AAC...the more you know...

Hey Tek-ninjas! Let's talk about learning opportunities to support your AAC users.

One of the biggest barriers often talked about from individuals implementing AAC is that they are unsure where to start. Tobii Dynavox's Pathways for Core First is a free companion app that is ideal for any communication partner seeking expert guidance and best practices to get started using symbol-based AAC. The company made this software to support folks using Snap + Core First, but the reality is, there are some really tremendous tools here that can support ALL AAC users who are using a Core approach. Pathways provides videos, lesson plans, interactive goals and a suite of printable materials to help you each step of the way. Download the free app or use Pathways Online (available in English, German, Spanish, or Dutch) to help you get started or take you to the next level.

Back in July I blogged about the new Learning Hub from Tobii Dynavox. Well. They've got some updates for September! These are free Tobii Dynavox on-demand trainings that enable learners to also earn ASHA CEUs.

The new courses include:
Make it for Math in Boardmaker Online - Starts 9/13/19
Sharing Activities in Boardmaker Online - Starts 9/13/19
Boardmaker Picture Symbols: When & How to Use Them - Starts 9/15/19
Journey into Eye Gaze for Communication - Starts 9/30/19

Register for Courses

In addition, you can attend Live Webinars in September.

9/10/19 - 10:30 AM ET: Back to School with Snap Core First - Topics/Customization

9/10/19 - 5:30 PM ET: Boardmaker Ask Us Anything

9/11/19 - 12 PM ET: AAC Ask Us Anything

9/18/19 - 12 PM ET: Back to School with Snap Core First - Positive Behavior Supports

9/18/19 - 12 PM ET: AAC Ask Us Anything

9/18/19 - 4:00 PM ET: Introduction to Reading Avenue

9/24/19 - 5:30 PM ET: Boardmaker Ask Us Anything

9/25/19 - 12 PM ET: AAC Ask Us Anything

So... let's get to learning friends!

Modeling...

Hey Tek-ninjas! Summer is winding down, even though it was 100 degrees yesterday. As we get ready for school all over the US, I thought I’d share this quote from SLP Jane Korston. Many of you have likely seen it, but I feel it’s a good reminder of the importance of modeling, modeling, and more modeling.

“The average 18-month-old child has been exposed to 4,380 hours of oral language at the rate of 8 hours/day from birth. A child who has a communication system and receives speech/language therapy two times per week for 20-30 minute sessions will reach this same amount of language exposure in 84 years.”

We’ve got a lot of work to do!

More learning opportunities with Tobii Dynavox

Hey Tek-ninjas! Here are a number of terrific learning opportunities, which also include ASHA CEU's. I blogged about the Tobii Dynavox Learning Hub awhile back. Well, here are a variety of free Tobii Dynavox on-demand trainings that enable learners to also earn ASHA CEUs.

The current courses include:

Core First Learning

Explore Snap + Core First

Getting Started with Pathways for Core First

Introduction to Gaze Viewer

Making a Core Approach Approachable with Snap + Core First and Pathways

Overview of Boardmaker Activities-to-Go

Overview of Communicator 5 for Emergent, Symbolic, and Literate Communicators

Positive Behavior Supports within Snap + Core First

Snap Scene: Overview & Activities for All Ages

Tips, Tricks and Techniques with Snap + Core First

Tips for Quickly Creating Activities in Boardmaker

Tobii Dynavox will be adding new courses regularly so keep checking back. 

via GIPHY

Learn more and register

In addition, here is the August Live Webinar Schedule:

Aug 14 at 12 PM ET: AAC Ask Us Anything
Aug 15 at 12 PM ET: Back to School with Snap Core First - Positive Behavior Supports
Aug 20 at 12 PM ET: Back to School with Snap Core First - Topics and Customization
Aug 21 at 9 AM ET: Boardmaker Ask Us Anything
Aug 27 at 12 PM ET: Back to School with Core First Learning

Webinar Registration

Bank that Voice Friends!

Hey Tek-Ninjas! So, recently I had the chance to show some colleagues how well Message Banking works. It is really a pretty amazing tool for folks who are wanting to capture their voice, or that of a loved one and use that voice in their speech generating device.

I was aware that banked messages can than be downloaded and installed into Communicator 5 software, and grouped into categories. What I did not know was that users can also import their banked messages with categories into Grid 3 as well. This was brought to my attention by Chicago Tobii-Dynavox Solutions Consultant, McKenzie Mok.

Boston's Children Hospital (BCH) teamed up with Tobii Dynavox to create this free tool. For clarification, BCH defines "Message Banking as: Digitally recording and storing words, phrases, sentences, personally meaningful sounds using one’s natural voice, inflection and intonation. These messages are catalogued as .wav files and may then be linked to messages in a variety of augmentative communication technologies or sound storage files. This will allow you to ‘retrieve’ a message and speak it in your own voice but does not allow you to create novel messages by spelling."

Message Banking can be performed with a free mytobiidynavox account, the Message Banking service is also free.

It is easy to record your voice, and categorize the phrases as you deem appropriate. I did not make this video, it was made by the SLP John Costello of BCH, and I think it demonstrates the process really well.

 So the next steps are to upload the web files into your communication software. In the following video I demonstrate how to do this in both Communicator 5 and Grid 3. 

Happy Therapy!

Overview of the Learning Hub: Webinar

Hey Tek-ninjas! Just the other day I posted about the new Tobii-Dynavox Learning Hub.

Want to learn more?

Join Tobii-Dynavox for an hour to learn about the Learning Hub, and the variety of on-demand online trainings that span a variety of AAC and Boardmaker topics you won’t want to miss!

Date & Time: Thursday, July 25, 2019 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM ET

Presenter: Lisa M. Geary, M.S., CCC-SLP

Lisa Geary, M.S., CCC-SLP has over 25 years’ experience in speech-language pathology, teaching, and supervision. She previously served as Clinical Assistant Professor in a university setting as well as SLP in the public school, private practice, and outpatient rehabilitation settings. Lisa is a member of the Tobii Dynavox Learning Services Team, providing implementation workshops for professionals and customers.

I have worked with Lisa, and can tell you this will be good!

Register

In order to be able to support you Tobii-Dynavox will process your personal data according to their Privacy Policy.

Happy therapy!

Free AAC Trainings!

Hey Tek-ninjas! Today I want to tell you about a new offering from Tobii Dynavox. Recently the Learning Team rolled out a new online platform called the The Learning Hub. 

The Learning Hub hosts a variety of on-demand trainings, which Tobii Dynavox provides for free. You Speech Therapists out there can even get ASHA CEUs. 

But do not be deterred if you are not a Speech Therapist! If you are interested in learning AAC, you are welcome to make a free account and participate! I encourage parents, educators, and all other therapists to check it out.

The Learning Hub can be used on any Windows-based or iOS-based computers, laptops, and tablets, but according to the website, the best browser to use is Google Chrome. 

Did I mention it's free? 

Happy Therapy!

Shared Pageset for Circle Time

Hey Tek-ninjas! Before I even start on this post, let me reiterate, I'm trained as an Occupational Therapist, and an Assistive Technology Professional. I'm not a Speech Therapist. So all my speechy friends, if you have thoughts, or variations on how you might do this, please share with us!

Alright, disclaimer out of the way.... One of my favorite times to integrate AAC for our developmentally younger students is in Circle Time. Circle Time is one of those occurrences that seems consistent across schools, and happens every day.

I want to share with you a Snap + Core First Pageset which I created. Anyone is able to download it and run it on their version of the software. I would hope if you download it, you will edit and and fully customize it for your student.

If you are appealed by this pageset, and you want it for yourself, go to www.mytobiidynavox.com. If you don't have an account, make one (it's free). Once you've logged in, you can navigate to Pageset Central, where hundreds of clinicians, and care-givers have shared pagesets that they've made. You can find my Circle Time pageset here. Be sure to click "Add to My Stuff" in Pageset Central. That then adds the pageset to your mytobiidynavox account, and allows you to download it to your software.

Happy Circle Time!