This week, Rachel interviews Anu Garla, a mother of Oliver, a boy with autism and cortical visual impairment who uses AAC to communicate. Anu describes her journey getting a diagnosis, how she started working with Rachel, why coaching with Rachel really jump started progress for her son, and advice that she has for other parents who are starting on an AAC journey (e.g. little “homework” assignments for parents can help).
Before the interview, Chris and Rachel discuss a recent presentation that Rachel did that she almost missed due to clerical error from one of her staff, and how she adjusted to the situation and made the presentation work. They also discuss how they decide how much to charge (or if to charge) for doing presentations, and have advice for people wanting to do more presentations.
Key Ideas This Week:
🔑 Oliver didn't really make a lot of progress until they started working more closely with Rachel during the pandemic. There was an intensive intervention with Rachel and Oliver that led to the discovery that the team needed to give more time for Oliver to initiate.
🔑 Sometimes, intervention in the home environment is more “quality than quantity”. If you have short, high quality interactions and connections with your child, they are still making progress. It doesn’t need to be hours of intense “drill and kill”, it can be based on brief, quality interactions throughout the day.
🔑 Its important to listen to families as much as other professionals on the team of an AAC user. Parents usually know their child better than anyone!
🔑 Before we decide if a child can or cannot do something, we need to make sure motivation is there. Motivation is a current that flows through everything we do as educators and therapists.
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Link from this episode:
Comprehensive Literacy for All by Karen Erickson and David Koppenhaver: https://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-Literacy-All-Significant-Disabilities/dp/1598576577
Anu's Facebook & Instagram: @oliphantabulousstormilicious
Dr. Laura Clarke: Free Literacy Resources for Emerging Readers
Chloe Rothschild: Teacher, Author, Advocate, and Part-Time AAC User
TWT Live: Colorado’s SWAAAC
Brian Schobel - Supporting Assistive Technology During the Transition to Employment
Chris Klein and Lance McLemore: Creating an AAC-User-Led Conference & Nonprofit
Marge Blanc & Alexandria Zachos (Part 2): Supporting Gestalt Language Processing With AAC
Marge Blanc & Alexandria Zachos (Part 1): Supporting Students with Echolalia Using the Natural Language Acquisition Framework
Becca Eisenberg: Using Video Modeling to Teach AAC Communication Skills
Dr. Cheri Dodge Chin: Teaching Caregivers to Model via Video Chat
Joanna Holmes (Part 2): The Benefits of Open AAC
Joanna Holmes (Part 1): Finding the Right AAC Access Method for your Child
AACessible: Improving AAC Assessment and Trialing
Daniel Parker, Kathy White, & Stacy Duffy: Assistive Technology Microcredentials
Hank Poore: AAC User, AAC Ambassador, and Foundation Director
Ken Hackbarth, Christine Baudin, and Michael Dicpinigaitis: Using 3D Printers to Make Inexpensive AAC Keyguards
Gemma White: Teaching Personal Safety Awareness to AAC Users
Tami Altschuler - Improving AAC Access and Training in the Hospital
TWT Live from Oregon (Part 2): Getting Buy-In from Teachers who Refuse to Support AAC
TWT Live from Oregon (Part 1): Strategies for Improving Virtual Assessments
Sean Sweeney (Part 2): Evaluating Resources & Apps for Therapy with FIVES
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