This week, Chris interviews school-based AT Specialists Amy Fleischer and Melissa Petersen! Amy and Melissa share lessons they have learned about putting universal supports in place, including universal core boards in Melissa’s district. They discuss many of the reasons why Melissa wanted to put a universal core board in place, how her district decided on what words to include, and the improvements she has seen in overall AAC implementation since that time. You can view the website she made for her district here.
Before the interview, Rachel and Chris discuss a recent trip Chris took to visit his cousins and all of the visiting with his family. Chris shares about tempting his young relatives with fun games, and then waiting for them to come over on their own, and relates that to motivating AAC users with a “tempt and pause”.
Key ideas this week:
🔑 When Melissa made a low-tech support universal, teachers who were previously afraid of technology said they felt more confident with the core board. This helped them to focus more on modeling and descriptive teaching, and less on the technology.
🔑 Putting the district logo on their universal core board helped Melissa to get buy in from some teachers and staff - they said it make the board look more “official”.
🔑 If we want communication partners to take on extra responsibility via coaching, it helps to give them resources they can pick up and run with. A great way to do this is with a low-tech board, because we are giving them something inexpensive they can go out today and start using with students.
Help us develop new content and keep the podcast going strong! Support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech!
Visit talkingwithtech.org to access previous episodes, resources, and CEU credits that you can earn for listening to TWT episodes!
Vicki Haddix & Janine Peca (Part 2): A Neuroaffirming Approach to Overstimulation and Sensory Needs
Vicki Haddix & Janine Peca (Part 1): Increasing AAC Skills Through Mentorship
Shelley Anderson: Teaching Core Words with Music
Bilingüe AAC (Part 2): Taking a Bilingual Approach to AAC Implementation
Bilingüe AAC (Part 1): Conducting Bilingual Family-Based AAC Assessments
Ceci Fetterolf: Supporting Core Words with Student-Led Projects
Benjamin Bennett - Implementing the Specific Language System First Approach District-Wide
Laura Taylor: Using PODD to Teach Communication, Language & Literacy
Meredith Gohsman (Part 2): Possible Negative Impacts of ASHA AAC Certification
Meredith Gohsman (Part 1): Evaluating the Effectiveness of AAC Camps
Small Talks VI: Andy Smidt, India Ochs, Lory Chrane, Mark Nichols, and Tali Kellerstein
Jeffrey Ebin - Creating a Free Eye-Tracking Communication Board
Andy Smidt: Writing Effective Goals for Emergent Communicators
Sarah Lockhart: Choosing Motivating Therapy Targets to Maximize Spontaneous Language (Part 2)
Sarah Lockhart: How AAC Supports Greater Spontaneous Language for People with Echolalia (Part 1)
Rebecca - Increasing the Quality of Assistive Technology Support in the Schools
Jeanette Washington & Mai Ling Chan - Creating Effective and Engaging Presentations
Stacy Maijala - Streamlining AAC Evaluations with Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
Tracy Kovach: Re-Defining the Role of AAC Specialist (Part 2)
Tracy Kovach: Re-Defining the Role of AAC Professionals (Part 1)
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Meaningful Life with Andrew G. Marshall
The No-Frills Teacher Podcast
Heal, Survive & Thrive!
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
The Mel Robbins Podcast