About This Week Welcome to Week 16 of your Stepping into AAC journey! We continue to add new words and deepen our understanding of AAC supports. You will explore the following concepts this week: AACtion Steps Week 16 AACtion Steps Signposts Get the Handout Commenting Travelog Week 16 Travelog Print the Week Want all of the resources shared in this week of Stepping into AAC? Download the entire digital bundle by clicking the download button below.
About This Week Welcome to Week 17 of your Stepping into AAC journey! As we round the bend to the final segment of this journey, our focus is on using the expanded set of target words throughout the day. You will focus on the following concepts this week: Developing a Vision for Successful AAC Use: Every family’s situation is different, and every AAC learner is unique. In this segment, you’ll consider what successful AAC use looks like for your family. Language Walk-Through: Shopping: AAC is on the move! Follow along as we demonstrate AAC use on trips to the store. AACtion Steps Week 17 AACtion Steps Signposts Travelog Week 17 Travelog Print the Week Want all of the resources shared in this week of Stepping into AAC? Download the entire digital bundle by clicking the download button below.
About This Week Welcome to Week 18 of your Stepping into AAC journey! You will explore the following concepts this week: The Social Power of Slang & Age-respectful Vocabulary: What role does slang play & why should we consider it? How can we keep our AAC tools appropriate but also respectful of the AAC learner’s chronological age? Language Walk-Through – Going to an Appointment: Given the time spent at doctor’s offices, therapy centers, getting haircuts, visits to the dentist, and all of that, it’s no surprise that AAC will play a role. AACtion Steps Week 18 AACtion Steps Signposts Get the Handout Social Power-Sland and Age-Relevant Words Travelog Week 18 Travelog Print the Week Want all of the resources shared in this week of Stepping into AAC? Download the entire digital bundle by clicking the download button below.
About This Week Welcome to Week 19 of your Stepping into AAC journey! As we approach the final portion of this journey, focus on building a system of support for your AAC learner. You will explore the following concepts this week: AACtion Steps Week 19 AACtion Steps Signposts Get the Handout Social Power-Introduction Messages Travelog Week 19 Travelog Print the Week Want all of the resources shared in this week of Stepping into AAC? Download the entire digital bundle by clicking the download button below.
About This Week Welcome to Week 20 of your Stepping into AAC journey! As you approach the finish line, we consider what you’ve accomplished and lay out some possible next steps for your AAC learner. You will explore the following concepts this week: Reflecting on Your Skills as a Communication Partner: Over the past 20 weeks, you’ve acquired new information and had the opportunity to develop skills that make it easier for your AAC learner to develop their language and AAC skills. In this segment, we pause to look back on what you’ve accomplished and what it means. Next Steps: Explore some possible directions to head in as you continue supporting your AAC learner. Future Directions with Your AAC Learner’s Team The efforts that you and your family put into learning about and using AAC support strategies provided your AAC learner with a solid foundation. As you continue to use... [Read More...]
We are excited to continue our series on multilingual AAC support, guest-authored by BilingüeAAC. In today’s post, one member of the team, Melissa Tapia, addresses ways to use specific instructional materials with bilingual individuals. BilingüeAAC is a group of SLPs with a shared belief in providing evidence-based intervention strategies and resources to bilingual Spanish AAC clients, families, caregivers, and professionals. Inclusive Practices Using Tell Me Program & Other Materials How can we effectively conduct inclusive practices in our work settings? What are some approaches or materials that we can use to integrate the culture of the home and community? Why are inclusive practices essential for the success of our students/clients? These are fundamental reflective questions I have found to guide me in collaborative therapy and lead to better participation with and from my clients and their caregivers. We are Bilingue AAC, and we are here to provide helpful tools to... [Read More...]
About Week 1 Welcome to Week 1 of your Stepping into AAC journey! You’ll begin this week by selecting a starter AAC tool for your learner. The resources below include a stepwise guide to help you choose one. You will need this for hands-on activities during each week of your Stepping Into AAC journey. If you already have an AAC tool with core vocabulary words, such as a speech-generating device, AAC app, or communication book, you can skip this step and use that tool instead. With your AAC tool ready, you’ll work through the following concepts this week: The 20 weeks of your Stepping Into AAC journey cover a lot of territory. The graphic below shows the major topics and themes covered in each week of the program and the focus of the hands-on activities, videos, and newsletter resources. Introduction to 100 Days of AAC Choosing an AAC Tool Get... [Read More...]
This table of contents has clickable links to help you navigate through various resources included in Stepping into AAC. You can view and download a PDF version with clickable links using the image or button below. Table of Contents Communication Boards Stepping into AAC requires the use of a communication board with target core vocabulary and/or the use of an AAC device or app that contains these words. If you do not already have access to one of these AAC tools, you will be guided to select one of the communication boards that appear in this section. We are grateful to the AAC organizations listed below for their collegiality in granting us permission to use these communication boards. Information on how to select a communication board is provided in Week 1. AssistiveWare Proloquo Core Board Proloquo2Go Core Board Proloquo Board Customization Template Proloquo2Go Board Customization Template Project Core Project Core... [Read More...]
100 Days of AAC Starts Here This page allows you to access the 20 weeks of AAC support materials. Each week’s page contains the resources you will need to build the essential knowledge, skills, and habits to support a beginning AAC user. Before you begin, you may wish to share your plans for Stepping Into AAC with the AAC learner’s therapy and educational teams. To aid you in this process, we have some sample verbiage that may be helpful. You can download the sample text from the image below. Connecting with the AAC Learner’s Team AAC is a team effort, and keeping everyone informed so that we can work toward the same goal can be a challenge. In most situations, it will be helpful to share Stepping Into AAC materials and resources with the AAC learner’s therapy and educational teams. In this first week, you can use verbiage from the... [Read More...]
Welcome to Stepping into AAC ! Stepping into AAC is a collaborative project created by PrAACtical AAC and the Angelman Syndrome Foundation (ASF) that focuses on supporting families who want to integrate AAC into their lives. There are 20 weeks of Stepping into AAC materials, which are intended to provide simple, week-by-week resources to help families support beginning communicators of all ages. Each week, there are easy hands-on activities, videos and companion handouts, and a newsletter to learn from. Thanks to the generous support of the ASF, these materials are available at no charge. Stepping into AAC is designed for families that include: Children, adolescents, and adults who are new to AAC and would benefit from using communication aids with high-frequency words or core vocabulary; and Individuals of any age who previously used AAC but are not currently communicating with it throughout the day. We hope that Stepping into AAC... [Read More...]