Tag: genetic syndrome
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Authentic AAC: The Fourth (and final) Week!
May is #BHSM so last month I shared an ?#?AuthenticAAC? moment each day that didn’t go exactly as planned, something I missed or something I would have done differently in hindsight. My intention was for anyone reading who was afraid to implement augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to be more comfortable in the knowledge that things aren’t always…
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Authentic AAC: The Third Week
I’m sharing an Authentic AAC moment each day this month for #BHSM, because sometimes, even with a lot of AAC experience and knowledge, things are missed, mistakes are made, and plans don’t work out. Thanks to all of you who are also contributing with this month of #AuthenticAAC. In case you’re not following the Speak for Yourself Facebook…
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Authentic AAC: The Second Week
This month, I’m sharing the #AuthenticAAC moments that I learn from each day during #BHSM (Better Hearing and Speech Month). Then I’m posting a round up each week for those of you who are not on the Speak for Yourself Facebook page or prefer to read all at once. I hope you gain confidence in your ability to…
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Deconstructing the Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Glass Cubicle
Trigger warning: This post mentions self-injury and low expectations of autistic individuals and people with complex communication needs (CCN). Can you imagine the frustration? Words are all around you and pouring into you. They expand within you and your mind aches to speak them. They overflow, like a rushing waterfall, but with no escape. They stay…
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Learning to Speak AACtion Plan: Week 12
Well, friends, here we are…it’s the final week of the Learning to Speak AACtion Plan! For those of you who have been following along every week, you have a strong core vocabulary foundation to model for the augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) users in your lives. When I started this in January, my goal was…
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Learning to Speak AACtion Plan: Week 10
The daffodils always surprise me. Even though I know they are the first flowers in my yard to bloom, I don’t notice that they’re green and growing until I see the first flower. The yellow gets my attention, and spring begins. Every year I wonder how I missed the leaves. It would be exciting to…
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Learning to Speak AACtion Plan: Week 8
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” ~Arthur Ashe Welcome to Week 8 of the Learning to Speak AACtion Plan! If you’ve been following along each week and doing all of the practice lessons up to this point, you have learned 35 core vocabulary words in your child’s augmentative and…
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AAC Modeling Part 2: Layers of Modeling Engagement
Yesterday, I wrote about AAC Modeling and compared it to introducing broccoli to a child. I’ve also written about modeling here and here, if you’d like some additional information. If you are at all involved in the world of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), you probably hear a lot about modeling, also called Aided Language Input…
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AAC Modeling Part 1: A Piece of Cake and a Bite of Broccoli
If you are at all familiar with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) implementation, you have likely heard of modeling, also referred to as aided language input and aided language stimulation. In my daily conversations, I get the feeling that dedicated teachers, parents, and therapists often have the misconception that they’re not doing enough for their…
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Does (AAC Button) Size Really Matter?
“Those buttons are so small!” In the almost 4 years that the Speak for Yourself Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) app has been on the market, this is the feedback that we receive most frequently. Yes, the buttons in Speak for Yourself are small and you can not change the button size. In case you’re thinking, “Well…