Tag: complex communication needs
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Love Needs ALL of the Words
Holiday shopping season is in full swing and with that, the “love needs no words” gift ideas pop up on my social media newsfeeds. I get the sentiment of it, but the AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) loving, speech-language pathologist in me reads into it. It’s true that we do express love nonverbally. We hug…
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I Have an AAC App, Now What?
I love this time of year! The first week of April is the Christmas* of AAC (augmentative and alternative communication). With all of the autism acceptance and awareness sales, people with complex communication needs (CCN) are receiving the greatest gift…language. Giving someone an AAC app doesn’t mean they’re going to be able to pick it…
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It’s Not Complex If You Use It
When I was 19 and in my second year of college, I worked in a supermarket deli. Every individual item in the deli had its own four-digit code. Land O’Lakes American cheese had a different code than New Yorker American cheese. You might think that it doesn’t matter, but it did. Each week there were…
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Deciding on the Speak for Yourself AAC App During the Autism Acceptance Sale
The Speak for Yourself augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) app will be 50% off April 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, 2018! This worldwide sale is in honor of the many individuals on the autism spectrum who benefit from the use of AAC. We are privileged to meet and directly work with many students who use the…
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Beyond the Blurred Lines of Cognitive Testing
I spend a lot of time talking with students who have complex communication needs (CCN) and use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). I also spend a lot of time talking to others ABOUT students who have CCN who use – or don’t use – AAC. As I spend more years doing this, I’m realizing in…
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How We Met in the Year of Bubbles
On the day Renee and I met, I was annoyed that she was there. It wasn’t her fault. She didn’t know. My annoyance had been building for almost two years by the time she walked into my world. Every year around this time, I reflect on the events that led to the creation of the…
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Do You See What I See?
Our conversation last week left me unsettled. I know you probably gave it a lot of thought before you approached me. You suggested that I provide augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) consultation in the home because they could probably use the support there. Yes, I would love to, I said. I’ve messaged mom and offered,…
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From the Hands of Babes: AAC Awareness Month Round Up Part 2
In celebration of AAC Awareness Month this October, we asked you to share stories and pictures of the funny, embarrassing, special, entertaining, and typical things that students are able to say because of AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication). Yesterday’s post (Part 1) included AAC learners sharing their opinions about a situation, talking about feelings, showing…
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Expanding AAC Vocabulary: Where Do I Go From Here?
For parents and professionals who support students using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), deciding which words to add can be daunting. After all, there are an infinite number of words, and vocabulary is always growing. We make up new words. We use old words in a different way. This week, a high school student asked…
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Looking for Some Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Modeling Motivation?
How many times have you heard that using aided language input is a key strategy to teach the augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) learners in your life? If you follow AAC blogs and groups, participate in AAC professional development, or read AAC articles, the answer is probably “a lot.” We ran an AAC modeling implementation…