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Back to School with AAC: Materials for the Start of the Academic Year

August 22, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts

Back to School with AAC: Materials for the Start of the Academic Year

Looking for materials that you can use to get your AAC team off to a good start this school year? Here are a few things that might come in handy. AAC 101 Flipbook This all-in-one resource contains information on how to implement key AAC support strategies: AAC 101 Handout. AAC Options Ensure that every student who needs AAC has access to at least a starter set of words and phrases. There are plenty of core communication boards and flipbooks to choose from, and this post has links to a variety of them: Core Boards. Hands-on AAC Interactive experiences where communication partners get to try out and use AAC to learn and express themselves can be very powerful. If you need ideas or materials to use, check out the options we share in an earlier post: Hands-On Activities.    

Overlooked AAC, Part 3

August 1, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts

Overlooked AAC, Part 3

There are a lot of aspects of AAC service provision, and usually not enough time to address all the things that need to be done. In today’s post, we continue the conversation of things that often take a back seat in AAC services, hoping that it inspires a few of you to action. This time our focus is transitions.  Going to nursery or preschool for the first time. Moving from one teacher or therapist to another. Exiting the school system. Transitions always seem to bring a little extra anxiety and a few additional bumps in the road. Here are some things that make some of those changes go a little more smoothly. Entering a New Environment Prepare the individual: Explain what will be happening. Use visual supports, like a picture schedule or calendar, to show when the transition will occur. Keep it in a visible spot and review it periodically... [Read More...]

Video of the Week: Making Connections Between Language, Literacy, & AAC

July 27, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts

Video of the Week: Making Connections Between Language, Literacy, & AAC

If you are looking to get more comfortable in supporting language and literacy growth in AAC learners, today’s featured video by AAC SLP Tammy Thompson-Cooke should be of interest. This is a recorded session from the PaTTAN Literacy Symposium.  Many thanks to Tammy and PaTTAN for making this available for all to learn from. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaWSWorJkF0&ab_channel=PaTTAN

Overlooked AAC, Part 2

July 25, 2022 by - 1 Comment

Overlooked AAC, Part 2

If you’ve ever engaged the services of a babysitter, housekeeper, or pet sitter, you can probably relate to the thought and planning that went into those initial interactions. Chances are, a lot of care went into building a trusting relationship as you tried to clearly communicate expectations and explain in detail the processes and procedures they would be undertaking in your absence. Having someone else care for that which we cherish and hold dear, is a big deal.  We cover the basics – where the diapers are, how to prepare their food, daily routines – and much more. Favorite toys. What it means when they say/do ___. How to do __ in just the right way. We even provide written backup, like a schedule and a list of contacts. The information we share is critical. We can’t imagine trusting a babysitter we’re meeting for the first time to provide a... [Read More...]

Video of the Week: Ramps to Cognitive & Physical Access of High Tech AAC Following Acquired Brain Injury

July 13, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts

Video of the Week: Ramps to Cognitive & Physical Access of High Tech AAC Following Acquired Brain Injury

How can we best support individuals with AAC needs following brain injury? In today’s featured video, SLP Jill Adlin discusses advancements and best practices for teens and adults with acquired brain injury. We thank Jill and ISAAC for creating and sharing this helpful presentation. You can obtain the handout for Jill’s webinar here.  Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_jSrr6baWg&feature=emb_imp_woyt&ab_channel=InternationalSocietyforAugmentativeandAlternativeCommunication%28ISAAC%29

Video of the Week: Maintaining Communication Access & Encouraging Disaster Preparedness

June 29, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts

Video of the Week: Maintaining Communication Access & Encouraging Disaster Preparedness

What supports are needed by individuals who use AAC so that they can communicate effectively when faced with an emergency or disaster? In today’s featured video, we gain insights on this topic from Pam Kennedy, Marcie Roth, Shaylin Sluzalis, and Germán Parodi. Many thanks to the presenters as well as to USSAAC and ISAAC for making this webinar possible and sharing the recording. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7QB_Srh2Po Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7QB_Srh2Po   

AAC-friendly Resources for Juneteenth

June 13, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts

AAC-friendly Resources for Juneteenth

In the US, Juneteenth is one of our newest federal holidays and many are now getting ready to celebrate it. Whether you are relatively new to an understanding of Juneteenth or have been honoring it for decades, we hope today’s post has some ideas for integrating it into the AAC work you do. First published a few years back, we’ve updated it with some additional books, videos, and other resources. PrAACtically Juneteenth In the US, June 19th is a day that commemorates the ending of slavery. Although the Emancipation Proclamation became effective on January 1, 1863, it took an additional two and half years for it to take root in all of the states. It wasn’t until June 19th, 1865 that Texas became the final state to uphold the proclamation. There are other days that memorialize the freedom of enslaved people, but Juneteenth is the oldest nationally-celebrated commemoration.  Traditionally marked... [Read More...]

Video of the Week: Communication Access to Justice

June 8, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts

Video of the Week: Communication Access to Justice

Learn about the ways that Canada promotes access to justice through the use of Communication Intermediaries (CIs) for individuals with AAC needs and other communication disabilities. In today’s featured video, SLP Caitlin Buchel explains the way that trained CIs to provide accommodations and other supports within the legal, police, corrections, and justice services in Canadian society. Many thanks to Caitlin, Communication Access to Justice (CAJust), Communication Disabilities Access Canada (CDAC), ISAAC Canada, and ISAAC International for their role in supporting this important work and making the webinar recording available to us all. There is a lot for us all to learn from this archived presentation, AAC friends. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-kE1UNisF8&t=4s&ab_channel=InternationalSocietyforAugmentativeandAlternativeCommunication%28ISAAC%29 

Video of the Week: Profanity, Slang, and AAC

May 4, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts

Video of the Week: Profanity, Slang, and AAC

‘Bad’ words are fairly common in conversations among non-disabled individuals but we often censor the words available to AAC users based on what we think is appropriate or proper. In today’s featured video, SLP Hali Strickler helps us think through the decisions about curse words, profanity, slang, and more.  This archived webinar is made possible through a collaboration between USSAAC and ISAAC. We are grateful to them both, and to Hali for this important presentation. You can obtain the handouts for this session here.   Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDbs7ogNHLw&ab_channel=InternationalSocietyforAugmentativeandAlternativeCommunication%28ISAAC%29 

Video of the Week: Top Tips for Using AAC at Home

April 20, 2022 by - Leave your thoughts

Video of the Week: Top Tips for Using AAC at Home

Looking for a short video to help families new to AAC get started using it at home? In today’s featured video, SLP Liv Meriano of the Down Syndrome Resource Foundation offers concrete suggestions for how to support children with AAC needs at home. Take a look. Many thanks to Liv and the Down Syndrome Resource Foundation for this helpful and engaging video. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKffahOXTGo&ab_channel=DSRFCANADA