1056 Search Results for Core
April 7, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
Given that PrAACtical AAC was co-founded by a master clinician with a deep love of autism, Dr. Robin Parker, it comes as no surprise that we’ve published well over 200 posts that focus on supporting children and adults with autism. Here are a few that relate specifically to going beyond awareness and build understanding, acceptance, and inclusion. Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month: 5 Videos for Kids 20 Ways for SLPs to Celebrate Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month 10 Things to do for Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month 30 Things to Do for Autism Awareness Month Keep Learning About Core: 8 More Things to Do for Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month Do you have meaningful ways to help others move beyond awareness? We’d love to hear about them.
April 3, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
Hope you had a great start to Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month! Monday – PrAACtical Resources: Video Explainers for Aided Language Input Wednesday – Video of the Week: Getting Started with PODD Friday – PrAACtically April: Resources for a Year of Core Vocabulary Words
March 28, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
A growing number of clinicians, families, and educational teams are prioritizing the use of aided language input as a foundational strategy for AAC learners. When we first started writing about this strategy, it was rare to see adults using AAC to talk with AAC learners.Consistent implementation is still a challenge, but more and more of you are speaking AAC to teach AAC. And quite of few of you are doing your best to influence other stakeholders to support augmented communicators in this way. If you are doing inservices, teaching classes, or guiding teams toward better AAC intervention, the videos listed below may be useful to you in those efforts. Chris Bugaj developed this clear and engaging cartoon explaining the concept for people new to this strategy. Caroline Musselwhite recorded a full webinar with detailed information on aided language input. Communicare, a clinical practice with a strong focus on AAC,... [Read More...]
March 24, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
It’s gratifying to hear from so many of you who are including storybook reading in your AAC instruction and therapy. We welcome back Karen Natoci, Assistant Professor and SLP Oregon Health and Science University’s Child Development Rehabilitation Center. She serves on the Neurodevelopment and Rett Evaluation teams and has a caseload of children with Complex Communication Needs and AAC. Karen tells us that “I know very well the feeling of being overwhelmed by the high needs of students with complex communication needs and will readily admit that you have to have a very large ‘toolbox’ of ideas!” Currently, she is on the charter development team to create the Communication Matrix- Virtual Community of Practice with Charity Rowland. At the end of the day, Karen enjoys running, practicing piano, and exploring Portland and the Oregon coast. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Book: April Fool’s Day Written and Illustrated by Dee Smith (Also available from Deesignery.com) Core Vocabulary focus: Look,... [Read More...]
March 20, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
Hope your prAACtical week was productive and satisfying. Monday – PrAACtical Teaching in the ASD Classroom: Bigger is Better with Core Vocabulary Wednesday – Video of the Week: Building Linguistic Fluency with AAC Learners Thursday – AAC Assessment Corner with Vicki Clarke: Is Feature Matching Still Relevant?
March 17, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
Today, we welcome back Vicki Clarke, a regular contributor to PrAACtical AAC, with another edition of AAC Assessment Corner. In this post, Vicki shares her thoughts on feature matching for AAC device selection. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Feature matching has been the gold standard for AAC evaluation for the last 20 years. It is research based and clinically proven as the best technique for selecting an AAC solution for an individual. The tide of real-life practice, however, is turning and there has been increasing discussion at conferences, in social media and blogs questioning why we continue to use feature matching to place AAC systems in the hands of students. In a recent assistive technology on-line chat, a noted AT specialist remarked: “I wonder if at a district level it might not be better to have a go-to AAC system everyone tries first. If that doesn’t work then adjust.” Does this mean that we throw... [Read More...]
March 13, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
Let’s make this a great week for AAC collaboration, support, and sharing. Monday – PrAACtical Site of the Month: Loudoun County Public Schools AT Team Wednesday – Video of the Week: Infusing AAC Core Vocabulary into Interactive Storybook Reading Thursday – Learning About Augmentative Communication Empowerment and Support (ACES)
March 6, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
Hope you’ve had a productive week of AAC teaching and learning. Monday – PrAACtically March: AAC Core Vocabulary Resources Wednesday – Video of the Week: Scaffoldingand Anchoring Thursday – PrAACtical Resources: AAC Partner Strategies Handout Not too old, not too young. Not too intellectually impaired or gifted. Not too motorically limited or talented. Everyone deserves a voice.
February 25, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
AAC assessment is a challenge in almost every service delivery setting, and many of you have reached out to us to ask for advice on how to strengthen your assessment practices. Luckily, Vicki Clarke, an AAC Chick who has a great deal of experience assessing learners in clinical and educational settings, has tips and resources to share. In this continuation of the AAC Assessment Corner series, Vicki talks about a key feature in any AAC system: vocabulary organization. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Thinking Inside the Box for AAC Evaluations: What Type of Vocabulary Organization is Right For Your AAC User? Professionals often spend a great deal of time concerning themselves with which box they should get their AAC user. Should I pick a Prentke Romich or a Tobii Dynavox? But what about the iPad? And what about the money? Should I pick a CheapTalk or a GoTalk instead? Here’s the good news: The box is not the... [Read More...]
February 15, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
We get many requests to do more posts on providing AAC supports to children who use alternative access. Karen Natoci must have read my mind when she wrote this month’s PrAACtically Reading post because she gave us lots of ideas for shared reading with a child who is learning to use eye gaze for communication. The book that she chose is a P.D. Eastman classic that many of us remember from our own childhoods. Happy reading! Shared Reading Using Eye Gaze Book: Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman CORE Words to practice using: you, want, where, look, more, no, go, like, oh no! mine FRINGE Words to practice using: Animal names, mother, snort!! I am happy to share this lesson plan to describe the integration of early eye gaze and switch use to foster engagement while reading the delightful book, Are you My Mother? (authored by P.D. Eastman). Today, I chose... [Read More...]