Tag Archive: Apps
May 22, 2013
by Robin Parker -
To continue on with the theme of the month, here are some app (and computer based) resources for easily creating your own communication boards: Pogo Boards Pogo Boards is a communication board creator for both the computer and the iOS platform. You can make traditional grid-based communication boards and a variety of other visual supports. Pogo Boards also has a variety of pre-made boards that users share. Price: – Free trial period with premium account, then Free basic account, Subscription price for ongoing premium account Symbly Go & Symbly Symbly is a computer based communication board creator. Communication boards are super easy to create, share, and print out. Symbly Go is an iOS platform app that allows you to view your communication boards (and other visual supports) on your iPad. Your communication boards will automatically be downloaded to your iPad (even when there’s no Internet connection available). There is text to speech capability if... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Apps, communication boards, resources
April 2, 2013
by Robin Parker -
Enjoy! Voices of Autism- The SongStream Project explores the role of music in the lives of four young musicians on the autism spectrum. This project contributes to the conversation about autism beyond statistics and into the domain of appreciation and celebration. AAC Image Links (Great for training and education)- Speak for Yourself – Autism & AAC Awareness (bonus- enter to win Speak for Yourself AAC App) AAC Do’s & Dont’s by Lauren Enders AAC It’s Easy as 1,2,3 by Marcia Sterna World Autism Day Free or Discounted Apps- These are worth checking out! Look for more at the Appy Mall.
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Apps, Autism World Day
March 1, 2013
by Robin Parker -
We have been writing and talking about AAC & language strategies that go beyond requesting. And although we start a new month (today) and a new strategy on Saturday, we wanted to close this last day of the work week with a fun way of focusing on a complex but important language skill for ALL learners. If we presume competence, teach, model, and provide activities that are fun and have a variety of response options then everyone can learn to make ‘educated’ guesses and be able to ‘explain’ their choices. There is a difference in making the correct choice and explaining how you made the choice. This skill of guessing is called inferencing. Inferencing is the process by which a conclusion is inferred from an observation or multiple observations. The conclusion may be correct or incorrect, but conclusions are based on information we have at the time. As a language... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Apps, Inferencing, language
February 11, 2013
by Robin Parker -
In a previous post, PrAACtical Pictures, we hopefully illustrated that we had an amazing time at the ATIA 2013 Orlando conference. We laughed, learned, and loved meeting so many ‘on-line’ friends. So, of course there is a little more to share… It was great stopping by the Attainment booth and learning about a soon to be released iPad app- Community Success. Community Success has learning tools to teach about community activities (i.e., riding the bus, shopping, movie theater, etc). Learning is made accessible through video modeling, photo-based directions, talking stories, and illustrations of social behaviors. Can’t wait to get this. Everyone at the booth was great but we missed seeing John Sajdak. Also, we got to learn more about My Talk Tools. There is so much to this AAC application. Try it out with My TalkTools Mobile Lite (free), and Workspace (free 30 day trial). We watched some app demos through the My Talk Upgrades. It... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Apps, ATIA
January 22, 2013
by Robin Parker -
As the saying goes, there is an app for ‘that’. There are now a lot of apps, and a lot of apps for choice making and requesting. Here are a few just a few of the many, many options: Preference Assessment App Preference & Reinforcer Assessment- Autism & Special Education Requesting & Choice Making Choice Board Creator My Choice Board Look 2 Learn AAC Apps (fully customizable and can easily make folders of choice boards, but also do a lot more) Go Talk Now Free & Go Talk Now PictureCanTalk So Much 2 Say- Picture Communication *All of the AAC apps can inherently be used for requesting and choice making. Check out Jane Farrall’s AAC Apps for a comprehensive list and our post listing 119 free and light versions of AAC apps and for more options check out the AAC Appy Store. Apps for Creating No Tech Communication and Choice Boards Custom Boards Picture Card... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Apps, choice making, requesting
December 6, 2012
by Robin Parker -
The holidays are prAACtically here and depending upon the holiday traditions you celebrate they may be closer than you realize. Time seems to fly after Thanksgiving and before you know it, social norms seem to dictate gift exchanges, lots of invitations to people’s houses, and of course many gifts for friends and family. An easy way to accomplish gift giving is to ‘gift an app’. You can give apps that are pure fun, educational or a combination of both. To top it off, it is easy to stay within budget, avoid traffic, avoid crowds, and save tons of time (no need to wait for it to arrive). Before you think it’s too complicated, check out these ‘Gifting an App’ instructions by Cult of Mac. The process could not be simpler and you can email the recipient(s) or print out a gift certificate (if necessary right before the gift is needed).... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Apps, gifts, holiday, language, Learning, literacy
November 2, 2012
by Carole Zangari -
We were lucky enough to snag copies of Sentence Builder by AbiTalk when it was offered for free earlier this year and have had a great time with it. It comes with prepared lessons at two levels and the flexibility to create your own lessons. Here are some ideas for using the ready-made lessons to build language skills in AAC learners. Core Vocabulary: We’re always looking for ways to practice an initial lexicon of basic core words, like I, is, have, and can. These words appear with frequency in Sentence Builder, which makes it a great fit for learners working on that skill. Those of you using this app in a group may find that this offers a great opportunity for differentiating instruction in multi-level groups. Parts of Speech: In AAC therapy, we often focus on the part of speech since that it how many SGDs organize vocabulary. We like... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Apps, core vocabulary, intervention, language therapy, Magic Moments, MLU, semantics, Sentence Builder, syntax, therapy activities, vocabulary
October 30, 2012
by Carole Zangari -
We love AAC intervention that begins and ends with a context that is meaningful to the learner. Not only is contextually relevant therapy more engaging and fun for the learner (thus, easier on the clinician!) but it promotes generalization to real-world contexts. So we’ve never been terribly fond of therapy that uses flash cards, or, more recently, the digital versions on iOS or Android devices. It’s a shame, really. There are a lot of those kinds of apps, and many of them have great graphics. That got us to starting thinking: What could we use them for that improves real communication and AAC learning? PrAACtical Uses for Flashcard Apps Make a Mini Schedule: Lots of people with AAC needs use paper-based picture schedules that depict the activities they do throughout the day. A flashcard app could be used in conjunction with those to show the steps or parts of an... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Apps, core language, flashcards, schedule, semantics, vocabulary
October 23, 2012
by Carole Zangari -
It’s hard for most of us to imagine the experience of having had language all your life and suddenly losing it. Here are some ideas for apps that may be useful in your therapy with people with aphasia. Scene and Heard from tBox Apps and Scene Speak from Good Karma Apps: We’d love to see more people with significant language deficits use visual scene displays to communicate. Lingraphica’s Small Talk Series and their TalkPath apps: Worth exploring these apps as they were designed expressly for this clinical population. Tactus Language TherAPPy apps: Looking for apps that will help your patient develop and practice language and writing skills? Tactus has several to explore. Pictello from AssistiveWare: There is great power in storytelling and one of the things missed most by people with acquired communication disorders is their ability to connect with friends and family. This app has great potential for sharing... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: aphasia, Apps, Emergency, narrative, stroke
October 5, 2012
by Robin Parker -
We are incredulous! In a GREAT way, an AWESOME way, an EPIC way. The generosity of the AAC community has honestly made us speechless for a moment. Then we quickly had a lot to say about AAC Awareness Month and the PrAACtical Celebration. So ENTER THE GIVEAWAY BECAUSE: The GIVEAWAYS are awesome! You can learn about a lot of new resources! You can get AAC Awareness ideas. You can help promote AAC Awareness Month! It’s fun to try and win! There are a lot of giveaways! You can learn about cool companies to ‘like’ on facebook. You or someone you know may be surprised. AAC Awareness is important! The GIVEAWAYS are awesome! Ablenet, Inc Abilipad Alexicom BeeVisual Dynavox/Mayer Johnson Gail Van Tatenhove, PA Hump Software iClick iTalk MarbleSoft News-2-You Patient Provider Communication Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company RJ Cooper Say It with Symbols Silver Lining Multimedia SpeechPathology.com TapSpeak... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: AAC Awareness Month, Apps, GiveAways