The other day we were out to eat with some friends. A young lady came up to the
table and began asking me about the machine that I was using. I told her about
the DynaVox V and explained that I had a brain aneurysm which left me unable to
speak. She then proceeded to tell me about [...]
A study in 2007 found that both men and women say about 16,000 words per day (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11762186). That is a lot of words!
For many AAC users, saying 16,000 words each day might seem impossible—especially when we struggle to find 4 or 5 times each day when they can use their device. And yet, increasing communication [...]
Every January 1st, I set out to make resolutions for the upcoming year. But why not create resolutions for the new school year? When working with students who use AAC devices, it is often a challenge to juggle everything you need to do to support their communication and learning. I’ve tried to come up with [...]
With all the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it is difficult to remember the priorities we set for ourselves. The daily routines of work, school, or other activities can easily distract us from achieving our goals. One must not forget that all of these activities are pieces of the big picture. They are [...]
We are in a constant state of reflection, whether it was in grade school getting a report card, or as an adult having an annual performance review, we take the time to evaluate our areas of strength and areas that could use improvement. We are constantly looking back, making adjustments, and moving forward as the [...]
This morning I received an email from a local SLP that indicated I should give her a call – she had exciting news to share! Once we connected, she told me that her 8th grade student has had a major breakthrough in using his DynaVox Xpress device. In the past few weeks the team has [...]
I love writing! My passion for it can be seen in my blogs as well as my autobiography, More Than a Watchmaker, and my devotional book, Psalms of Praises. Both books were written before I received my original DynaVox. However, my blogs are now written with my DynaVox Maestro, and I can see a significant [...]
Dictionary.reference.com begins its definition of communication as follows: the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information.
Many of us who know and work with individuals with Autism often think of communication in a much more limited way, and may ask the question, “ Does the individual have adequate communication skills to get wants and needs [...]
I was talking with a group of school-based speech pathologists this week about goal-writing for students who use AAC. Every one of them gave examples of the kinds of goals they write, and we noticed something: All the goals were for linguistic skills.
By linguistic skills I mean the skills involved in choosing and creating messages. [...]
With the current state of the economy, people are forced to find ways to generate income, often times, having little or nothing to do with their chosen field of study. We, as AAC users, are no different. I am one of those people.
I have put a profile on the website Care.com, which links up nannies [...]
Recent Comments