Category Archives: Augmentative Communication

{What Were They Thinking…. AGAIN!?!} ASHA’s misguided assault on kids & technology for Better Hearing & Speech Month 2016

Posted on by

 

OMazing Kids blog post in response to ASHA BHSM 2016 anti tech campaign

.

Dear ASHA, this ASHA certified SLP (dues paying member for 26 years) had prayed that you would have a better campaign in mind for this year’s Better Hearing & Speech Month…. ’cause we are still dealing with the fallout from last year’s fiasco. But unfortunately here we are again in 2016 with a tech shaming focus for BHSM.

.

I know you didn’t intend to do harm with last year’s campaign or this year’s but you have. The issue is that your posts and videos don’t include any caveats for appropriate uses of tech such as AAC, adapted play or therapeutic uses of an iPad with high quality apps. They just convey a black and white “tech is bad and needs to be swapped” message. Many parents and SLPs who see your posts and videos don’t differentiate between the “purposes” for the technology. I have seen countless posts in a variety of Facebook groups where SLPs and parents have commented about not pursuing AAC for young children due to needing to “limit screen time”. This is a ridiculous battle. What’s silly is that in the era when all we had was traditional dedicated SGDs nobody ever called that “screen time” yet an iPad with an AAC app locked in Guided Access is a dedicated SGD.

The solution isn’t difficult. You just need to be more thoughtful, balanced and inclusive in your posts and videos. Please consider doing posts that highlight kids with complex communication needs and innovative ways of using tech to meet those needs for AAC, adapted play or therapeutic uses of an iPad with high quality apps.

There are several parent authored blogs that are well respected and have huge followings who I’m sure would be more than glad to share their stories. Please listen. It’s far past time for the voice of ASHA to speak for kids of ALL needs & abilities.

***********

Interesting post about tech shaming: http://www.sunshineandhurricanes.com/please-stop-saying-technology-is-ruining-childhood/

.

Dear OMazing Kids peeps – You can join us in voicing concerns using the #CommunicationTakesAACcess hashtag and by commenting on this post on the ASHA FB page: https://www.facebook.com/asha.org/photos/a.187128960317.137733.26971470317/10153646225275318/?type=3&theater

.

You can also followup with an e-mail to bhsm@asha.org. Based on ASHA’s responses to the FB comments so far, we may not be able to do much about the tone of this year’s BHSM but hopefully can prevent a “threepeat” in 2017.

.

And feel free to post comments on this video on ASHA’s YouTube channel:

.

Update: Well it looks like all of our posts and comments have at least caused The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association to mention that their new infographic excludes tech used for AAC. But the issue is that statement is only visible in the text of their FB post so this infographic viewed outside that context can still do great harm. I left a comment asking that they update the infographic itself. Several others have now commented asking that they also remove the stipulation about “severe” communication disorders. Also…. Not sure what they mean by polling their members. I’m a member and I never received info about this poll.

Love this comment posted by Mary-Louise Bertram: https://www.facebook.com/asha.org/posts/10153650304700318?comment_id=10153650653710318&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R3%22%7D

 

.

My OMazing Kids FB post in late April: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga/posts/1134222826628721

& my blog post voicing concerns in 2015: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2015/05/16/what-were-they-thinking-ashas-misguided-assault-on-kids-technology-for-better-hearing-speech-month-2015/

.

Check out these posts from others who have spoken out. I will be updating this blog post to add more throughout the month:

.

Hold My Words: https://www.facebook.com/HoldMyWords/photos/a.841100355997445.1073741829.824970217610459/971098362997643/

.

Uncommon Sense Blog: https://www.facebook.com/123130417730793/photos/a.124083530968815.9496.123130417730793/1067490493294776/?type=3&theater and Dana has boldly posted several comments in the post over on ASHA’s FB page: https://www.facebook.com/asha.org/photos/a.187128960317.137733.26971470317/10153646225275318/?type=3&comment_id=10153646803975318&comment_tracking={%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22}, https://www.facebook.com/asha.org/photos/a.187128960317.137733.26971470317/10153646225275318/?type=3&comment_id=10153647772650318&reply_comment_id=10153647794580318&comment_tracking={%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22} & https://www.facebook.com/asha.org/photos/a.187128960317.137733.26971470317/10153646225275318/?type=3&comment_id=10153647772650318&reply_comment_id=10153649462875318&comment_tracking={%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22}

.

Rachael Langley is a fellow SLP and AAC enthusiast who creates fabulous memes: https://www.facebook.com/RachaelLangleyAAC/photos/a.1593847960833847.1073741828.1593841367501173/1734541580097817/?type=3&theater

 

.

Speak for Yourself is the only AAC company that I’ve seen so far speak out against the BHSM 2016 campaign. I love Heidi’s boldness to speak up: https://www.facebook.com/SpeakForYourselfAAC/posts/1019817461386869 (one of several posts) & https://www.facebook.com/asha.org/photos/a.187128960317.137733.26971470317/10153646225275318/?type=3&comment_id=10153647815075318&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22%7D

 

.
Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
.
Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
.
{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them}

2016 Autism Awareness Month: AAC App Sale Roundup & Tips

Posted on by

image

.

Here is a round up of the AAC app sales that have been announced so far for Autism Awareness Month. I have been announcing them in individual posts on my OMazing Kids Facebook page but thought a post listing them all might be helpful. AAC app sales are pretty rare. So this is a great opportunity to get an app that you have been considering:

FYI…
* Always verify an app price BEFORE purchasing it. App prices often change at 10:00pm CST (adjust for your time zone) but can change at any time without any notice.
* These app sales and prices will be in the USA App Store. Some apps may be on sale in other countries but I have no means of verifying that since I only have access to the USA App Store.
* If you plan on purchasing an app during a sale, it is wise to get it early in the sale to insure you don’t miss the sale pricing.
* Occasionally app developers decide to start a sale early or extend a sale but you can’t count on that happening.

Additional important info:

* Most app developers have a Facebook group for that app. I highly suggest joining these groups for an incredible amount of support from the app developers as well as other parents, therapists & teachers. Every group has it’s own “culture”. Some are very open to discussing any topic. Others are pretty strict about only posting info or questions directly related to that particular app. Here is a list of the FB groups:

– aacorn: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aacornapp/?ref=ts&fref=ts
– Avaz: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1404976513132058/?ref=ts&fref=ts
– Clicker Communicator: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Clicker.Communicator/?fref=ts
– Dynavox: https://www.facebook.com/groups/675299919223246/?fref=ts
– LAMP WFL: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1541091616125345/?ref=ts&fref=ts
– Proloquo2Go for Professionals: https://www.facebook.com/groups/256837297733511/?ref=ts&fref=ts
– Proloquo2Go for Parents: https://www.facebook.com/groups/241684205905600/?ref=ts&fref=ts
– Proloquo2Go & Proloquo4Text Adult Users: https://www.facebook.com/groups/192898234141275/?ref=br_rs
– Speak for Yourself: https://www.facebook.com/groups/273873326092019/?ref=ts&fref=ts
– Tobii: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tobiiuk/?ref=br_rs
– TouchChat: https://www.facebook.com/groups/touchchatapp/?ref=ts&fref=ts

I have suggested to the developers of the GoTalk Now app that a group be started but so far I’ve only seen a parent led one in Swedish. I have also suggested to the developer of the new Total Talk AAC app that they start a group. He was very open to the idea so I hope to see that soon.

There are also numerous other AAC-related Facebook groups. Again each having it’s own culture and dynamic. I’m not going to list all of those here…. but if you are a SLP, I definitely suggest joining the AAC for the SLP group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1539830846285663/.

* All states in the USA are supposed to have an Assistive Technology Lending Library program where parents & professionals can borrow AAC devices, iPads with AAC apps & other AT for short-term trial. It’s a great way to try various options out before making purchasing decisions. There are lots of great AAC apps…. but like anything there is no magical solution that meets every child’s specific needs. That’s why doing a good feature-match and trial of options is critical. I highly suggest an AAC eval with a SLP. The AT Lending Library in your area should know of folks in your area who do them.

Find the AT Lending Library in your state: http://www.ataporg.org/states.html. Also can look on: http://www.resnaprojects.org/allcontacts/statewidecontacts.html

* If you are a parent of a child with special needs and you are either tired of waiting on professionals being the gatekeepers for your child’s AAC options or have decided that don’t want to wait on an AAC evaluation, I still highly suggest doing a little “homework” to help you consider whether or not a particular AAC is a good match for your child before purchasing it. You can make informed purchasing decisions by watching videos of that app in use, reading parent blogs, joining the Facebook groups I listed above, find someone in your area who has the app, etc.

* Before commenting that these AAC apps are “so expensive” even on sale, please consider that “expensive” is a relative term. Compared to traditional AAC devices that cost thousands of dollars, these apps even at full price are a bargain and many parents end up purchasing an app themselves rather than continuing to wait for someone else to meet their child’s needs. The developers of these AAC apps have continued to invest their time and $$$ to add improvements to the app and pay licensing fees for high quality voices and symbol sets so we should not ever expect one of these apps to be free or cheaper than these sale prices. That being said, if the sale price is still out of reach for your budget then you may want to look for funding assistance. The AT lending programs I mentioned above are typically good resources for info about grant options for AT / AAC in that state.

* To find the pricing history of any app in the USA App Store, search for that app on this website, tap on the name of the app and then scroll down to the bottom of the page: http://appshopper.com

* Disclaimer: I do not have a financial relationship with any app developer or AAC company. I am only sharing this info to help spread the word to get more AAC options into the lives of kids who need it. My “favorite” AAC app is the one that has the features that best match that individual child’s needs at that particular point in time.

.
There may be other AAC apps go on sale. For the most current info, be sure to “like” my OMazing Kids Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga – see this post for details on adjusting your settings to see all the posts: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2015/12/09/tip-how-to-get-all-the-facebook-posts-from-omazing-kids-and-other-pages/) & join my AppPeeps Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/)
.
Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
.
Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
.
{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them}

Great video: Aided Language Input for AAC

Posted on by

image

.

Nice short video about Aided Language Input: https://youtu.be/vUY6oQoSTXw. A little less than 5 minutes…. definitely worth watching it all. 🙂

.

.

#AAC #SpecialNeeds #SLPeeps
.
Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
.
Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 25 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.

Free printable symbols for Tiggly apps & styluses

Posted on by

image

.

My favorite therapy activity today was using the Tiggly Safari app with the shape styluses on my iPad to create lots of opportunities for language, listening, matching, sustained attention, joint attention and tons of fun! This particular patient is a preschooler with Autism and newly emerging verbal skills. I use symbols with him in a combo of PECS communication, as a visual support for choices and as aided language input. His smiles & giggles were the highlight of my day. 🙂

.

There are currently 10 Tiggly apps and three different sets of styluses. Here are some free printable symbols that I made for my patients who use PECS to be able to choose a particular Tiggly app as well as which stylus they want to use. Now that I have the images created, I can also import them into a variety of AAC apps as fringe vocabulary for a couple of my patients who have a high interest in these particular apps.
.
For those of you who have Boardmaker, I saved it out on the Boarmaker Share website: http://br.boardmakershare.com/Activity/1908065/PECS-symbols-for-Tiggly-Apps–Styluses
.
For those who don’t have Boardmaker, I also saved a PDF version in Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8nthta3ufmlshhw/tiggly%2520apps%2520and%2520styluses.pdf?dl=0
.
Want more info about Tiggly? Check out their website: https://www.tiggly.com & their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Tiggly. Link to the application for their their Tiggly Educator program: http://goo.gl/forms/x8g0Pr3ZGE

.
Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
.
Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 25 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.

.

{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog. I have no control over the ads nor do I make any profit from them}

How to use Guided Access to prevent exiting an app – Best. Feature. Ever!

Posted on by

image

.

Sharing this again since many SLPs, teachers & parents may have received a new iPad for Christmas. If you will be using the iPad with kids, then Guided Access is your new BFE (Best. Feature. Ever!). It can be used to disable the home button and lock the child into an app. Especially critical if you will be using the iPad as an AAC device or using it in therapy with kids with poor impulse control. Here is the PDF guide that I share with families. It shows how to set it up step by step: http://schools.nyc.gov/documents/d75/technology/assistive/Quick/iPad%20Update%20-%20GUIDED%20ACCESS%20(PDF).pdf

.

Updated for 2020: That handout from 2015 is no longer available. See this info from Apple for the most current info and step by step directions: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202612

.
Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
.
Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 25 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is a kids book reviewer with a focus on great picture books, a kids toy / product reviewer with a focus on those that are helpful for kids with special needs & an app beta tester for educational and therapeutic app developers. She loves sharing info about great things to use with kids of all abilities.

.

{Note: please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads}

Amazing new FREE app: Sesame Street and Autism

Posted on by

image

.

Wow! I’m very impressed with this! Get amazing resources for kids & parents in this new FREE app: Sesame Street and Autism
https://appsto.re/us/MCg48.i

Also available online at: http://autism.sesamestreet.org. I didn’t see an Android version of the app yet but my guess is that it will be released soon.

I love that they have presented a well-balanced view of Autism…. both the positives & the challenges. Also love seeing several real life examples of AAC use. Excited to see AAC use out in the mainstream media 🙂

Love, love, love this new song:

.

MP3:

.

More about the project: http://www.people.com/article/sesame-street-introduces-autistic-muppet

The story behind why this new Sesame Street​ Autism initiative is so awesome… they took the time to include Autism self-advocates in the process of developing it!

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network​, ASAN, is proud to be a partner in Sesame Workshop’s “Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children” initiative. Over the past year, ASAN has worked closely with Sesame Workshop to ensure that the initiative and its materials are positive, respectful, and promote real understanding and acceptance of autistic people. The See Amazing initiative represents an important step forward in public conversations aimed at autism, one focused on celebrating all kinds of minds.”

ASAN Statement on Sesame Workshop’s “See Amazing” Initiative

https://www.facebook.com/AutisticAdvocacy

.

More cool behind the scenes info: http://autism-daddy.blogspot.com/2015/10/sesame-street-autism-my-2-worlds.html

.

Why is the new Sesame Street character is a girl? How did they choose the traits she would have?

“Children with autism vary in their traits significantly: some can talk, while others can’t. Many of them are sensitive to noise. Some have trouble keeping eye contact, and many of them experience the world differently, so they’ll touch different objects to explore the sensation of texture. Perhaps because of this range, autism is also extremely controversial. While some organizations, such as Autism Speaks, consider autism a syndrome that calls for research to help mitigate its effects, others, such as the Autism Self-Advocacy Network, simply view autism as an alternative way of expressing oneself….”

Read the whole post at: http://www.latimes.com/local/education/community/la-me-edu-sesame-street-autistic-muppet-girl-julia-20151022-htmlstory.html

.

‪#‎SeeAmazing‬
‪#‎AACawareness‬
‪#‎Autism‬
‪#‎SpecialNeeds‬

.

Looking for more app info? Come on over to my OMazing Kids Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga & my AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
.
Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

.

Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 25 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps and tech products to use with kids of all abilities.

{What Were They Thinking?!} ASHA’s misguided assault on kids & technology for Better Hearing & Speech Month 2015

Posted on by

 What Were They Thinking blog post

I received yet another e-mail from The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in their Better Hearing & Speech Month attack on technology. I’ve been a SLP for over 25 years and I have never been as disappointed in ASHA as I am right now.

I totally get that too much technology for young kids is not a good idea but I worry that this assault on it by ASHA during BHSM is going to cause parents & SLPs to want to banish all use of iPads or other similar technology.

What about the good side of technology?

The era of iPads, tablets & smartphones has caused AAC to become affordable & therefore accessible to those who need it. Those who use augmentative communication need unrestricted access to it in all settings without judgement or misconceptions from others.

This technology has also given SLPs powerful new tools in their therapy toolbox to help kids make progress who hadn’t responded to traditional materials, toys or techniques. I have had numerous patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder or similar diagnoses who just stimmed or had meltdowns with traditional speechie materials, toys & techniques but made jaw-dropping progress when I incorporated my iPad with high-quality apps as a tool and then gradually expanded from there into off iPad activities. Wish I had been part of a research study. I would not have believed it if I hadn’t witnessed it with my own eyes. Truly life-changing for those kids.

So far none of ASHA’s media blitz on this has contained info about use of technology for these purposes. In my opinion ASHA is running the risk of causing harm and further strengthening the myths that we all battle against in trying to get appropriate AAC in place for our kids and may discourage SLPs from using new technology in therapy sessions.

.

Great post by Barbara at GeekSLP / Smarty Ears: “Children: Too much technology is not the same as just enough”: http://www.geekslp.com/2015/05/children-too-much-technology-is-not-the-same-as-just-enough/

 

stars-divider

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga

Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/174264525957894

AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/#omazing-kids-yoga

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741

Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad

Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

.

OMazing Kids LLC is an organization that promotes inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities. The blog and social media pages share information about books, DVD’s, CD’s, games and other products specifically designed for kids wellness, mindfulness and relaxation, product reviews & giveaways, lesson plan & activity ideas, research, kids wellness in the news and a connection corner with listings of individuals doing adapted yoga and those offering trainings.

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the crayons divider bar or any ads or unusual hyperlinks that may appear above. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here. 

crayons divider

Help fund AAC for kids in need…

Posted on by

Help fund AAC for kids in need…

image

.

‬A very dedicated SLP is raising funds to provide AAC for students in need. I invite everyone to take a look and to help if you are able. Here are more details:

.

“Friends and Family- Please donate $5, $10 or $20 to my GoFundMe Campaign to raise money for iPads and apps for my students. The apps are usually $200 each but will be half price on Thursday for Autism Awareness Day. Apple will give me a half price discount if I raise enough money to buy 20 applications. My goal is to raise $4000 by next Thursday April 2nd, so I can buy 20 apps and 6 iPads. Give the gift of communication to a student for the price of a box of Girl Scout cookies. I’ll give a shout out to everyone who donates, and we’ll share pictures of the kids who are helped (with parent permission). Who will be first? Who would stand up for you if you had no voice?”

.
http://www.gofundme.com/givemespeech

.
‪#‎AAC‬ ‪#‎SpecialNeeds‬ ‪#‎BecauseItMatters‬.

stars-divider

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga

AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/

Contests & Giveaways on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsContestsandGiveaways

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/#omazing-kids-yoga

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741

Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad

Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

.

OMazing Kids LLC is an organization that promotes inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities. The blog and social media pages share information about books, DVD’s, CD’s, games and other products specifically designed for kids wellness, mindfulness and relaxation, product reviews & giveaways, lesson plan & activity ideas, research, kids wellness in the news and a connection corner with listings of individuals doing adapted yoga and those offering trainings.

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the crayons divider bar or any ads or unusual hyperlinks that may appear above. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here. 

crayons divider

{Huge Giveaways} GoTalk Now AAC app giveaway & ELSB – Early Literacy Skills Builder app giveaway

Posted on by

Attainment app giveaway

.

First Giveaway:

{GoTalk Now AAC App Giveaway ~ worth $99.98} 10 winners will each get a code for two IAPs within the most current GoTalk Now Lite iOS iPad app to “Upgrade to NOW Features”(worth $79.99) and the “Ready-Set-Communicate” pre-made communication book (worth $19.99).

Anyone who works with children with special needs or has a child with special needs will not want to miss this amazing opportunity! Even if your child uses other forms of AAC, the GoTalk Now app has lots of features that are helpful for adapted literacy & learning. The app is very easy to program and I have had several patients where the features of this AAC app were the best match for their needs.

Entry details on this post on the OMazing Kids Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga/photos/a.562317480485928.1073741841.174264525957894/911987722185567/?type=1&theater

image

 .

Second Giveaway:

.

{ ELSB – Early Literacy Skills Builder App Giveaway ~ worth $79.99} 10 winners will each get a code for this fabulous adapted literacy iOS iPad app specifically designed for kids with special needs by Attainment!

The ELSB app is a multi-year preliteracy curriculum for students who have not acquired print and phonemic awareness. The software brings to life Levels 1—7; daily lessons and level assessments. The program narrator and main character Moe the frog, take students through lessons that are built to shape mastery of 14 objectives following an easy-to-hard sequence. Objectives include sight word vocabulary with flashcards, syllable segmentation with a tapping game, and print awareness with pointing to text as it is read. Collaborate with each student to create their own unique avatar. Five years of solid research have been completed through the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, proving ELSB to be a highly effective literacy program and more effective than a sight-word only program. ELSB is based upon the principles of systematic and direct instruction. It incorporates scripted lessons, least-prompt strategies, teachable objectives, built-in lesson repetition, and ongoing assessments. The seven ELSB levels contain five structured lessons each. All students begin at Level 1. Teach scripted lessons daily in two 30-minute sessions. On the completion of each level, formal assessments are given. ELSB includes everything you need to implement a multi-year literacy curriculum.

.
https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga/photos/a.562317480485928.1073741841.174264525957894/911992282185111/?type=1&theater

.

image

 

stars-divider

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga

AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/

Contests & Giveaways on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsContestsandGiveaways

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/#omazing-kids-yoga

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741

Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad

Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

.

OMazing Kids LLC is an organization that promotes inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities. The blog and social media pages share information about books, DVD’s, CD’s, games and other products specifically designed for kids wellness, mindfulness and relaxation, product reviews & giveaways, lesson plan & activity ideas, research, kids wellness in the news and a connection corner with listings of individuals doing adapted yoga and those offering trainings.

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the crayons divider bar or any ads or unusual hyperlinks that may appear above. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here. 

crayons divider

What’s in your AAC toolbox?

Posted on by

AAC toolbox

 

.

What’s the best AAC app? What’s the best dedicated speech generating device? What’s the best case? What’s the best ______…..

Several times a week I am either asked this question or I see it posted in one of the many AAC Facebook groups I follow.

Occasionally it seems to end up in a rather heated debate of ______ vs. ________.

This is counterproductive. Although there are key best practices when considering AAC options, there is not any one best AAC option (or one best therapy approach, or one best anything) when it comes to best meeting individual needs.

I have added a lot of tools to my toolbox over my 25+ year career as a speech-language pathologist. There have been pivotal moments where new tools were added that forever changed my perspective. Although shiny new tools may be exciting they did not replace the old tried & true tools. The exciting thing about tools is that you can use them together to build & repair. Would it make sense to ask “What’s better…. a hammer or a drill? a saw or a tape measure? a wrench or a flashlight? Of course not. Each tool has it’s specific purpose.  You select the tool based on what job you need to accomplish.

The show Handy Manny comes to mind. The tools don’t compete with each other. They work together.

Handy Manny: We Work Together

Okay Tools we’ve got a job to do
Let’s get going and fix it right
Twist and turn, make it tight
Trabajamos juntos
We work together now
Cut it
Measure it
Tap it flat
Bend and twist
Just like that
Each of us has a special job
We work together
Todos juntos
We can fix it right

All states in the USA are supposed to have an Assistive Technology Lending Library program where parents & professionals can borrow AAC devices, iPads with AAC apps & other AT for short-term trial. It’s a great way to try various options out before making purchasing decisions. There are lots of great AAC devices & lots of great AAC apps…. but like anything there is no magical solution that meets every child’s specific needs. That’s why doing a good feature-match and trial of options is critical.

Find the AT Lending Library in your state: https://www.at3center.net/state-at-programs

Happy AAC Awareness Month!

 

grass-green-divider-bar

Below the green divider is an update on 11/15/25: I wrote this blog post over a decade ago and it still rings true. I’ve added even more tools (many creative and unconventional) to my AAC Toolbox and continue to embrace using a variety of creative combinations of them to meet individual needs. And some of the best “tools” are taking time to “just be with” the individuals you are supporting, getting to know and honoring all the ways they communicate, and presuming that everyone communicates in some way and has the potential to learn to use additional options that are meaningful to them.

Looking for in-depth AAC feature matching resources? See this blog post: https://bit.ly/5aacFeatureMatchingResources. That post also includes videos comparing the best AAC apps on various devices on various platforms.

Looking for more AAC resources? Check out the Resource Links page here on my blog: https://omazingkidsllc.com/omazing-kids-aac-resource-links

Have a question? The best way to reach me is via Facebook messaging over on my OMazing Kids page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC, OMazing Kids AAC Consulting

• Teachers Pay Teachers Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Omazing-Kids-Aac-Consulting

• YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/amoorad1

• Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/omazingkidsaac

• OMazing Kids AAC Consulting Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/

• AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/

• GoTalk Now AAC & GoVisual Visual Scene Apps – Ideas and Sharing Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/GoTalkNowAACappGroup

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omazingkidsaac

• X (formerly Twitter): https://www.x.com/amoorad

• Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/

• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/amoorad1

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelamooradomazingkidsaac

• AppRaven AAC App Collections: https://bit.ly/AAConAppRaven

• Blog: https://omazingkidsllc.com / Resource Links page: https://omazingkidsllc.com/omazing-kids-aac-resource-links