February 7, 2014
by Carole Zangari -
What was the first technology that allowed teachers and SLPs to use personal computers in their work with students who had significant physical disabilities? Probably the Adaptive Firmware Card (AFC). Developer Paul Schwejda and SLP Judy McDonald discuss in this wonderful video from the AT Oral History Project at the University of Connecticut. How interesting that this wonderful tool stemmed from an accidental meeting by two forward-thinking people! Direct Link to Video: http://youtu.be/xu40fnC94Hk
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: access, adaptive firmware card, AFC, assistive technology, AT, history, Judy McDonald, Paul Schwejda
March 19, 2013
by Carole Zangari -
Earlier this year, we shared some articles about supporting students who use AAC in general education settings. Although we don’t have data to back this up, our estimation is that most children who use AAC are not in inclusive classrooms. Nonetheless, they all learn literacy skills. In this post, we share an article about literacy learning in students with significant disabilities by Karen Erikson, Penny Hatch, and Sally Clendon. We love the way that it addresses a comprehensive approach to learning to read and write and how AT can be used to support the learning process. You can access that article here. Erikson, K., Hatch, P., & Clendon, S. (2010). Literacy, assistive technology, and students with significant disabilities. Focus on Exceptional Children, 42,5, 1-17.
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: article, AT, Clendon, Erickson, Hatch, literacy, reading, writing
October 14, 2012
by Carole Zangari -
Just when we think we’ve ‘seen it all,’ along comes another set of ideas for how to use technology to support kids with limited communication skills. In this week’s video, we peek in at what’s going on at the Special School District of Saint Louis County. Hats off to this team of creative professionals for getting the most out of their iPods! We love how their ideas save time for the teacher, enhance student learning, and extend communication to the home. Looks like a win-win-win situation for the classroom, family, and student.
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: AT, communication, families, home, iPod, schools, teachers
June 10, 2012
by Carole Zangari -
Schools are out for the summer in our area, but that doesn’t mean the work or planning stops. In fact, summer is the time when we catch up on projects, learn new things, make materials, and plan for the fall. One of my goals is to do some thinking and planning about how to help some of our preschool AAC kids make a good transition to inclusive environments in the fall. – One of our little AAC friends will be starting kindergarten in a few months, and the excitement is infectious. Support for the SLP and the teachers, both new to AAC, is high on the priority list. Something I hadn’t thought about until a recent team meeting, though, was the role of the administrator, particularly the principal. We’re big believers in the notion that the school culture is built by the principal, so it stands to reason that if... [Read More...]
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: AT, schools
May 13, 2012
by Carole Zangari -
If you follow our blog, you know how strongly we feel about the wonderful work done by the team at SET BC. This week we feature a set of videos and supplemental resources on AT considerations for school teams. This 5-part series by Penny Reed has a wealth of prAACtical information.
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: AT, resources, schools