tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73604792111521462272024-03-12T23:51:28.390-04:00PrAACtical AACTalkItUp Palshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03677959631012189211noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-5644240508010820822012-11-12T15:48:00.004-05:002012-11-12T15:49:40.582-05:00We've Moved!<h3 style="text-align: center;">
On October 1, 2012, we moved to a new site. </h3>
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Come visit us at www.PrAACticalAAC.org.</h2>
Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-79810649555382248802012-09-30T12:01:00.002-04:002012-09-30T12:01:44.172-04:00A PrAACtical Look at PECS<b id="internal-source-marker_0.10909411846660078" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #980000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br /><span style="color: #980000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This week, we’re heading back to the </span><a href="http://www.kansasasd.com/contact.php"><span style="color: #980000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Autism and Tertiary Behavior Supports Project </span></a><span style="color: #980000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of the </span><a href="http://ksdetasn.org/cms/"><span style="color: #980000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kansas Technical Assistance Network</span></a><span style="color: #980000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. They have two wonderful videos by Lori Chambers on Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). You can view an overview of this approach here: </span><a href="http://www.kansasasd.com/webinararchive.php?aid=37"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Part 1</span></a><span style="color: #980000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="http://www.kansasasd.com/webinararchive.php?aid=38"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Part 2 </span></a><span style="color: #980000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Also, look for the handouts that accompany these videos.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-45958257170276206692012-09-28T07:00:00.000-04:002012-09-30T19:06:14.357-04:005 More Handouts from ISAAC 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kjDIXIinpLQ/UGSWuclT_kI/AAAAAAAAAbE/BrOdukWGo6Q/s1600/Pittsburgh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kjDIXIinpLQ/UGSWuclT_kI/AAAAAAAAAbE/BrOdukWGo6Q/s200/Pittsburgh.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.34701490798033774" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In </span><a href="http://praacticalaac.blogspot.com/2012/08/5-presentation-handouts-from-isaac-2012.html"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">past posts,</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> we shared links to some handouts from the ISAAC 2012 Biennial Conference in Pittsburgh. While it is great for those of us who attended but couldn’t get to every presenter we wanted to hear, the main idea was to help spread the awesome content to those of you who couldn’t be there.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here are some others that may be of interest.</span></b><br />
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.34701490798033774" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.med.unc.edu/ahs/clds/files/conference-hand-outs/ISAAC2012CoreVocabulary.pdf"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creating a Core Vocabulary for a Common Core Curriculum</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Karen Erickson, Penelope Hatch, Allison Dennis, & Marlene Cummings</span></b></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.34701490798033774" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://aacintervention.com/home/180009852/180009852/conferences/2012%20isaac/Baby%20Talk%20HO.pdf"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baby Talk/Kid Talk PWUAAC Talk to Little Ones!</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Krista Howard, Kaitlyn Graham, & Caroline Musselwhite</span></b></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.34701490798033774" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://aac-rerc.psu.edu/documents/fager_ltach_2012.pdf"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Evaluating Preferred Augmentative and Alternative Communication Strategies for Patients in Long Term Health Care Hospitals</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Susan Fager, Jenna LeDoux, & David Beukelman</span></b></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.34701490798033774" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.everymovecounts.net/conferences/ATIA%202012%20Prompting%20A%20Cautionary%20Tale.pdf"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prompting: A Cautionary Tale of Use, Misuse & Abuse</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Jane Korsten & Terry Foss</span></b></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.34701490798033774" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://aacintervention.com/home/180009852/180009852/conferences/2012%20isaac/Ling%20Apps%20ISAAC%2012%20FINAL.doc"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Supporting Linguistic Skills Through iDevices: Cool Tricks with New Applications </span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Caroline Musselwhite, Deanna Wagner, Laurel Buell, & Marilyn Willcoxon</span></b></li>
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<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-1968743502912694302012-09-26T09:00:00.000-04:002012-09-26T09:00:02.657-04:00Get Ready. Get Set...<br />
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Get ready, AAC lovers, AAC Awareness Month is coming!</div>
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One of the most wonderful things about the AAC community is the pervasive sense of sharing and giving. When we told some of the people we know that PrAACtical AAC was planning a giveaway for AAC Awareness Month, they responded with an overwhelming level of generosity.</div>
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So far, we have books, switches, software, apps, a low tech SGD, subscriptions, and more to give away from some of the companies whose logos are appear in his collage and more.</div>
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We’ll be sharing more information about how to enter to win some fabulous AAC-related goodies, but we’ll give you one big hint. Get ready to take some pictures. If you’re the competitive type, you’ll want to snap some shots of your AAC Awareness work and get comfortable uploading them because this will give you a big boost. </div>
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If photography is not your thing, don’t worry. There will be plenty of other ways to get a piece of the action. Stay tuned. </div>
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In the meantime, get ready to spread the word about what AAC is, who can benefit, and how to better implement it. We’ve started you off with some suggestions here: <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/53698591/PrAACtical%20AAC%20(1)/50%20PrAACtical%20Things%20to%20Do%20In%20Celebration%20of%20AAC%20Awareness%20Month.pdf" target="_blank">50 PrAACtical Things to Do In Celebration of AAC Awareness Month</a>.
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Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-83161360201900334182012-09-23T07:00:00.000-04:002012-09-23T07:00:00.485-04:00What Really Matters<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We love this video that reminds us that technology is a beautiful thing, but the real power is in communication. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kudos to the AAC team at <a href="http://www.tvcc.on.ca/" target="_blank">Thames Valley Children's Centre</a> for this wonderful reminder of three important things. </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Language learning happens through good teaching, not the mere provision of equipment.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Verbal expression without technology is not only powerful but awesome.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Literacy is something we should prioritize for all learners.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we prepare for AAC awareness month, enjoy this lovely conversation. </span><br />
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<br />Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-17702696221405352812012-09-18T08:27:00.000-04:002012-09-18T08:27:54.408-04:00Speak Up<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">by Robin Parker</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P0GnfG0etrE/Tw7AjKvE7MI/AAAAAAAAAa8/zchdIwSztSk/s1600/ChatImagewordle.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P0GnfG0etrE/Tw7AjKvE7MI/AAAAAAAAAa8/zchdIwSztSk/s200/ChatImagewordle.png" width="169" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Speaking Up</b> is our way of thinking and writing </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> about things that come up in clinical practice that make us think, celebrate, or vent. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">time</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> it's about multimodal communication and the appropriateness of using multiple technology tools. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is a relatively new issue.<span style="background-color: orange;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Not to state the obvious, but technology options have expanded almost exponentially. Between the two of us, we have at least 9 devices we may use daily for communication</span><span class="Apple-style-span">. So it should not surprise anyone that some</span><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">AAC users also have multiple technology tools to use to communicate.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Sometimes though the new technology reality will surprise educators and they will get stuck in old paradigms. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We know an amazing young girl, Holly. She has communication challenges secondary to autism. She uses multimodal communication that includes natural speech, no-tech, low tech, and high tech supports, as well as behavior and gestures. Her high technology tools are not unlike ours, she has an iPod Touch, an iPad, and a laptop. She uses <a href="http://www.proloquo2go.com/" target="_blank">Proloquo2go</a> for expressive communication and a variety of other apps for receptive and behavioral support. She also uses </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="https://store.prentrom.com/product_info.php/cPath/11/products_id/80" target="_blank">Vantage Lite</a>, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">a high tech dedicated communication device. Sounds great, right? So what is the issue? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The family was being criticized for not using the Vantage Lite enough and relying on the iPod Touch too much. The family was instructed to use the dedicated device more often. Mom was feeling guilty. Putting that into perspective, the school felt that they family was using the iPod Touch TOO much for communication. Everyone was stuck. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">How to resolve the question of when to use which AAC technology? </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here are some PrAACtical thoughts on the issue... </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. We considered Holly's LIFESTYLE. </span><br />
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">She is very active. (We are envious, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">continually wishing that we could do all that she does.) She gardens (vegetables to eat), hikes (up and down mountains), shops (food, kitchen appliances, & clothes), rides horses (sometimes), surfs, and swims (daily). </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2. We considered Holly's SCHOOL. </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">They were initially resistant to AAC. It took many years for them to integrate her dedicated device into her school curriculum and programming. So the fact they wanted her to USE her AAC device more was a good thing. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3. We considered FUNDING. </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The school was not being asked to fund any of her devices (employer benefits allowed for a spending limit on therapeutic materials). This made us think though of traditional funding where one device is funded for 3-5 years. This would be so restrictive for anyone who is active in their community.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So after 'venting' about the absurdity of it all we were able to do something productive. We had a family-school meeting to discuss the 'problem' and facilitated reframing the issue as a good thing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then we were able to help the team do a mini </span><a href="http://youtu.be/3F3Ud6BFtAQ" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank">feature match process</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> for different contexts based on both time and activity. As the information was laid out </span><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">visually, </b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">everyone was able to see the benefit for the use of multiple technology tools and became comfortable with the new technology paradigm for Holly (and hopefully others). </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Helping the school reframe their technology paradigm turned out to be the easy part. Now we have to Speak Out about the idea of one single communication device over years so that other people aren't stuck in this same situation.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>Robinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09526332761308935538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-74604101587894889162012-09-17T07:00:00.000-04:002012-09-17T07:00:16.469-04:00How It Is: Images for Sensitive Subjects<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u1PBMN2EG10/UFYSMoDqTkI/AAAAAAAAAac/ykHehMT-k24/s1600/triangle+org+images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="60" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u1PBMN2EG10/UFYSMoDqTkI/AAAAAAAAAac/ykHehMT-k24/s320/triangle+org+images.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.8708212445490062" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are things no one likes to talk about. Serious things. Sensitive things. Nonetheless, everyone deserves the tools to be able to talk about whatever they want to share. </span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><a href="http://www.triangle.org.uk/howitis"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How It Is Project</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, by the UK-based </span><a href="http://www.triangle.org.uk/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Triangle</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> organization, offers a set of free pictures developed so that everyone has access to images they can use to talk about their feelings, their rights, personal safety, personal care, and sexuality. We love how they developed the vocabulary list and symbols on the site with the help of children and youth with and without disabilities.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can browse the </span><a href="http://www.howitis.org.uk/browse.htm"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">images by topic here</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></b>
Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-62774468851276303132012-09-16T07:39:00.000-04:002012-09-16T07:39:00.065-04:00Turn Taking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--_E4bYagxf4/UE8i1RC46rI/AAAAAAAAAZo/DdTdaeDiWvI/s1600/Turn_taking_Amy_Laurent.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--_E4bYagxf4/UE8i1RC46rI/AAAAAAAAAZo/DdTdaeDiWvI/s320/Turn_taking_Amy_Laurent.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.1265003678854555" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We’re always looking for new ways to represent things visually. Today, we’re sharing an idea from </span><a href="http://www.amy-laurent.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amy Laurent</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on helping children take turns. You can view a video explaining the strategy she uses and download the visual support </span><a href="http://www.amy-laurent.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23:taking-turns&catid=1:supports-and-resources&Itemid=4"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></b>
Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-52435346464828033412012-09-15T18:11:00.000-04:002012-09-26T09:45:02.287-04:00Apps To Learn & Practice Talking About Pain, Illness & Injury<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZzADK8q1WHE/UGMGRaCC1iI/AAAAAAAAAjs/-bAgorXSqsY/s1600/IMG_1397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZzADK8q1WHE/UGMGRaCC1iI/AAAAAAAAAjs/-bAgorXSqsY/s200/IMG_1397.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">We were looking over the great hospital resources from </span><a href="http://www.patientprovidercommunication.org/" style="line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Patient Provider Communication Forum</a>, <a href="http://www.centralcoastchildrensfoundation.org/" target="_blank">Central Coast Children’s Foundation</a><span id="goog_1144954456"></span><span id="goog_1144954457"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a>, <a href="http://bronwynah.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Dr. <span style="line-height: 21px;">Bronwyn Hemsley</span></a>, and <a href="http://www.widgit.com/" style="line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Widgit Software</a><span style="line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">that <a href="http://praacticalaac.blogspot.com/2012/09/bedside-messages.html" target="_blank">Carole wrote about</a> and realized that not everyone automatically knows how to talk about pain, illness and injury. We often need to teach the expression of these concepts. We use various types of modeling and create Boxes or Drawers that have items (i.e., bandaids, antiseptic, washcloth, ice buddy, etc) to 'help with <i><u>Cuts/Scrapes'</u> </i>(or any other illness). We have had some fun and lots of practice using these apps to also help the learning process. </span></span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>5 Apps To Learn and Practice Talking About Pain, Illness, & Injury</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Don't forget to model, play, and use the apps often in the teaching process so when they are really needed you will see spontaneous communication and language. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cbh_vzy-IhQ/UFTvZbuMIJI/AAAAAAAAAik/B6U_QW9actI/s1600/apptocabocadoctor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cbh_vzy-IhQ/UFTvZbuMIJI/AAAAAAAAAik/B6U_QW9actI/s200/apptocabocadoctor.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.8713445614557713"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/toca-doctor/id424209938?mt=8" target="_blank">Toca Doctor</a>-</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> learning about injury and sickness through fun noncompetitive challenges that involve ‘healing’ the damaged part. Relate the body part challenge to real times of distress.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RQaiiEEPRtc/UFTx-KH8UCI/AAAAAAAAAis/V-nrtxS0X6k/s1600/appautismxpress.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RQaiiEEPRtc/UFTx-KH8UCI/AAAAAAAAAis/V-nrtxS0X6k/s200/appautismxpress.png" width="197" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/autismxpress/id343549779?mt=8" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Autism Xpress</span></a>-</span><span style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b><b id="internal-source-marker_0.8713445614557713"><span style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">learning about feelings (good variety- i.e., happy, sneezy, sleepy, sickly, etc.)</span></b></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L5-ql9BTdXk/UFTy2PBnk9I/AAAAAAAAAi0/BlpkYymCRts/s1600/appautism5pointscaleep.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L5-ql9BTdXk/UFTy2PBnk9I/AAAAAAAAAi0/BlpkYymCRts/s1600/appautism5pointscaleep.png" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/autism-5-point-scale-ep/id467303313?mt=8" target="_blank">Autism 5 Point Scale EP</a></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">- Customizable 5 point Scale that can be used to talk about levels of pain, stress, etc. Can model by labeling when learner/facilitator is in physical discomfort, pain, or illness. </span></span></span></b><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bqp5KOifzYg/UFT0ufSWIVI/AAAAAAAAAi8/8ZI8fweM174/s1600/appsmalltalkpain.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bqp5KOifzYg/UFT0ufSWIVI/AAAAAAAAAi8/8ZI8fweM174/s1600/appsmalltalkpain.png" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smalltalk-pain-scale/id403058256?mt=8" target="_blank">Small Talk Pain</a><span style="font-weight: normal;">-</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> Can be used to teach labeling of specific severity, type, and location of pain. </span></span></span></b><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FNyoiK8KMDE/UFT02vp4ENI/AAAAAAAAAjE/3ysbtL5Dsdk/s1600/appsmalltalkICU.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FNyoiK8KMDE/UFT02vp4ENI/AAAAAAAAAjE/3ysbtL5Dsdk/s1600/appsmalltalkICU.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smalltalk-intensive-care/id403057381?mt=8" target="_blank">Small Talk ICU- </a> </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Can be used to teach talking about various comfort items, sickness, and level of pain. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>We would love to hear about what you use and we will continue to talk about other teaching/learning strategies we use as we think these are very important concepts to begin teaching early and frequently. </b></span></span>Robinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09526332761308935538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-18834922988576514962012-09-15T17:43:00.003-04:002012-09-15T17:47:13.301-04:005 Charitable Programs that Support Funding for Communication through iDevices<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WiuBv0vKpeA/UFT2cbCo_UI/AAAAAAAAAaI/0eoNPPT1D6c/s1600/5+things+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WiuBv0vKpeA/UFT2cbCo_UI/AAAAAAAAAaI/0eoNPPT1D6c/s320/5+things+sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.08928607334382832" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For some people with significant communication difficulties, mobile devices and AAC apps play an important role. When selected after a process of careful evaluation, they can be incredibly useful in building communication, literacy, self-regulation, and other important skills. Here are links to organizations that provide support to families seeking mobile devices and/or communication apps for their children.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. </span><a href="http://www.itaalk.org/"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The iTaalk Autism Foundation</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. </span><a href="http://babieswithipads.blogspot.com/p/babies-with-ipads-grant-application.html"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Babies with iPads</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.smallstepsinspeech.org/application" target="_blank">Small Steps in Speech</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. </span><a href="http://www.differentneedzfoundation.org/news.html"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Different Needz Foundation</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. </span><a href="http://bit.ly/LaroB6"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gift a Voice Program</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from Different Iz Good™</span><a href="http://bit.ly/LaroB6:"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> iPhones only</span></b>
Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-88355178709743288862012-09-14T12:35:00.000-04:002012-09-14T13:54:20.000-04:00Communicating in the Hospital<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dSK8CWA1hR8/UFNcUdFDoWI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/sbc4zWnq2eE/s1600/Bedside_messages.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dSK8CWA1hR8/UFNcUdFDoWI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/sbc4zWnq2eE/s320/Bedside_messages.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: orange; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are so happy to share a link to downloadable resources that come from the collaborative effort of the <a href="http://www.patientprovidercommunication.org/" target="_blank">Patient Provider Communication Forum</a>, <a href="http://www.centralcoastchildrensfoundation.org/" target="_blank">Central Coast Children’s Foundation</a>, Dr. <a href="http://bronwynah.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Bronwyn Hemsley</a>, and <a href="http://www.widgit.com/" target="_blank">Widgit Software</a>. These research-based materials were developed to help improve communication in hospital settings. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: orange; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The link takes you to the <a href="http://www.widgit-health.com/" target="_blank">Widgit Health</a> site and is a set of cards with 26 key phrases for patients who use picture symbols to communicate. The cards are printable and available in 20 different languages.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can <a href="http://www.widgit-health.com/downloads/bedside-messages.htm#" target="_blank">access those materials here</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-66564611578415971172012-09-10T14:57:00.000-04:002012-09-10T14:57:09.639-04:00Eye Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rLJfIFUMzuM/UE43sXdevSI/AAAAAAAAAZY/4dXrk2tbf5Q/s1600/speakbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rLJfIFUMzuM/UE43sXdevSI/AAAAAAAAAZY/4dXrk2tbf5Q/s320/speakbook.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.5787901906296611" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So much to love about </span><a href="http://www.speakbook.org/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Speakbook</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a lovely and hugely functional tool for people who communicate by eye gaze </span></b><br />
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<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.5787901906296611" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.5787901906296611" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love the generosity of its designer, Patrick Joyce, in making this available under a </span><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creative Common license</span></a></b></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.5787901906296611" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.5787901906296611" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love the creative approach of blending an eyegaze board with a communication book</span></b></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.5787901906296611" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.5787901906296611" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love the use of color encoding so that the communicator has access to more words/messages</span></b></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.5787901906296611" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.5787901906296611" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love the plentiful access to the alphabet for spelling novel messages</span></b></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.5787901906296611" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.5787901906296611" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love the beautiful feel of the </span><a href="http://www.speakbook.org/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Speakbook website</span></a></b></b></li>
</ul>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.5787901906296611" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Check out this when you can and share the eye love. </span></b>
Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-1630255404327827892012-09-09T08:28:00.002-04:002012-09-09T08:28:44.027-04:00Video of the Week: AAC in College<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WTlQ6Y0OF7g/UEyLWCfimBI/AAAAAAAAAZI/zOFIfzzFoBI/s1600/Video_of_the_Week_yellow.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WTlQ6Y0OF7g/UEyLWCfimBI/AAAAAAAAAZI/zOFIfzzFoBI/s320/Video_of_the_Week_yellow.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.18135181558318436" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's a beautiful Sunday here in South Florida and we are ready to turn our faces to the sun. Nothing makes us smile more than hearing directly from people who communicated effectively with their AAC systems. </span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Enjoy this panel presentation of young adults who are using AAC in college. </span></b></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ys8n6OI5olo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.18135181558318436" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></b>Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-55256027909561918072012-09-07T09:13:00.000-04:002012-09-07T09:13:55.390-04:00Not Good Enough<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tpC1b9uu36g/UEnys8AlOzI/AAAAAAAAAYw/A8YZuaQoaog/s1600/rant+ahead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tpC1b9uu36g/UEnys8AlOzI/AAAAAAAAAYw/A8YZuaQoaog/s320/rant+ahead.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s been a depressing week for us. Too many exchanges
with SLPs who should know how to ‘do’ this intervention and don’t. Too many
conversations with parents who have not been able to access decent AAC services.
Too many delays in getting devices in the hands of clients. We’ll get back to
being positive and solution-oriented, but first we need to wallow in the misery
of it a bit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The case for improved services to individuals
with little or no functional speech is perhaps best made by those whose voices
we cannot hear in a traditional sense. Below is a sampling of quotations from
scholarly and personal writings of and by users of AAC.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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</span><b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Michael</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Twice a week my academic pursuits were
interrupted. I was sent out of the classroom and wheeled down to the
other end of the building where I was put into a small, airless room to await
the arrival of the school speech therapist. He was a youngish man, full
of energy and enthusiasm. He was convinced that he could teach me to
speak…He was not the first. There had been others before him…For me these
twice weekly therapy sessions were torture. I never doubted the
dedication of the people who were working with me. I knew they were
sincere and went through many years of education to get where they were.
On the other hand, I had been going through this business for more years
than I cared to remember…Five more years of blowing candles out; five more
years of running through the vowel sounds; five more years of trying to force
my unruly lips to form difficult consonants; five more years of attempting
singsong nonsense syllables; five more years of failure. I was, as I had
been before, still unable to communicate verbally with the majority of people
with whom I came into contact. (Williams, 1984, pp. 48-49)</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Dawn</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">I had a few speech teachers. Every
speech teacher had their own way of doing things. I was confused.
One would say do it this way and another would say do it another way.
The last speech teacher I had in elementary school said “O.K., it’s time
for a Canon” but the one I had before said “Use speech.” (cited in Smith-Lewis
& Ford, 1987, p.15).</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Ruth</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">None of the staff … had noticed my yes-and-no
signals until that day, when Wessie discovered them. For more than three
years I hadn’t been able to communicate any of my thoughts or feelings to the
people on whom I depended for my survival. Back when my parents first
brought me to [the institution] they made a point of telling Dr. S. and the
others about my facial signals, but no one paid any attention to what they
said. They just assumed I was a helpless cripple, and with the constant
turnover of staff, the very suggestion that I could communicate was soon lost. (Sienkiewicz-Mercer
& Kaplan, 1989, pp.110-111).</span></div>
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<b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Vi’s Family</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The day and hour had finally arrived.
This was to be the day when the consulting speech pathologist was going
to let us know when Vi was finally going to get her augmentative communication
system. Anticipation loomed like the hot sticky July air…where we had all
gathered to hear the news. Five minutes into his polite but rambling
recitation, though, it became apparent that the only news he had for us was no
news at all: a glitch had developed here or there…I asked how much longer it’d
take to get back on track this time. Why?” he quizzically replied, “Is
there any special reason for all the rush???” “No, no special reason,” I
said, …”except that she has had 50 years of no special reasons. (Williams,
1989, pp.16-17)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Though they
address very different issues, these remarks should serve as a call to arms for
improved intervention services for individuals with significant communication difficulties.
They are painful reminders that good intentions aren’t good enough, and
that the stakes can be very high. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qLrH2YMvwyE/UEnya7jlIWI/AAAAAAAAAYo/mFzkcWbeD-c/s1600/IHeartAAC5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="81" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qLrH2YMvwyE/UEnya7jlIWI/AAAAAAAAAYo/mFzkcWbeD-c/s320/IHeartAAC5.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.199999809265137px; line-height: 16.799999237060547px;">What is it going to take for us to get this right?</span></span></div>
Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-34539471027322662922012-09-05T06:21:00.005-04:002012-09-05T06:21:49.199-04:00 30 Things A Student Can SAY When They Have AAC! <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u1Db_q5D2sk/UEci4CWbsxI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/bcrDv4PqeHI/s1600/blogSpeakUp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u1Db_q5D2sk/UEci4CWbsxI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/bcrDv4PqeHI/s320/blogSpeakUp.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>AAC Supports- Don't Go ANYWHERE Without Them..</b></span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Access To AAC & Visual Supports Allows Students to:</b></span></span><br />
<ol style="font-weight: bold;">
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let you know what they want</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let you know nicely what they don’t want</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer class questions</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ask a question</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Say ‘I don’t know’</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ask for help </span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tell you they are having fun</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div style="display: inline !important;">
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Create a Sentence</span></b></div>
</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Argue</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Negotiate</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Say a line in a school play</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Say ‘here’ during attendance</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tell what they did on the weekend</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tell what they did over the summer</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tell you what they want to do at home</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tell you if they are happy</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tell you if they are scared</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tell you if they are frustrated</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tell you about their family</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tell you about their pets</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Say please</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Say their name</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Say hello to a person</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tell you what they like to do</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ask for more</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tell you which color they want</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ask for a break</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tell you why they are upset</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tell you to stop</span></b></li>
<li><b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div style="display: inline !important;">
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.644393703667447"><span style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Say THANK YOU</span></b></div>
</span></b></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>Robinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09526332761308935538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-34652366673766967642012-09-03T08:45:00.000-04:002012-09-03T08:45:07.340-04:00Communicating About Communicating<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xOQZGHrU_Uk/UESl305potI/AAAAAAAAAYY/xWn7EPEixXw/s1600/Home_school_tx_comm_screencast.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xOQZGHrU_Uk/UESl305potI/AAAAAAAAAYY/xWn7EPEixXw/s320/Home_school_tx_comm_screencast.png" width="320" /></a><b id="internal-source-marker_0.5360424213577062" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last week I was talking to a bright, young professional who is starting her second year as a school-based SLP. She has a caseload of 60+ students, including a class of students who have significant communication impairments. When the conversation turned to building a support system for her students who use AAC, we talked about strategies for keeping all of the stakeholders in the loop. </span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://screencast.com/t/2BpN2GFt1" target="_blank">Here</a> are some of the the things we touched on.</span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15.199999809265137px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></b>Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-13699489344675028712012-09-02T15:06:00.002-04:002012-09-02T17:50:31.664-04:00'Just Because I don't Speak, Doesn't Mean I Don't Have Anything To Say'<b id="internal-source-marker_0.5360424213577062" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have recently been surprised (ok, shocked) by the absence of communication supports in educational settings that are supposed to be supporting learners with significant communication challenges. To be even more specific and blunt, the students do not have functional spoken speech. They can’t speak to let you know: what they need, what they don’t need or want, how they feel, what they see, what interests them, what questions they have, what they like and don’t like, when they really really</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">want something, etc., etc. etc. And, trust us, they do need to say all of these things. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you work with anyone who does not use spoken speech and we mean ANYONE, they deserve the basic right to communicate with you. Our </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PrAACtical AAC Absolute A's:</span></b>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.5360424213577062" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: start;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tbV8DuJzH-8/UEOkVI9sF4I/AAAAAAAAAhE/hWkhApYVDQs/s1600/ChatImagewordle.png"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></a><br /></b></div>
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.5360424213577062" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AAC displays need to be accessible </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ALL</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">OVER</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is no special ‘communication time.’ Communication teaching is </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ALL</span><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the time in </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">authentic</span><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> situations. There need to be AAC/communication displays wherever you go. Each adult should </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">USE</span><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and have available AAC displays (from gym teacher to attendance officer). </span></b></li>
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use Aided Language Input </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ALWAYS.</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aided Language Input is modeling, AAC style. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The adult points to or touches the picture symbols on the communication display (board, app, device etc) in conjunction with key words they say. It is about the 'teacher' doing the modeling. This shows that they are 'speaking' the language we expect the 'learner' to use. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The benefit of aided language input is that it slows the adult down (while they are finding vocabulary), they learn where vocabulary is located on a communication display, and gives a static visual representation of language. Remember, though, to use aided language input, you need communication displays (they can be AAC apps for the group or individual, communication boards for the group or individual, low tech single message devices, etc.) </span></div>
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use 'Tell Me' to prompt for </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ACTIVE PARTICIPATION</span><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Help a learner 'tell you' what their behavior says. If a child is leaning towards something he wants, help him access the communication display to say it with symbols (i.e., picture symbols, written word, object, etc). You can say "tell me" “want ball,” for example, while prompting learner to touch/activate the corresponding symbols. Opportunities for the learner to 'speak' can be things like showing desired objects, offering non-preferred items, and helping the learner say 'no stop', answer questions, etc.</span></li>
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use Visual Supports for Receptive Language </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ALSO.</span><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Use extra visual supports for understanding, remembering schedules, signs, calendars, rules, etc. The communication displays are helping learners to expressive themselves but we also need to use visual language to support understanding/receptive language. Think about learning language we need to hear and understand as well as talk and express ourselves.</span></li>
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Learn more tips for embedding AAC into everything you do and be </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AMAZED</span><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at what can be learned. Just a few resources: </span><a href="http://www.janefarrall.com/blog/2012/05/24/speaking-appropriately-aac-apps-for-ipad/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jane Farrall’s- Speaking APPropriately AAC for Apps for the iPad</span></a><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="http://elearning.autism.net/visuals/main.php"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Visual Supports Downloads</span></a><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1739080746"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Early Intervention Penn State AAC Style</span></a><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="http://praacticalaac.blogspot.com/2012/09/real-look-at-aac-teaching.html"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Real Look at AAC Teaching</span></a><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For More Resources, follow our blog,</span><a href="http://praacticalaac.com/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PrAACtical AAC.</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span>Robinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09526332761308935538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-48472788287123097912012-09-02T09:56:00.001-04:002012-09-02T09:56:47.498-04:00'Real Look' at AAC TeachingOur <b>Video of the Week</b> is an AWESOME demonstration of AAC teaching strategies and rationales.<br />
With the 2012 <b><a href="http://www.london2012.com/paralympics/sports/" target="_blank">Paralympics</a></b> going on now and in our minds - a 10 out of 10. 10 for the SLP, the MOM, & the BOY. <br />
Thanks so much to <b><a href="http://www.reallookautism.com/" target="_blank">Real Look at Autism</a> </b>for producing this great video <b>(<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/reallookautism" target="_blank">and many others</a></b>). Do you use these strategies?<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oIGrxzPMVtw?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>Robinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09526332761308935538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-51388399641004077602012-09-01T07:57:00.002-04:002012-09-01T07:57:53.046-04:005 Resources for AAC Core Vocabulary Selection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TgPjD1wk6NU/UEH1jAQWY0I/AAAAAAAAAYA/s_9QxJGnGoo/s1600/5+THINGS+CHALK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TgPjD1wk6NU/UEH1jAQWY0I/AAAAAAAAAYA/s_9QxJGnGoo/s200/5+THINGS+CHALK.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.5812544466461986" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whether we are creating a communication book, programming an SGD, or customizing and app, we can’t get very far without thinking about core vocabulary. Here are some of the resources we consult in that process.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b><br />
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.5812544466461986" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.vantatenhove.com/files/NLDAAC.pdf"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Normal Language Development, Generative Language & AAC</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by </span><a href="http://www.http//www.vantatenhove.com"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gail Van Tatenhove </span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tops the list for the clinically useful material on this topic.</span></b></li>
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The AAC site at University of Nebraska-Lincoln has some of the most comprehensive lists and covers a wide age range: You can view them </span><a href="http://aac.unl.edu/vocabulary.html"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></li>
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://aac.unl.edu/VocabMed.pdf"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vocabulary for medical procedures</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, also from UNL </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><ol start="4" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bOlE8wQXMIY/UEH37xasjzI/AAAAAAAAAYI/bG7WaRyJR7Y/s1600/core_vocab_wordle_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bOlE8wQXMIY/UEH37xasjzI/AAAAAAAAAYI/bG7WaRyJR7Y/s320/core_vocab_wordle_1.png" width="320" /></a>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.aacawareness.org/326_3-4yrs_SpeakingChildren.doc"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preschool vocabulary</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from Frequently Occurring Home and School Words from “Vocabulary Use Patterns in Pre-School Children by Christine Marvin, David Beukelman, and Denise Bilyeu</span></li>
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A brief article on how one school approaches this task: </span><a href="http://www.asha.org/Publications/leader/2009/090414/f090414c.htm"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Few Good Words Using Core Vocabulary to Support Nonverbal Students</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Barbara Cannon & Grace Edmond</span></li>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.5812544466461986" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What sources do you find helpful in selecting core language?</span></b>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b>Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-87959080733264093682012-08-30T14:34:00.000-04:002012-08-30T14:34:37.479-04:005 Resources for Supporting Individuals with CVI Who Are Learning to Use AAC<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yHlrOxxm1uQ/UD-yA94JKPI/AAAAAAAAAXw/bjc2wl787k8/s1600/5+things+butterfly+b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yHlrOxxm1uQ/UD-yA94JKPI/AAAAAAAAAXw/bjc2wl787k8/s200/5+things+butterfly+b.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.22200474049896002" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was inspired yesterday by a low vision specialist who came to an AAC workshop I did in north central Florida. Time for a little resource sharing!</span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired Outreach Program: </span><a href="http://tsbvi.edu/ip1-building"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This site</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has a wonderful introduction to the various aspects of cortical visual impairment with many short videos on intervention to help maximize visual skills.</span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15.199999809265137px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. Introducing Your Blind Child to a New Teacher: </span><a href="http://www.wonderbaby.org/articles/introducing-your-blind-child-new-teacher"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Helpful information and downloads</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from Perkins and the Wonder Baby project.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. </span><a href="http://www.littlebearsees.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/A-Team-Approach-to-CVI-in-Schools-June-2009.pdf"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Team Approach to CVI In Schools</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Booklet by Little Bear Sees</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/Thinkingoutsidethelightbox"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thinking Outside the LightBox</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: This is an active Facebook group with helpful information, resources, and timely announcements.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. </span><a href="http://www.sneakotb.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sneak Outside the Box</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Wonderful blog by SLP Tanna Patterson Neufeld with good ideas for therapy, play, and education many of which are applicable to children with CVI.</span></b>Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-49281426498460502612012-08-29T06:00:00.000-04:002012-08-29T06:00:00.963-04:00HijAACked! AAC and Anti-Bullying with Stand Tall, Mary Lou Melon!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PwskoqdjCxs/UD1X6Tc94_I/AAAAAAAAAXg/F8SC_eDNxUM/s1600/Mary_Lou_Mellon.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PwskoqdjCxs/UD1X6Tc94_I/AAAAAAAAAXg/F8SC_eDNxUM/s200/Mary_Lou_Mellon.png" width="190" /></a></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.3986485004425049" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.wegivebooks.org/books/stand-tall-molly-lou-melon?auto_launch=1"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stand Tall, Mary Lou Melon</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Patty Lovell is a fun book that we like reading online* with kids who use AAC. Many schools have </span><a href="http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin530.shtml"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">anti-bullying campaigns</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and read this book </span><a href="http://www.squidoo.com/picture-books-about-bullying"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and others</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as part of their </span><a href="https://us.iearn.org/professional_development/multimedia/assess/whatabout.html"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">efforts to help children recognize and respond appropriately</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to unkind words and deeds. There are a lot of great resources for reading this book on </span><a href="http://teacher.scholastic.com/fairs/currconnection/specialqualities.htm"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sites like this one</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> intended for use in general education classrooms. We decided it was time to HijAACk Mary Lou and share some ideas for using this wonderful story to build AAC and language skills.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. Beginning communicators could certainly contribute to the ‘read aloud’ portion of the activity with repeated lines, like “So she did.” Recording that into a </span><a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/single-message-voice-output-technology/curate"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">single message device</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, an SGD, or an AAC app gives our student a terrific way to be actively engaged.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. Students who can discriminate between two options can get involved at another level. There are many pages in the story where something is said that is either nice or nasty. We could give our beginning AAC users comments appropriate for each of them. On the relevant pages they could then chime in with an appropriate positive or negative comment, such as “That’s great idea!” or “Hey, that’s not nice!”</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. Many classrooms use </span><a href="http://teacher.scholastic.com/fairs/currconnection/downloads/specialqualities.pdf"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">downloadable worksheets like this one</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, meaning that our AAC kids need accessible materials. In a perfect world, the worksheet would be available in the appropriate accessible format but that’s not the world that most of us live in. Activities like this provide a good opportunity to teach our kids to take control and give directions when those materials aren’t in place. While we’re huge fans of the core language approach, prestored messages can really come in handy here. “Where’s the scanned version?” “Can you please scan it for me?” “It’s in my IEP.” “Thanks for your help.” “Next time, can you please do it in advance?” It’s never too soon to teach age appropriate self advocacy skills. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-izVp00pfV6s/UD1W4wbkeGI/AAAAAAAAAXY/tGkf5bDh2Co/s1600/Mary_Lou_Melon_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-izVp00pfV6s/UD1W4wbkeGI/AAAAAAAAAXY/tGkf5bDh2Co/s200/Mary_Lou_Melon_2.png" width="177" /></a><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. Use a “Find and Replace” activity to help build vocabulary and/or give core word practice. When we come across expressions like ‘fumble fingered,’ we can put those into our own words using core language (e.g., hands not move good; hard time doing it; clumsy). Highlight those expressions in the book with removable </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=490669011"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">highlighting tape</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> so that when we come across the terms, students know to replace it with words of their own choosing.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. Because this book is used in classroom discussions about bullying, we have the chance to think about and practice </span><a href="http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/friends/bullies/article4.html"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">how to respond to mean comments</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Some well-chosen retorts (appropriate for the age and situation) can be selected with the student, family, and teacher, and programmed into the SGD. This will give the student an appropriate way to participate in some of the discussions and role play activities that are going on in many classrooms that focus on character building. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6. Non-literal language: This is a great book to use to talk about idioms and metaphors. What does it mean to ‘stand tall’? Do you really have to be able to stand up to do that? What other ways could we say this? “Be proud, Mary Lou Melon.” “Stay strong.” Cement the learning experience by re-reading the story with the AAC user’s alternate wording...</span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15.199999809265137px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7. Personal narratives: Tell about a time when you saw or heard people being mean. Give an example about when someone gave you advice or suggestions. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hope you have a chance to use and/or share these ideas for this HijAACked book.</span></b>
Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-21234242834359292672012-08-28T08:35:00.002-04:002012-08-28T08:35:41.962-04:00Magic Moments: Ideas for AAC Intervention with BrainPOP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yoD-DVAqmPY/UDy6iZ52ErI/AAAAAAAAAW4/8bGiJkbVXnQ/s1600/Brain_Pop_Movie+(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yoD-DVAqmPY/UDy6iZ52ErI/AAAAAAAAAW4/8bGiJkbVXnQ/s200/Brain_Pop_Movie+(1).png" width="175" /></a></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.8545875423587859" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; white-space: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s so much to love about </span><a href="http://www.brainpop.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BrainPOP</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Geared for students in 4th-12th grades. Solid curricular content. Engaging animation and really fun educational games. Aligned with Common Core. Searchable by </span><a href="http://www.brainpop.com/educators/state_standards/"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">learning standard, subject, or grade level.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Built-in assessment. </span><a href="http://www.brainpop.com/about/research/"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Evidence-based</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Web-based and app versions. Closed captioned videos. English and Spanish editions. Additional </span><a href="http://www.brainpop.com/educators/home/"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">resources for educators</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. A simplified version for younger learners. And lots of it </span><a href="http://www.brainpop.com/free_stuff/"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for free</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We’ve just scratched the surface of this wonderful site, which has been around since 1999, and is growing in depth and breadth. It’s perfect for some of the older students with whom we work and has a lot of potential for AAC learning.</span></b>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; white-space: normal;"><span style="color: #980000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></span></b>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. Navigation: Even some of our older students are still learning to find their way around complex AAC systems. The engaging content in the BrainPop videos create a fun context for activities to practice navigating around an AAC device. We’ve had a great time randomly stopping the video, selecting a word, thinking about where it might be stored, and how to use the SGD to say it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R70cP3k1Zew/UDy68xUCoHI/AAAAAAAAAXI/j7IwkyzUrmA/s1600/Brain_Pop_LA_Screen.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R70cP3k1Zew/UDy68xUCoHI/AAAAAAAAAXI/j7IwkyzUrmA/s200/Brain_Pop_LA_Screen.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. Circumlocution: As SLPs, most of us spent plenty of time helping adults with aphasia and others with word-finding problems overcome their tendency to use </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumlocution"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">circumlocution</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. In the mother of all ironies, we now teach that as a valuable skill to kids with a rich core language base. Don’t have the word ‘parallel‘ and can’t quite spell it? That’s okay. ‘Two lines not come together’ will do quite nicely. Kids love to pick words out from the BrainPop videos and then race to see who can come up with the best way to tell about that word.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. Main Idea: So many of the AAC students with whom I’ve worked have had persistent problems with relevance. Picking out the main idea in a textual passage is so important to their academic achievement and yet such a difficult thing for many of them to do. The BrainPOP Main Idea video explains the concept perfectly and gives great examples. There are enough practice activities so that it really sinks in. Because they are learning via video, rather than reading, we can really focus on the concept of main idea without the additional challenge of text processing. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. Semantics: This is such a great tool for helping students learn new words. Because it is curriculum-driven, we have the opportunity to pre-teach some of the vocabulary that these kids will need to know for class discussions, reading their textbooks, completing writing assignments, and taking exams. When we encounter new words in BrainPop videos, we can pause to put some of our strategies for new word learning into action. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TZRvoMyah7Q/UDy6w03W0vI/AAAAAAAAAXA/aANfTelt8Uw/s1600/Brain_Pop_Word_Wall.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TZRvoMyah7Q/UDy6w03W0vI/AAAAAAAAAXA/aANfTelt8Uw/s200/Brain_Pop_Word_Wall.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. Lexical Diversity: We’ve all worked with students who tend to use the same tired words over and over. Building lexical diversity is fun with BrainPop because the engaging video provides such a rich context. If you already have a list or graphic organizer with new ways to say those over-used words, review that before starting the BrainPop video. Stop the video when you hear the over-used word, and talk about which of your alternatives would work in that context.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hope to hear from some of you with more ideas for making Magic Moments with BrainPOP.</span></b>
Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-28865867498553855072012-08-27T07:00:00.000-04:002012-08-27T07:00:12.099-04:00Beyond Good and Nothing: Inquiring Moms & Dads Want to Know<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IqDM5anLf9I/UDjfKjuc0rI/AAAAAAAAAWY/L-mQSwvDGxs/s1600/GF+Worm-In-Apple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IqDM5anLf9I/UDjfKjuc0rI/AAAAAAAAAWY/L-mQSwvDGxs/s200/GF+Worm-In-Apple.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.5363564456347376" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“How was school?” (Good) “What did you do?” (Nothing) </span> </b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This scenario plays out in many cars and kitchens in the </span></b></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">after school </span></b></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hours and it can be hard to know who is more frustrated: the kids for being asked or the parents for not getting satisfactory answers. And still, we repeat the process day after day. Of course, we want to know the fine details of what happened and how our children felt, but in some cases, we’d settle for ANY school-related conversation at all.</span></b> </b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ll be the first to admit that it took me way too long to get the hang of how to get information about my children’s school days, and it seemed like just when I did, pow! They were pre-teens and then teenagers. New rule book. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here are some ‘lessons learned’ along the way about those afterschool conversations and some suggestions for parents of the kids on your caseloads who use AAC.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">General Thoughts</span></b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WkKRVnlhPpQ/UDjfW4MflQI/AAAAAAAAAWg/x2Orom7JJWk/s1600/GF+preschool-031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WkKRVnlhPpQ/UDjfW4MflQI/AAAAAAAAAWg/x2Orom7JJWk/s200/GF+preschool-031.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remember, they can only tell you what they can tell you. Be thoughtful about how you ask. If they don’t have the means to answer a certain question, they can’t possibly respond and you’ll both be frustrated.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Visual Schedule: If the child uses one for structuring daily activities, put an ‘afterschool conversation’ or ‘school talk’ activity into the routine for afternoon or evening. Setting an expectation for this kind of conversation and making it part of the routine helps to give the child a lot of practice.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We tend to like things that we’re good at. Sometimes, kids resist these conversations because they are difficult. Do what you can to make it easier.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use visual supports. A visual representation of things to talk about or a copy of their daily schedule at school can help jog a tired child’s memory.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Model. Tell a little about your day. Give it the sound and feel of what you hope to get eventually from the child (e.g., chronological order; something novel; one good thing).</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rating scales work well for many children. You can see </span><a href="http://www.edutecher.net/educlipper/index.php?shareImgid=2499"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">some that we use here </span></a><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(mouse over the bottom part to print, save, or download).</span></li>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beginning Communicators</span></b><br />
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make sure that they have the appropriate vocabulary within their AAC systems.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use aided language input as you speak.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use visual supports, such as a replica of their school schedule or pictures of teachers and classmates, as you speak.<b> </b></span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Try asking forced choice questions (e.g., “Did you have art or music today?” “Did you see Lissa or Robert?”). It helps if you know the right answers so that you can model the correct response if the child gets it wrong.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>F</b>or very beginners, try questions of affirmation along with the appropriate visual support. E.g., show picture of teacher; “Ms.Humphrey. Did you see Ms. Humphrey?” show symbol for recess; “Recess. Did you have recess?”</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the child doesn’t respond after a 10 second pause, model the correct answer and help the child do it, too. “Yes. Mrs. Humphrey. You saw. Ms. Humphrey.” “Art. You had art today.” </span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;">If the children use AAC systems that are rich in core language</b>, this is a good time to practice. It’s a little tricky, but with practice you can get into the habit of framing the question so that they always have a means of responding using core words. Later this week, we’ll post a PDF of suggestions for core language conversations.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Try using a script that has predictability and structure. Plan a conversation that has 2 turns for each of you and develop a script with appropriate visual supports. For example:</span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Forced choice</u></span></div>
<b>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parent: “Who was your lunch buddy, ___ or ___ ?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Child: “___” (with AAC)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parent: “Was it fun or not fun?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Child: “Fun” (with AAC)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><div dir="ltr" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><u>Affirmation</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parent: “Story Circle. Did you have Story Circle today?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Child: “Yes” (with AAC)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Parent: “Special letter. Did you see the special letter?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Child: “Yes” (with AAC)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kids with Fairly Robust Language Skills</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bt2an01VyOs/UDjfzRsT8kI/AAAAAAAAAWo/291P5frhTrE/s1600/GF+father+reading+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bt2an01VyOs/UDjfzRsT8kI/AAAAAAAAAWo/291P5frhTrE/s200/GF+father+reading+011.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<ol style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Try comments rather than questions</span></li>
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: lower-alpha; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About something they did or handed in: “I bet your teacher noticed the practice you did with your math facts.” “I was thinking about you and your spelling quiz today.” </span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: lower-alpha; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About something you observed: “That looks like a lot of books to lug home.” “It looked like Maya had a birthday hat when she came out.” “You look pretty worn out.” “Mrs. Ward seemed to be rushed this morning.”</span></li>
</ol>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preview the conversation. Give them some time to prepare mentally.</span></li>
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: lower-alpha; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Later on, I’d like to hear about....” “When you get a chance, fill me in on....” “After you change, let’s talk about...” “At snack, I want you to tell me 2 things about...”</span></li>
</ol>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use a visual schedule. For kids that do well with structure, put an ‘Afterschool Conversation’ in the schedule for the afternoon or evening. Keep the conversation short and easy at first, then build from there.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make a prediction. “I bet you were glad that ….” “Maybe you’ll have a sub tomorrow.” “I wonder if Mr. Marlow will do Recess Warriors this week.” </span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be wrong. Say something plausible that you know is likely to be incorrect. For some kids, nothing is more motivating than the chance to correct an adult.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ask specific questions. Here are some </span><a href="http://imom.com/tools/conversation-starters/after-school-talk/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">good suggestions from iMOM</span></a><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (and downloadable PDFs)</span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After school conversations are about sharing things that happened in a different place and time. It’s a bit abstract and can be challenging. We don’t give our kids a lot of practice talking in the past tense, and it may not be very meaningful to them at first. Repetition is the key. Manage your expectations because this takes some time. But eventually, you’ll get beyond “Good” and “Nothing.”</span></b>
Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-42574596303670050782012-08-26T07:00:00.000-04:002012-08-26T10:10:18.292-04:00Singing in the Rain (Thanks, Isaac!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.5363564456347376" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By tradition, we post an AAC-related video on Sundays. Today, we’re thinking that it’s time for a song, and those who attended ISAAC 2012 know that there’s nothing like the songs sung using AAC. This video features an adaptation of a classic folk song, If I Had a Hammer, performed by </span></b><b id="internal-source-marker_0.5363564456347376" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the talented Snoopi Botten.</span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/XG0kXjXu2Yo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.5363564456347376" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>Carolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181604798069740474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360479211152146227.post-68884927800260210942012-08-25T18:12:00.001-04:002012-08-25T18:12:44.886-04:00Lightning, Thunder, & Rain Oh My<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CXNaOycA-EA/UDlMyu9iBnI/AAAAAAAAAf0/6QKNukGb6vI/s1600/storm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CXNaOycA-EA/UDlMyu9iBnI/AAAAAAAAAf0/6QKNukGb6vI/s200/storm.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.375122029799968"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We live in Florida and there are lots of general summer storms. They can be very loud and dark. There are also many hurricane warnings (like now for Hurricane Isaac). Many children and adults with communication challenges can become upset or anxious because of the loud noises, the change in routines, and/or the heightened state of anxiety that is usually around the house or community. Because of this we are often asked to help find visual support resources. Here are some great prepared visual support stories and resources that we use:</span></b><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.handsinautism.org/pdf/newsletter_v5i3.pdf" target="_blank">Bad Weather Tips and Story by Hands in Autism </a></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://bcotb.com/hurricane-preparedness-for-children-with-autism" target="_blank">Hurricane Preparedness</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://card-usf.fmhi.usf.edu/cardpubs/CARD_EmergencyInfo_HurricaneKit_061608.pdf" target="_blank">More Hurricane Preparedness</a> </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.slatersoftware.com/Thunderstorm%20Social%20Story.pdf" target="_blank">Thunder/Lightning Storms</a></span><br /><a href="http://practicallyspeeching.blogspot.com/2012/07/make-thunder-box.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thunder Box</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></a><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes though the prepared supports do not meet the needs for specific learners. Here are our tips for developing your own storm visual supports and resources</span><br /><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creating Personal Participation Stories</span><br />
<ul style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use language of the story that is at the level of the learner</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use picture symbol support for the text of the story</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Write about possible or known problems for the specific learner with the event, activity, or experience (i.e., the noise, the fact that you can not go outside to play, etc)</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Write about possible solutions for the specific learner with the event, activity, or experience (i.e., you can wear headphones and listen to music to not hear the storm, etc)</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use non-specific language (i.e., </span><span style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘probably’, ‘will try’, ‘may’, ‘about’ -</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vs- ‘will’, ‘must’, ‘have to’)</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conclude on a positive note</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creating Visual Support Resources</span><br /><ul style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use choice boards for things you can do inside during a storm</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use a monthly calendar to show when you probably can have a ‘make up’ for any event that got cancelled</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Relaxation ‘bag’ with relaxing objects (i.e., stress ball, massager, etc) and visual instructions for relaxing activities (i.e., yoga, deep breathing, etc.)</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Feelings board to ‘vent’ about any anxiety</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Storm ‘bag’/’box’ with special things that can be used inside during a storm and supplies for a storm (i.e., extra batteries, favorite books, music player, etc.)</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Any other visual support that gives the learner information or allows them to express their thoughts</span></li>
</ul>
Robinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09526332761308935538noreply@blogger.com0