy and the tools to implement it, so that this option is more widely used about individuals whose speech is deteriorating. – 3. Qualitative rating... [Read More...]
July 10, 2012
by Carole Zangari -
We’re back again with an updated list of free and lite versions of AAC apps that includes many additions for the Android platform. As in the past, we’re including some additional resources and excerpts from previous posts related to AAC app selection and the larger context of AAC assessment. We’ve appreciated the feedback on first draft of RELAAACs, our attempt to quantify some of what we look for when we try to compare AAC apps based on their language and communication features, and continue to welcome your suggestions. We do have plans to revise and update this once we get through the summer semester. (The trimester system is a killer!) —————————————————————————————————– – Thanks to all who’ve given us great feedback and suggestions on our list of free and lite AAC apps. If you’ve been following our blog, you know that we have mixed feelings about the AAC app revolution. More specifically, we’ve... [Read More...]
July 8, 2012
by Robin Parker -
We wanted to sincerely thank everyone for making our first ever giveaway a true PrAACtical AAC celebration. It was so much fun (Thanks Speech Tree, Tech in Special Education, and Rafflecopter). We hope to be doing more very soon. We feel like we got to know so many of you and are very appreciative for your participation and interaction. Congratulations to Jennifer, who is our winner! We know that our giveaway was about AAC and since everyone could not win, we searched for other opportunities that would give you another chance to win or get funding for an AAC app. The iMums The iMums website has a Speech Tree App Giveaway until July 11th. iTaalk: App Facilitator Program iTaalk has a program that will grant apps to applicants with a minimum cost of $25. There is an application process and not all requests can be accommodated but they try very... [Read More...]