Apple iDevices and AACStrategies for Success

Kate Ahern, M.S.Ed.

Easter Seals Massachusets

kahern@eastersealsma.org

For Slideshow and Handouts

kateahernesma.

wikispaces.com

What is AAC?

Why AAC?

Purpose of Communication

(Light, 1988)

Express wants and needs

Gain and share information

Build and maintain social relationships

Participate in social etiquette

Why AAC?

• Make real choices

• Refuse, reject, say no

• Ask for what I want

• Share feelings• Be heard and

responded to even if the answer is no

• Ask for and get attention and interaction

• Have and use AAC all the time

• Know and ask about my schedule

• Be taught how to communicate

• Be a full member of my community

• Be treated with respect and dignity

• To spoken to and not about

• Be communicated with in a sensitive manner

Communication Bill of Rights

iPad Review

Accessibility Features Walk-Through

Focus on Guided Access Locks user into single app

Can lock hardware buttons

Can lock orientation

Can be accessed by triple click of home

Can block out hot spots

Focus on Switch Access Built in access using screen as switch

Bluetooth switch access

iPad Accessories

Cases Big Grips

GripCase

AMDi iAdapter

Armour Box Kiddo

Otterbox

LifeProof

Mounts

AbleNet Latitude

Loc-Line Modular Hose

Uzibull Tripod

Joy Factory Charis

Choosing an AAC App

SETT, Feature Matching

SETT

Student

Environment

Task

Tool

Feature Matching

Determine the Features you Need

For example What symbols?

Voice

Vocabulary System

Access Method

Off-the-shelf Usability

Buttons per page

Feature Matching Resources

AAC Apps by Jane Farrell

Children’s Hospital AAC App Feature Matching

Fonner and Marflius Feature Matching

PrAACtical AAC Blog

Vocabulary

We want Core vocabulary plus Fringe Vocabulary

A system that grows with the child

Ability to generate unique messages

We don’t want Only nouns

A system that will get stuck

Ability to say only what is programmed

Core Words and Fringe Words

Core Words are Small number of words

Used frequently

Common to everyone

Fringe Words are Large number of words

Used infrequently

Personal to user or situation

o Core words can be combined with each other or fringe words in a logical mannero Fringe words cannot usually be combined with another fringe word logically

Some Quality AAC Apps

Symbol Based (Pre-programmed) Proloquo2Go

Avaz

LAMP Words for Life

TouchChat Go Talk Now

Tap Speak Choice

Text Based Proloquo4Text

Predicable

Symbol Based (Blank) Go Talk Now

Sounding Board

Tap Speak Series

Implementing AAC at School

MMM

Motivate Focus on engaging learning

activities

Use natural opportunities

Harness what students are interested in

Focus on activity and interaction not AAC

Model Aided Language

Stimulation

Increases Auditory Processing

Acts as a visual support for receptive language

Normalizes AAC use

Shows children how to think and problem solve with communication system

Move out of the Way Allow processing time

Allow time to compose message

Avoid over-prompting and creating learned helplessness

Increase peer interactions

Core Words

Core Word of the Week (C-WOW)

Core Word Collages

Core Word Contests

Read the Room – Core Word Edition

Vocabulary A-Z Free Trial

Games

Guess Who?

Guess What/What’s in the Bag?

Where’d it go?/Find It

Mad Libs

Silly Sentences

AAC Word Race

Simon Says – Core Word Edition

Read the Room Race

Variations on these to go with theme units, holidays and events

Descriptive Teaching Method

By Gail M. Van Tatenhove, PA, MS, CCC-SLP

Needs at least 50 permanent Core Words

Move from referential teaching (students answer by referring to topic vocabulary) to descriptive (students answer by using core words to describe what was learned

Example instead of “what comes out of a volcano?” ask “tell me two things about lava”

Three Steps to a DTM Lesson

Identify and Introduce

Teach and Talk

Review and Assess

hotGo away

scary

Prompt Hierarchy

Prompt Hierarchy

• natural cue

• gestural cue

• indirect verbal cue (hinting)

• direct verbal cue (telling)

• modeling

• light physical/touch cue

• full physical cue

Techniques to Try

Expectant pause

Zone of proximal development

Sabotage

Non-directive activities

Avoid yes/no questions

Perpetual salience

Recasting

Expand utterances