This week, the TWT team presents Part 2 of Chris and Rachel’s coaching call with Anya Ashouri, an SLP and AT Specialist for a Non-Public School. In this half of the coaching call, Chris, Rachel, and Anya discuss how to decide what the next AT strategy to work on with students will be, the benefits of providing visual supports to everyone all over the school, how to monitor the quality of implementation in the classroom, and how to get students more excited about the writing and editing process.
Before the interview, Chris and Rachel discuss a question from Luke about supporting AAC users who primarily use text to communicate (rather than symbols). Rachel touches on how to model AAC using text, when a typing-only system (e.g. Proloquo4Text) would be more appropriate than symbols + text, and how to encourage modeling AAC for a family when parents understand the child’s speech but it is difficult for others to understand.
🔑 When you are assessing a child with complex communication needs who has strengths in the area of writing, look at the complexity of the AAC user’s utterances - if there is low MLU and simplistic sentences, consider including symbols along with the keyboard to support language growth and modeling.
🔑 If a child wants to type messages more than use symbols, but they still have growth to make in learning vocabulary, consider a hybrid like TouchChat with WordPower80 that includes a keyboard and symbols. That will allow you to teach new vocabulary while using a keyboard at the same time.
🔑 When you are considering what kinds of supports you want to target on in the area of AT, consider the strategies that will make the biggest difference, and not just the tools that are needed. For example, making “modeling” a targeted strategy rather than making “high tech AAC” a target allows you to implement a strategy that can be used by all students, not just AAC users.
To listen to last week’s episode, visit talkingwithtech.org/episodes/anya-ashouri
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Coaching Call with Anya Ashouri: Getting School Admin Buy-In for AAC
Anu Garla: Benefits of AAC Coaching and Intensive Language Interventions
India Ochs: Lawyer, Social Justice Advocate, Mother, and AAC User
Laura Hayes: How to Shape & Support AAC ”Stimming”
TWT Live: Closing The Gap - Part 3
TWT Live: Closing the Gap - Part 2
TWT Live: Closing The Gap - Part 1
Megan Roberts: Research Supporting Parent-Implemented Interventions
Amanda Soper: AAC Implementation Strategies for People with CVI
Amy Fleischer & Melissa Petersen: Benefits of a Universal Core Board for All Students
Jayme Grant: Effective AAC Assessment, Treatment, and Progress Monitoring - Part 2
Jayme Grant: Using Team-Based Assessments to Determine Long Term AAC Needs - Part 1
Mark Nichols: Supporting AT and Universal Design in Higher Education
Kate McLaughlin - Celebrating Small Successes With Better Progress Measurement
Meryl Schnapp & Mark N. Brown: Becoming a District-Wide AAC Implementation Coach
Heidi Hosick Joyce: Reflective Coaching Strategies for AAC Communication Partners
Beth Poss & Tonya Williams-Walker: Improving Equity for AAC Users
Mike Marotta - Best Built-in Accessibility Features on Devices
Karen Janowski - Strategies to Support Literacy & Inclusivity
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