Whether it is the cell phone with no service or the GPS that can’t find a route, we can find ourselves making this statement. The same can be said for high-tech AAC, which makes backing up your system a critical part of maintenance.
I was working with a pALS that was pastor at a local church. [...]
Jacob is a DynaVox V user who is always on the go. His favorite and most motivating activity is participating in the Miracle League softball team in his hometown. With this program, each player is paired with a “buddy” helper from the community. Jacob was recently so excited to share his new communication device with [...]
On Friday, October 29, 2010 I had the opportunity to go to an event my employer, World Institute on Disability (WID), put on entitled, Ever Widening Circle. This event was a fundraiser for WID and many of the movers and shakers of the Bay Area disability community were there. The tickets were about fifty dollars, [...]
I love meeting people, new people or people I have known for years, I always find something to chat about. Increasingly over the last few years I have chatted with people in new and different ways. My ways of keeping in touch now include Twitter and Facebook as well as email, phone and, of course, [...]
What makes a classroom AAC-friendly? I was often asked this question by parents, teachers, SLPs, and administrators during my years as an AAC specialist in the public schools. The AAC-friendly classrooms that I have seen typically have a combination of the following features:
A Positive Communication Environment: You know it when you see it, right? This [...]
Many of our blogs focus on what you can do to expand communication for individuals following stroke or brain injury so that they can accomplish goals and participate in the world. Today, I want to direct my blog to the family members, caregivers and therapists of these individuals.
Henry Ford said, “There is joy in work. [...]
When discussing switch use with students often the hands are the only consideration in selecting a switch access sight. Often it is too laborious for students and they miss out on valuable learning and communication time. What have been your experience and thoughts on this?
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For AAC users, life can seem like a bunch of sour lemons. One can get caught up in what they can do rather than realizing all the great things we can accomplish. We may not have the ability to speak clearly with our natural voices, however, AAC devices allow us to communicate in ways most [...]
We’ve all heard the saying, “A family that plays together, stays together.” I think we can apply this to the kids we know who use augmentative communication devices. In my more than 17 years of experience, the children with supportive parents were always more successful with their AAC systems that those children without. These were [...]
In a recent blog I wrote about Flying Solo for the first time since my accident in 2003. Well I made it back from my trip and I am still in one piece. The flights went very well. I can’t say enough good things about Continental Airlines. They were very professional and courteous towards me [...]
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