AAC in schools

organization framework

• special education

• department of AT

• speech and language department

• AAC specialist + SLPs

SELPA

Special Education Local Plan Agency

Federal Law

IDEA

State law

Texas Education Agency (TEA)

Assessment

• Referral

• Assessment Plan

• Conduct Assessment

• Report Results via IEP

• Device Recommendation

• Device Delivery

treatment

• Device awareness

• Appropriate goals & implementation of goals

• Team education & Collaboration

• AAC Supports & Resources

assessment process

referral→ AP received→ complete assessment→ IEP meeting→ create/distribute AAC system

referral

• parent/guardian or school team referral

• assessment plan generated

AP recieved

• 60 day timeline starts

• AAC assessment begins

• IEP is scheduled

complete assessment

• team interviews

• direct assessments & indirect assessments

• AAC device trials & analysis

IEP meeting

• assessment report is reviewed

• recommendations are discussed

• parent/guardian consent or no consent

create/distribute AAC system

• if consent given, AAC system is built

• team trainings scheduled

• AAC system is distributed to student

AAC system swareness

• student’s system and AAC history

• student’s awareness

• teams awareness of student’s communication modality

kotter’s 8 step model is for…

cultivating credibility & change

our role: programming and trouble shooting

• personalizing

• increasing motivation

goals and implementation

• appropriate academic goals

• SLP’s awareness & level of comfort with integration

• generalization

team education and collaboration

• IDT collab

• team meeting or 1:1 support with AAC integration

• coaching SLPs and other service providers

AAC supports and resources

• additional resources

• supplemental materials

• customized trainings

our role: training and collaboration

• presuming competence

• aided language stimulation

• communication vs. compliance

• cueing/prompting

make sure the AAC device is…

• charged

• clean

• locked

• accessible

• consistent

common reminders

• Students should not work to “earn” their device

• Students should not get their device taken away as punishment

• Students should use their device for communication only

our role: treatment

• ensuring accessibility

• naturalistic opportunities

• routines

• push-ins

our role: IEPs

• IEP meetings

• goals

• supports

recent evolutions

1. accessibility

2. advances in knowledge

3. advances in technology

barriers

• SLP & team training

• Misconceptions

• Consistency

• Insurance/Accessibility

common apps

PROLOQUE2GO

LAMP

TouchChat

WordFinder

GoTalk Lite (low-tech)

communication board (low-tech)

Imitating the neurological processes associated with typical speech development

LAMP

Assistive Technology Act of 2004

Provides every state with federal funding to support efforts to increase access to, and acquisition of, AT devices and services.

who provides training and technical assistance for all AT Act Programs and provides the public with up-to-date information and resources related to assistive technology.

National Assistive Technology Act Technical Assistance and Training (AT3) Center

tips

• Download quick reference guides

• Join subscriptions & add vendors on social media

• Contact your local rep

• Connect families with state funded organizations