Selecting AAC Apps for Students with ASD
“What’s the best AAC app?”
I’m starting to think that every AAC SLP has been asked this question at least a dozen times. And with over 200 AAC apps for mobile devices to choose from, it’s no wonder that families and professionals are looking for guidance. So when USSAAC (the US Society for AAC) invited me to participate in their webinar series, I knew just which topic I wanted to tackle.
In today’s post, you can see the archived version of that webinar, get the handout, and pose some questions using the ‘Comments’ feature at the bottom of the page.
Before we get to that, though, I’d like to encourage those of you with strong interests in AAC who live in the US to become members. USSAAC is our national chapter of the International Society for AAC (ISAAC), and if you are not already familiar with the organization, please consider checking it out. Why support USSAAC? Not only does it furnish an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, but it is the only US-based AAC organization that has strong consumer representation. If you are an AAC family or professional, you know that there are not many places where you can go to listen to, learn from, and work alongside competent augmentative communicators. To say that we ‘presume competence’ is all well and good. USSAAC goes beyond, and this small organization could use our support.
“To whom much is given, much shall be required.”
You can learn more about USSAAC membership here.
Many thanks to ISAAC for making the webinar possible and for archiving it to share with people who were not able to attend. You can see other archived webinars and see plans for future events here. Thanks also to the wonderful USSAAC Committee (Lateef McLeod, Chair; Sarah Blackstone; Lisa Timm; and Wendy Quach) for their kind invitation and to my longtime friend, Amy Goldman, for serving as moderator.
You can grab the handout for this presentation here or in the Organizations and Handouts section of the AAC eToolbox.
Do you have questions or thoughts on this topic? Post them below and I’ll do my best to answer.
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Apps, ISAAC, USSAAC
This post was written by Carole Zangari
8 Comments
Thanks Glinda 🙂 (or is it Yoda?). Thanks for a great webinar. I couldn’t agree more with your statement that “implementation is everything” – loved your explanation of that part. And thanks for my virtual flowers 🙂
Haha! Glad you liked them, Jane! In all seriousness, your AAC app list is a HUGE service to the field and I appreciate all the hard work you put into it. 🙂
Fabulous info! The next time someone asks me “What’s the best AAC app?”, I’ll be referring them to watch the archived webinar so they can have an “aha moment” that it’s not that easy if they want the best match for that individual’s need. Thanks for the shout-out for my OMazing Kids page! Since I work at a non-profit facility that has little-to-no budget for apps, I’ve had to be very creative in finding ways to get access to AAC apps and other apps to use in therapy. I love passing along info about good app sales as well as hosting app giveaways on my page to get apps into the hands of those who can use them to help individuals with special needs.
Angela, you do a GREAT job in alerting us when AAC apps get discounted, and your give-aways are terrific for clinicians looking to build their library of resources! Thanks for all you do!
Hello Dr. Zangari. I am a SLP graduate student attending the University of Nebraska at Kearney and have just watched/listened to your webinar. It was spectacular! We recently had an AAC app assignment and this information will be great to share with my fellow students.
My question is do you think doing a thesis on literacy implementation and AAC is a topic I could be successful completing? I am not sure of the what, why, or how of my thesis (I am in my first semester) but considered surveying current SLPs about their literacy implementation for children and/or adults who use an AAC system.
Thank you for a great webinar!
Kellie, so glad that you found something meaningful in the webinar on AAC apps. In terms of your question, I think AAC and literacy is a fantastic topic for a thesis! Wouldn’t it be fun to implement strategies like RAAP in single subject experimental design? Not only would you be doing fascinating work for your thesis but you would also be gaining valuable clinical experience and helping a person with AAC needs! Here are some posts that mention that strategy: http://bit.ly/1SzzgzO Best of luck, Kellie!
Thank you so much. I am excited to get started and appreciate the link.
Keep me posted, Kellie!