Using TD Snap to Build Multimodal, Inclusive Learning Environments

Hey Tek-ninjas! Today, I'm excited to share a guest blog post from my colleague Michelle Lassiter. Michelle is a speech therapist, and the Tobii Dynavox Solutions Consultant for South Carolina. She's super smart, and I loved this idea she had and shares with the SLPs she works with! Naturally, I asked her if she'd write up a post for me and you, and here it is!

Using TD Snap to Build Multimodal, Inclusive Learning Environments
As an SLP and AAC consultant, one of my favorite ways to enhance both therapy and classroom instruction is by integrating the Tobii Dynavox TD Snap Core Pageset with customized pages for articulation, phonology, and literacy support. Over time, I’ve built-out pages within TD Snap that function as my digital therapy toolkit. This allows me to be always organized, always accessible, and always ready to meet the needs of every student who walks through the door.

Using TD Snap during lessons and therapy helps not only me, as the SLP, but also my teachers and AAC teams feel confident navigating the software. And before you tell me it’s “too much work to learn another app,” hear me out, because this setup is designed to make your life easier, not harder. And it is a free tool for all SLP’s and AAC professionals!

A Reality Every School‑Based SLP Knows Too Well

Before moving into AAC full‑time, I spent years as a school‑based SLP with zero therapy budget. Like so many of us, I purchased countless materials from Teachers Pay Teachers, stayed up late laminating and cutting, and tried to build a library of visuals and activities I could grab quickly.

But the reality was:

• My preschool groups would pivot activities with no warning
• A new group would walk in needing completely different materials
• The laminated resources I spent hours prepping were never in front of me at the right moment

TD Snap completely changed that. Instead of scrambling for physical materials, I could preload everything directly into my free TD Snap for Professionals app. Therapy became smoother, more flexible, and far more responsive to the moment‑to‑moment needs of young learners and my busy SLP schedule.

Therapy Tools Right Where You Need Them

Inside the Topics section in TD Snap, I create one main button, which I typically labeled “Therapy Tools.”

 
That button opens to a dedicated page containing:

• Articulation & phonology pages for specific targets
• Literacy pages with book‑specific vocabulary
• Core‑based book supports that preload key words from stories or activities
• Quick‑access visuals, sound‑production videos, routines, and supports

The result is a neatly organized, instantly accessible digital therapy bag. So, no more digging through folders, losing materials, or juggling multiple apps!

Supporting Teachers and ELL Students
When teachers connect TD Snap to their smart boards, they gain immediate access to the same vocabulary students are using on their devices. This allows them to:

• Model AAC naturally during instruction
• Support ELL students with visual and linguistic scaffolds
• Aid students with learning and thinking differences
• Reinforce academic vocabulary in real time

Because therapy and instructional vocabulary live in the same place, AAC becomes a natural, consistent part of classroom learning and provides multi-modal learning supports for ALL learners while modeling AAC for those who need it!

Building Confidence for AAC Teams

Customizing Pagesets this way helps SLPs, teachers, and paraprofessionals learn the software without feeling overwhelmed. Embedding therapy and literacy materials directly within the TD Snap for Professional’s app system gives teams experience with the software providing:

• A predictable structure
• Familiar navigation
• Hands‑on confidence editing buttons, linking pages, and modeling AAC.

The result is a classroom where communication is supported across the entire day; vocabulary is accessible, and AAC becomes a shared language for everyone, and not just the student using it. All that from a tool I can access for free as an AAC Professional! Definitely a win-win in my world.

If you are a Speech Therapist, and you'd like to get your professional license of TD Snap, just reach out to your local Solutions Consultant, and they can help you out!

Your Voice Matters: Contribute to AAC Research

Hey Tek-ninjas!  I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday if you celebrate. Right before the break I shared the post on the Augur AAC research results. There is a new US based study now open for AAC users and/or their care givers. This is an independent study which aims to capture real-life experiences from AAC users, families, and caregivers. The goal is to show how high-tech communication tools make a difference in everyday life. It's my belief (and other's) that this study isn’t just about numbers, but rather stories, impact, and advocacy.

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What’s This Survey About?

Responses should come from:

• AAC users
• Caregivers or assistants to AAC users

Responses are completely anonymous and will help better understand the value of communication tools for users, caregivers, and society at large. And like the study discussed in the previous post, while this study is commissioned by Dynavox Group, similarly, participants can use any AAC product.

Survey Details:

• AAC users: 15–20 questions
• Caregivers: 20–30 questions
• Optional extra questions if you have time
• You can pause and resume later on the same device
  By participating, you consent to the collection and use of socio-economic information, including aspects related to health and well-being.

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Why Participate?

• Your responses help researchers understand the true value of AAC.
• Your responses has the potential to inform policy, funding, and access decisions.
• Your responses can amplify the voices of those who rely on AAC every day.

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Ready to Make a Difference?

Click here to join or share the study
It’s quick, confidential, and your contribution could help others gain better access to communication tools.  

Exploring the Benefits of Augmentative and Alternative: A Game-Changer for AAC Users

 Hey Tek-ninjas! I’m excited to share some fascinating findings from a recent study out of Germany that shines a bright light on the real-world impact of high-tech AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) solutions. 

This research, conducted by Augur and Prof. Dr. Tom Stargardt at the Hamburg Center of Health Economics, was commissioned by Dynavox Group. I'd want to to point out that the study is agnostic in nature, and users of any AAC SGD are welcome. The researchers were not looking at one manufacturer, and instead hoped to show the power of AAC as a whole.

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What Did They Do?

From October 2024 to March 2025, researchers interviewed:

• 12 users and caregivers (physical/digital interviews)
• 6 professionals
  That’s 18 in-depth conversations to start.
  Then they added:
• 188 online surveys with users and caregivers across Germany.

With a relatively large sample it’s a robust look at AAC in action.

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The Big Takeaways

• Quality of Life:
  AAC nearly doubles a user’s quality of life. For someone who struggles to communicate, these tools aren’t just helpful, but can actually be transformative.

• Return on Investment:
  High-tech AAC solutions pay for themselves about 1.4 times over. I think that anecdotally, clinicians have always thought AAC was good for individuals, but this study suggest that AAC is also good for economics. I'd go so far as to say that investing in AAC pays dividends for society.

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Why Does This Matter?

For years, we’ve known AAC changes lives. This study gives us data to back up what clinicians, caregivers, and users have been saying all along:
AAC isn’t a luxury or party trick, but rather it is an essential investment.

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Want to Dive Deeper?

You can grab:

• The full Germany study
• An executive summary
• A poster with key findings

All free of charge. 

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As someone who’s spent years in the AAC space, I love seeing research that validates what we do. If you’re a therapist, educator, or advocate, share this with your team. Let’s keep pushing for access, because communication is a human right.

Stay sharp, Tek-ninjas, and happy Thanksgiving if you celebrate!

The Case Against Technology: Again

Hey Tek-ninjas! It’s been a while since my last post.

Recently, I had an interesting conversation with someone from a company that creates AI avatars modeled after real people. She posed an intriguing question: if they made an avatar of my CEO, what scenarios could I imagine that avatar taking part in?

Honestly, I was stumped. While an avatar might respond to questions in the voice and manner of my CEO, I pointed out that a big part of what people value in those interactions is the genuine sense of connection with the individual themselves. Even if the AI “feels” authentic, the relationship is fundamentally different—it’s not actually them you’re connecting with.

To be clear, I use AI in many aspects of my work and life. The genie is out of the bottle—AI is here to stay. Instead of resisting, I believe it’s smarter to learn how to leverage these tools than to risk being left behind.

This conversation reminded me of the video above made about 15 years ago by the great folks at Don Johnston, who were a developer of human learning solutions, particularly focusing on tools to support students who struggle to read and write. Evidently, the Don Johnston brand was retired awhile back, and their website has migrated to Texthelp.  

The video's message feels more relevant now than ever. I wanted to share it today—not to suggest you must jump into Ai completely, but to encourage everyone to avoid sticking their head in the sand. Find your own way to understand AI and its possibilities. Many of the assertions made in the video feel more true today than ever before. 

I realize this may be a hot topic for some, especially those in the art space. I'd love to hear how other's are leveraging Ai to improve their occupational performance. 

Supporting Hurricane Damaged Devices

Hi Tek-ninjas. It's been a long time. Like many folks I have been feeling overwhelmed by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. There is so much tragedy in it's wake in so much of the Southeast. I recognize that many folks who need this aren't accessing electricity let alone the internet. But on the off chance any of this information can help even one person, I'm sharing here.

This first information is specifically for folks with SGD from Tobii Dynavox who have experienced damage, loss, or simply can't power their devices:

Supporting Damaged Devices:

If your Tobii Dynavox device has been damaged, please reach out to technical support 800-344-1778. They can check if it is under warranty and if it can be repaired or needs to be replaced.

Repairing a Device Through Insurance in English and Spanish.
Download Free Speaking Trial
TD Talk for iPadOS

These tools may be beneficial for anyone who needs a voice during this time.

Light-Tech Communication Options
ICU Text Hospital Communication Board and Symbol Based
ALS Printable Communication Board
Print page from TD Snap

Supporting Understanding of What Happened or What to Expect:
Hurricane Preparedness Book (looking ahead to another storm coming)
We Are Ready! Book

Also, there is a page on their website with emergency response resources: Emergency response resources - Tobii Dynavox US

Additionally, if you need a replacement or repair that is not covered by warranty, here are a few options to explore regardless of who made/sold your SGD:

1. Do you have home-owner's insurance? That may cover it.

2. or do you have home-owner's insurance? That may cover it.

3. The funding department of the respective companies may be able to touch base with your insurer to ascertain what supports/coverage might be in place with them.

4. These agencies have come to my attention, and they might be able to help:

a. USAAC states If your AAC equipment has been lost or damaged, we can help you get a replacement at no cost. To begin that process, contact the US AAC Society (USSAAC) Disaster Relief Committee.

b. Recovers states that they are ready to help replace AAC devices and supports lost or damaged in the hurricane and its aftermath.

Neither organizations are affiliated with Tobii Dynavox nor myself. 

If you have questions about any of this Tobii-Dynavox Solutions Consultant likely can offer you guidance.

Wishing you all well, hoping you and yours are safe. If anyone has other ideas please share in the comments.

Snap to Item and Auto Hide on iOS17!

 Hey Tek-ninjas! A lot of us across the AAC industry are pretty excited by Apple's iOS17 update this month. 

Tobii Dynavox's TD Pilot is based on 15+ years of research and testing across all types of ethnicities, disabilities, eyewear and lighting conditions, both indoors and outdoors.  It is already a pretty amazing piece of DME. As the first company to earn the MFi from Apple, and the only company to work directly with Apple, Tobii Dynavox created Region Based Interface, offering a definite edge in precision and accuracy in their AAC software. Out side the specialty software the eye-gaze leveraged Apple's Assistive Touch. Now with the Snap function, the Assistive Touch function outside the AAC software is faster and more accurate. 

This video above demonstrates how to toggle the functions on, after you've updated your system to iOS17. With the improvements even smaller targets located in any app becomes significantly easier to access. Any app that can function in landscape mode is more accessible than ever before with the TD Pilot.

Join Tobii Dynavox online trainings!

Hey Tek-ninjas! With AAC Awareness month coming up in October, clear your calendar and add some learning!  Here’s what Tobii Dynavox has got coming up.  Click each link below for additional information and to register. And don't forget, if you register and can't attend, you'll receive a recording to watch on your own time.

Week of October 2

Keep Doing What Matters: Technology Supports for ALS

Communication Partner Training for Aphasia and AAC

Boardmaker Flash 15: Celebrate AAC Awareness Month

Earn CEUs! TD Snap Motor Plan Overview

Week of October 9

Voice Banking: Keep Your Vocal Identity with a Personal Synthetic Voice

Support Comprehension for People with Aphasia

Find and Use Pre-Made Activities in Boardmaker

Editing 101: Skills to Get Started with TD Snap

Happy learning!

DAGG-3: assess, reassess, goal writing, strategies, lessons all in one!

 Hi Tek-ninjas, are you familiar with the DAGG-2? If you’ve not heard yet, I have good news for you. There is a new version - the DAGG-3 and it is better than ever!  

The DAGG-3 (Dynamic AAC Goals Grid, edition 3) is a highly effective assessment tool used by SLPs and other professionals to assess, plan, implement and track goals for augmentative and alternative communicators of all levels.

The DAGG-3 was developed by Tobii Dynavox in conjunction with Vicki Clarke, MS, CCC-SLP (2023) based on the original DAGG created by Clarke and Schneider, 2009. Informed by the works of Patricia Dowden, PhD (1999), and Janice Light, PhD (1989, 2014).

It’s available to all at no cost. And you can get your copy here. Historically, as an occupational therapist working in the school systems I found the DAGG tools to be uniquely, helpful in breaking down complex speech concepts for all stakeholders, and getting a whole team on board understanding both deficits and affordances faced by the student.

Happy therapy!

PCS playground sign GIVEAWAY!

 Hey Tek-ninjas! Are you back to school yet? Soon if not. Well, in anticipation of busy playgrounds, Tobii Dynavox has two give-aways that might interest you. Check it out!

They are giving away 2 signs - 1 for you, and 1 for a co-worker. Enter for a chance to win for your classroom or playground PCS playground signs—which help students express themselves through symbols on the playground. 

If you don't win, you can still get some for sale on the Tobii Dynavox website.

 Enter in 3 simple steps:

Follow their page
Like this post
Tag a fellow educator below the post here!

Terms: Contest ends 8/18/23 at 11:59PM EST. Winners will be notified 8/21/22 via Facebook.

Welcome back to school!

Solutions Consultant - (western) Virginia

 Hey Tek-ninjas! Are you interested in "delivering voices"? Our Solutions Consultant, Caroline Gaddy, who has been taking care of this area of Virginia is moving to our Learning Team to better share her clinical experience at a National level. We are looking for that "just-right" fit to help us make a difference.

Read more here.

Mentoring with Tamika

 Hey Tek-ninjas! This one goes out to my Occupational Therapy colleagues. Particularly, but not exclusively, to my newer grad friends. 

I remember my first job out of graduate school. Our program spent a lot of time focused on the theoretical underpinnings of Occupational Therapy, which I think served me very well in the long run. But - as a new graduate, I relied heavily on my peers to provide mentoring. Unfortunately, they also had caseloads and weren't always available. 

This brings me to TherapyMomMe. My former school based colleague, Tamika Harris, OTR/L is now offering online mentoring services for Occupational Therapists. 

Long time readers may remember that Tamika has been a guest blogger on Tek-Ninja in the past. With roughly 20 years experience predominantly in public schools, Tamika has also worked in early intervention, home health, outpatient clinics, preschool, and a residential center for people with multiple disabilities. She has extensive experience working with a variety of special needs children with diagnosis such as Autism, Down Syndrome, Developmental Delays, Cerebral Palsy, ADHD, just to name a few.

You may be wondering, how does this work? It's very simple, on her website you:

1) Sign up for mentorship.

2) Create objectives, outcomes, and a plan with your mentor during the first meeting.

3) Learn, Grow, and succeed. Discuss cases, get tools and resources, and reach your goals.

4) 2 hours = 1 PDU (maximum of 18 units per renewal cycle) Complete a minimum of 2 hours for credit.

Mentorship with Tamika is $60 per hour. If you are looking for some guidance from a seasoned and committed Occupational Therapist, Tamika may be just the answer you are seeking!

Happy therapy!

Mandatory Boardmaker Updates!

Hey Tek-ninjas! This one goes out to anyone using Boardmaker.  On February 21st Boardmaker announced "On Thursday, March 2, we will be releasing version 7.2.5 of the Boardmaker 7 Editor and Boardmaker 7 Student Center. This is a REQUIRED update for all users." 

If you don't run updates by April 1st, you risk losing ability to log in to your Boardmaker Account.

Those of you who have updated the Editor since last summer will get the Editor update automatically and just need to click "install".

Those who didn't update the Editor last year will need to download and install it. Everyone will need to download and install the Student Center update from get.myboardmaker.com.

All Boardmaker subscribers should receive a notification to this effect. You can read more about this here, and if you have questions about this process, you can ask them here. 

Good luck, and happy therapy!

OTs, SLPs, and AAC

 Hey Tek-ninjas! Yesterday I had a really wonderful experience co-presenting to the Methodist University's Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program. 

I got to co-present with my colleague Jo Taylor. Jo is a speech therapist, and a Solution Consultant for Tobii Dynavox, and she serves Eastern NC and Tidewater VA. We vibe really well - OT/SLP team powers and all that! 

Our topic was broad, looking at the Occupational Therapist's role in AAC, how they can best support SLPs and AAC users. We discussed what the role of the Solution Consultant is. Finally, we also looked at two case studies and facilitated a conversation about which access modalities might be best for respective clients. 

I love presenting to Occupational Therapists on AAC. Here in the US, our medical model sets SLPs as the procurers of SGD, and this is appropriate especially for emergent communicators and other's with language disorders. But.... as Occupational Therapists we have a huge role and opportunity to help support AAC users and the SLPs who serve them. 

Back in April of 2022 I wrote an article about how Occupational Therapists may not realize they have the requisite training to support AAC users and our SLP friends who serve them, when in fact we do. In the post I note how the HAAT (The Human Activity Assistive Technology Model) dovetails so nicely with most all of our Occupational Performance Models, I also want to encourage you to remember your training in Activity Analysis. It will carry you through the technology. 

So again, I'm challenging my Occupational Therapy colleagues to be open to continued learning, and to find a willing SLP and partner with them to deliver even more robust therapy with attention to AAC. 

One of the silver linings of my visit to Methodist University was that I connected in person for the first time with long-time "Instagram friend" (yes, that's a thing) Annabeth from the dynamic-duo from thefannypacktherapist. If you aren't familiar with their work, check it out. They consistently model what a great OT/SLP team can look like, and they share a lot of ideas around 'best-practices'.

Do you partner with another discipline to support AAC? I'd love to hear how. In my work on school based AT teams I was privileged to partner with VI teachers, PTs, SLPs, SPeDs, and of course parents. I learned so much from all of them. 

Making Art for Eye-gaze Users: Revisited

 Hey Tek-ninjas! Back in April of 2020 I shared some insights from a Tobii Dynavox Tech Support colleague around making artwork with eye gaze devices. This article has been share and reshared quite a bit, but since then Tobii Dynavox released the newer iSeries which includes Computer Control. Over the last 2 years, Computer Control has been evolving rapidly with so many tool options. Now Computer Control has a really nice drawing mode, however it takes some education and practice. Remember, Computer Control is available only on the iSeries and the PCEye.

If you have someone interested in drawing with eye gaze, regardless of the art software, you will want to check out the Learning Hub video and guide course "Using Functions in TD Control".

Additionally, here are a few tips to keep in mind: 

• first time is a bit tough, but after a minute or two of practice you should get better control
• there's almost a delayed magnetic field to the drawing tool's direction, which serves to allow you a delay in control that is quite beneficial once you get familiar with it
• The Control circle is called "The donut shape"; the inner circle is where you draw, the out circle is the direction. If you go out of the outer circle, it stops. within the donut is speed - closer to the center the slower your drawing - further from the center (but still in the donut) the faster your drawing.

This takes some practice, but folks are using it successfully with basic art programs like Microsoft Paint all the way to Photoshop. Below I've posted the original article with the art programs recommended by Orry. I've not changed the original article at all, knowing that there are folks out there successfully using their i12's and i15's with Windows Control or Gaze Point. 

Hey Tek-ninjas! Recently my colleague, Orry Deason shared a post with our co-workers. I'm essentially sharing it word for word - there's not much I could add to improve it. I will add, if the end-user's device is still "locked" as a dedicated device, and they are accessing one of the online platforms noted below, they will need to contact the device vendor to pay the unlock fee. For Tobii Dynavox that fee is $25. Enjoy.

"This comes up every so often so I figured I'd share; art programs that have worked previously with our devices. 

There's no art program with built-in/native eye gaze, but third party programs can be used via Windows Control or Gaze Point, which are included on (Tobii Dynavox) devices. Here are some we have seen work, though the software you should use depends on the age and ability of the user and the complexity desired.

Microsoft Paint 

Microsoft Paint

is included on Tobii Dynavox devices. It is basic and straightforward, and easy to use, but some of the options may be too small for some eye gaze users to hit.

Paint.net

Paint.net (https://www.getpaint.net/ - (Free) is comparable to Microsoft Paint with some additional features. Again, some options may be too small for some users to hit.

Kid Pix 

Kid Pix

(https://www.mackiev.com/kidpix/ - (paid with free trial) is designed for kids, but has a lot of art and animation options. It's also nearly as old as I am. 

Paint Online

Paint Online (https://kidmons.com/game/paint-online/ - (free) is very simple, geared towards younger children, but the large buttons on it may make it easier for eye gaze users. It is web based, though, so some users may need guidance on accessing the website. I'd recommend using the Full Screen button at the bottom right. 

Sketch.io 

Sketch.io

(https://sketch.io/ - free) is also web-based with more features than Paint Online, but has a large drawing area which may be easier for eye gaze users to access. 

SketchUp

SketchUp 

(https://www.sketchup.com/ - free and paid versions) is a program made for 3D art, and is much more complex than the others. (The artist Francis Tsai used this program along with Adobe Photoshop, using a Tobii Dynavox device: https://www.iamag.co/the-iconic-eye-gaze-art-of-francis-tsai/ ) 

ArtRage 

Art Rage

(https://www.artrage.com/ - paid) is popular and relatively easy to use--the less expensive/less complex Lite version may be easier for Eye Gaze users, with larger buttons for better accessibility. (The artist Megan Fry uses this program with an I-12! https://www.artrage.com/artrage-artist-feature-megan-fry/) 

Aseprite 

Aseprite

(https://www.aseprite.org/ - paid with free trial) is geared towards pixel art/sprites and small animations and is easy to access, but has some level of complexity and some of the advanced features may be tough for eye gaze users to hit."
Orry adds that "this list isn't exhaustive, but hopefully it will point you in the right direction!" If you readers have other suggestions please don't hesitate to post in the comments section, and include links! 

Happy art making!

Supporting GLP with TD Snap and Caroline

Hey Tek-ninjas, if you serve individuals with Autism and possible AAC needs, I want to recommend this 1 hour course “Supporting Gestalt Language Processors with TD Snap" from Tobii Dynavox. This presentation discusses how features within TD Snap can facilitate language development for Gestalt Language Processors who are AAC users. In this session you'll explore potential page set ups to support their language learning style.

Recently I posted about the upcoming NCACA Conference and how great those presenters are. This offering is presented by one of them, Caroline Gaddy, who is both a friend and a colleague. Caroline is uniquely qualified to teach this course because she is Autistic, the mother of neurodivergent children, a Speech Therapist, and a Tobii Dynavox Solutions Consultant. This presentation received so much positive feedback from SLPs and Caregivers, imo it's not to be missed. 

You will of course need a free account for the Tobii Dynavox Learning Hub if you don't have one. As I've posted before, if you already have a log in for www.mytobiidynavox.com or the https://efunding.tobiidynavox.com, those are Single Sign-ins, and you can log in with that username and password. 

Happy therapy!

TD Snap Motor Plan in the US!

 Hey Tek-ninjas! A number of you are already aware that Tobii Dynavox is releasing a new Motor Plan page set in the US. It was released a month or so back in the UK, and the feedback so far has been pretty terrific.

If this is news to you, here's what Tobii Dynavox has to say about the page set: "TD Snap Motor Plan is an efficient way for learners with complex access needs to develop language. This page set focuses on core words and word-by-word sentence construction. Each word appears only once with a distinct path, or motor plan, to find it. Over time, the communicator will automatically locate words, allowing them to focus more on what they want to say.

The page set comes in 30 and 66 position layouts and are optimised to find words faster, customise vocabulary and grow language with the brand new vocabulary filter. Join us to learn all about how these exciting new page sets can support early language learners and advanced communicators alike."

One of the many aspects I'm excited about here is that if you are already familiar with TD Snap, you already know how to edit and customize the page set because the Motor Plan is run by the same engine. 

Tobii Dynavox has posted on their website that they anticipate the page sets will be released at the end of January. If you'd like to learn more they ask you to fill out and submit this form. 

There are live trainings planned on the following dates via Zoom. Each session has 300 seats, but I'd wager, they will fill up quickly!

Wednesday, January 25th 8-8:45 ET

Thursday, January 26th 3-3:45 ET

Friday, January 27th 12-12:45 ET

These trainings are free of charge. While you are there, check out all of the other great live trainings. 

Happy therapy!

NCACA 40th ANNUAL CONFERENCE VIRTUAL

 Hey Tek-Ninjas! I'm writing today to inform you of the upcoming 40th Annual NCACA Virtual
Conference. It will be Friday, February 24, 2023, 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM EST. The folks at NCACA always put on a great conference, and this year will be no exception. 

If you were at ASHA this year, you may have heard Caroline Gaddy present. If you missed it, well, good news, she is presenting here. Caroline's topic title is: "Applying a Neurodiversity Framework to Supporting Autistic AAC Users". Caroline is an Autistic & multiply neurodivergent SLP and AAC Tobii Dynavox Consultant based in Virginia. I get to brag to people that we work together!

Also presenting is Emily Diaz, Emily is a school-based SLP with a robust Instagram following. I'm a big fan of her IG account, and encourage you to check it out if you have not. Emily's presentation is titled: "Unlocking Their Potential: Coaching Habits That Increase Stakeholder Buy-In for AAC".

The final presenter is Lauren (Enders) Gonzales. Lauren is an SLP and AAC/AT consultant working for the Bucks County Intermediate Unit in Eastern Pennsylvania. Lauren's presentation is titled: "AAC for Me! Considerations for AAC System Personalization".

All three of these presenters have been presenting on the national level and each one of them alone would make a conference great. Having the three of them guarantees a stellar day of learning. Don't miss it! When I registered, there were only 98 slots open. 

Core Skater Shoes!

 Hey Tek-ninjas! I've decided to shut down the Tek-ninja merchandise page, and some of you may notice the tab at the top of the page is no longer there. 

I have enjoyed the experience and sold almost 1,000 pair of Core Skater Shoes. Thank you so much for your support and interest. 

I have a relatively small assortment of women's sizes if anyone is interested, feel free to email me at jim@tek-ninja.com. 

Current Sizes (as of 12/11/2024):

7.5 = 8 pair

9   = 8 pair

10 = 3 pair

I'm asking $55 plus shipping on the remaining stock.

"His vocabulary has grown tremendously...."

Hey Tek-ninjas! A while back, I posted how Kiyah uses her AAC device to effectively navigate her life. More recently, Tobii Dynavox posted a short clip of a boy named Brock and how he uses the TD i110. I've shared it below.

I'm sharing Brock's video, because I believe many folks don't understand the power of AAC, and it is simply a joyous clip!  Similar to the video of Kiyah, this video of Brock provides a terrific look into AAC. On the linked page, Brock's mother is quoted saying: "His vocabulary has grown tremendously, and we love seeing our lil’ man finally being able to speak his mind". Those are powerful words!

Check out the link to read more about Brock's success, what life with Assistive Technology can look like, and the benefits of having a solid team helping our AAC users. 

Happy therapy!

Opportunity for End of Year LEARNING (and CEUs): Deep dive into implementing AAC.

Hey Tek-ninjas, the Tobii Dynavox Learning Team is excited to announce a virtual conference that you and your colleagues won't want to miss! They have great new content that takes a deeper dive into implementing AAC.

When: December 6th and 7th, the Learning Team is hosting a two-day learning event where learners can earn up to 10 PDH or 1.0 ASHA CEUs. Also, they are all free of charge.

Tobii Dynavox is not saying this.... Just me.... I've taken all of the ASHA approved courses and received full credit from AOTA. Just say'n. 

 
Where: use this link to view the conference landing page, and explore the courses offered.

Hope to see you there!