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Blogs with tag AAC basics

Overview

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How to talk about AAC and AAC users (according to them)

Words are the building blocks of language, and language is how we tell stories. It’s how we tell each other who we are. Words can shape perceptions—calling AAC a “clinical practice” paints a very different picture from saying AAC is “all the ways we communicate.”
19 minute read
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AAC Awareness Month 2021: Presume competence, always

At AssistiveWare, we make Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) apps. Still, there is far more to AAC than downloading an app to an iPad or printing out a communication board and sticking it to the wall. That’s why this AAC Awareness Month, we want to focus on one of the guiding principles of AAC - presuming competence.
2 minute read
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AAC parents and professionals working together

AAC parents and professionals working together

How can we create the most suitable circumstances for an AAC user to succeed? How do we communicate and collaborate at home and in school? Our kids win when we can find ways to work together. By listening, engaging, and encouraging, both parents and professionals can help our AAC users thrive together.
2 minute read
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Communication partner speaking with an AAC user

Communication partner skills: Do you have them?

There is a lot of research about communication partner behavior and how they interact with non-speaking people and/or AAC users. We clearly see that speaking people dominate the conversations. In the on-demand training video “Communication partner skills” Part 1 and 2, part of our AAC training series, our senior Speech Pathologist Amanda Hartmann teaches tips, tricks and strategies that will help us all become successful communication partners.
3 minute read
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AAC Awareness Month 2020: Exploring AAC buzzwords

To help us all get our heads around the common jargon we share, we have compiled a lists of over 20 AAC buzzwords. This compilation includes definitions of commonly used terms such as presume competence, modeling and attributing meaning. Each buzzword is clearly explained with some key tips and reminders. Share our buzzwords within your teams.
2 minute read
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Making a paper-based AAC book

Making a paper-based AAC book

AssistiveWare’s Amanda, Speech Language Pathologist, shares how to create a paper-based AAC book of your vocabulary. With it you will always have a backup communication system if anything should happen to your device.
3 minute read
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Presuming competence: the only prerequisite to AAC

We develop Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) apps and have been doing so for over 10 years. Some of us have been in the field for two or three decades and, while systems have changed and improved, one roadblock to communication remains.
6 minute read
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The Do’s and Don’ts of AAC

Do’s and Don’ts of AAC - Core words

AssistiveWare’s David Niemeijer and Jane Farrall teamed up on a Do’s and Don’ts of AAC Poster for International AAC Awareness Month. This blog explores one of the Do/Don’t pairs.
3 minute read
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The Do’s and Don’ts of AAC

Do’s and Don’ts of AAC - Access to AAC

AAC users should be able to say what they want, when they want, so they must have access to their AAC system all the time! The rest of the team also needs fast and instant access to the AAC system. How else will they model?
6 minute read
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