This week, we present Part 2 of Chris’s conversation with Kim Hurley and Jessica Conrad about the Specific Language System First Approach! Kim Hurley is an SLP and AAC Specialist who is considering moving her district to the Specific Language System First Approach. Jessica Conrad is an SLP and AAC Specialist who works for the Indiana PATINS project supporting AAC users and their circle of support. In Part 2, Chris, Kim, and Jessica continue to breakdown some of Kim and Jessica’s concerns with implementing the Specific Language System Approach, including failing to notice when a student needs a more individualized AAC system (i.e. a “Tier 3” AAC student), as well as and the need to include families in the process of selecting the “Tier 1/2” AAC system.
Before the interview, Chris and Rachel chat about Rachel’s recent visit to a Jack Johnson concert in Hawaii and the importance of Jack’s music to Rachel when she was battling seasonal depression (i.e., Seasonal Affective Disorder) as a young woman.
Key ideas this week:
🔑 One concern Kim had was that the “best” AAC system for younger students might not be as useful for middle or high school students. Chris pointed out that there are robust language systems, like TouchChat, that are appropriate for children all the way through adulthood, and that is something we can consider when selecting our Tier 1 system.
🔑 The earlier you can involve parents in the process of selecting AAC for their student, the better. This can mean involvement with overall selection of the Tier 1 AAC system, as well as involvement with the considerations meeting you hold to determine if the student should be given AAC.
🔑 If you make sure administrators, teachers, aides, and families are involved with the selection of your Tier 1 AAC system, then there will be better buy-in overall. Plus, it will help retain knowledge about the process and the Tier 1 AAC decision, even if the AAC Specialist (or another trained team member) leaves the district.
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Emily Macklin, Neha Sharma, & Amber Skerry: Supporting Communication for Deafblind Students
McKinzee Steve, Danielle Welge, & Kendra Everette (Part 2): Providing High-Tech AAC as a Tier 2 Early Childhood Intervention
McKinzee Steve, Danielle Welge, & Kendra Everette (Part 1): Providing District-Led 1:1 AAC Training to Parents
Emily Taylor: Using Social Media to Promote Your AAC Resources
April Wallace & Christina Stader - Specific Language System First Approach Q&A
Dr. Barry Prizant (Part 2): Is ”Spelling to Communicate” Authentic Communication?
Dr. Barry Prizant (Part 1): Echolalia and Gestalt Language Processing
Kimberly Neely: The Trauma-Informed SLP
Barbara Gruber & Ashley Grady: Supporting Accessibility and Inclusion at the Smithsonian Institution
Tiffanie Zaugg: Creating an AAC Facilitator’s Guide for a School District
Ashley Waterman: Supporting Language as a Parent of an AAC User
Judith Schoonover (Part 2): The Role of OTs in AAC Assessment
Judith Schoonover (Part 1): Quickly Create AT Solutions From Common Objects
Recast: AAC Modeling Roundtable
Recast: Chris Klein: The Importance of Motor Planning
Recast: Shaun Pearson & Chris Chicoskikelly: The AAC Agreements
Recast: Core Words Roundtable
Jordyn Zimmerman: Overcoming Limiting Beliefs in the Education System
Rebecca Gettings: A Parent’s Journey Supporting AAC, Language, & Literacy
Sydney Elcan Birchfield: Assistive Technology Q&A with Chris Bugaj
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