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Complete this training for access to the application!

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Thanks for your interest in TouchChat! We have developed a Partner Program for Evaluation Centers/AT Lending Libraries/Hospitals/Clinics/Universities/Schools, etc. It gives you the opportunity to use the app for therapy, evaluations, modeling, or trials.

It is also a way to let parents/therapists in your area know that you have the app so that they can make an appointment with your facility for an assessment or trial with TouchChat (if these are services you offer). Of course, they will need to pay whatever fee your facility charges (or get it paid for by insurance).

We will give you a code for a free copy of TouchChat in exchange for your facility being listed on our website as a TouchChat Partner Resource. http://touchchatapp.com/community/partners

If you are interested in this option, please complete the application below. If your country is not listed, please contact us.

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TouchChat - Communication Apps for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch

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Thanks for your interest in TouchChat! We have developed a Partner Program for Evaluation Centers/AT Lending Libraries/Hospitals/Clinics/Universities/Schools, etc. It gives you the opportunity to use the app for therapy, evaluations, modeling, or trials.

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Complete this 60 minute course in one sitting for access to LAMP!

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If you will be engaging in AAC evaluations, evaluators can get a free license via this application

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Get a complimentary evaluator license from Smartbox. Complete our application form to receive a full copy of Grid software for evaluations.

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Free Classroom Poster Download

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Communication Bill of Rights: Classroom Posters by Amanda Hobson SLP

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Use this video to help partners understand the importance of AAC modeling

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Youtube channel with videos for training on a variety of partner strategies

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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So many amazing episodes on a variety of topics!

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Adina Malamut: Collaborating to Support Accessibility Across Disciplines

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Can acquire CEUs though this podcast. Two local (to MA) SLPs that are offering wonderful learning episodes!

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Kate Grandbois, MS, CCC-SLP, BCBA, LABA; Amy Wonkka, MA, CCC-SLP.

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Podcast · Kate Grandbois, MS, CCC-SLP, BCBA, LABA; Amy Wonkka, MA, CCC-SLP. · SLP Nerdcast offers ASHA CEUs through podcasts and online learning. We discuss clinical issues and best practices relevant to speech and language pathologists… kind of like a conference in your car. All of our online SLP courses can be used towards earning your 30 hours of required professional development. Simply choose the episode or course of your choice and head to the corresponding short post-test to earn your certificate of attendance and ASHA CEUs. SLP Nerdcast. A great resource for SLP Continuing Education. Become a Nerdcast SLP Member and save 10% on annual membership with code PODCAST10 https://bit.ly/SLPNerdcastMembership

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Blog

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Featured Post

Here in the US, we're getting ready for Turkey Day. If you're celebrating Thanksgiving, these resources may be of interest.... [Read More...]

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Here is a list of 70 kids picture books with lots of opportunities to target Core Vocabulary that I recently sold (60 in a large SLP buy sell trade group on Facebook and the remaining 10 on my own OMazing Kids SLP Retirement Sale page). As part of my original post I had included a list of the books and the core words in each. Unfortunately the SLP admin of that group blocked me from that group, froze the post and now deleted it. She did not respond to my messages asking why this was done. I followed all the rules of posting in that group. Anyways.... this soon to be retired SLP does not have time or the energy to deal with that craziness. So I will no longer be posting items for sale in that group.

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Fortunately I still have the list that I had posted and decided to share it here. These are not all the books that I had or used for Core Vocabulary. They are just the ones that I hadn't sold yet when I decided to sell Core Vocabulary book bundles.

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* A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na (when, go, some, make, up, open, all)
* A Dark, Dark Cave by Eric Hoffman (through, in, up, down, what, this, out, who, to, play)
* A Fish Out of Water by Helen Palmer (like, more, all, big, no, not, put, in, stop, up, can, down, help, come, to, do)
* An Island in the Sun by Stella Blackstone (I, see, my, little, in, by, on, me, beside, together, play)
* Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman (on, here, want, eat, get, away, out, where, my, look, up, not, see, down, go, no, big, get, stop, want, put, in)
* Away in My Airplane by Margaret Wise Brown (in, my, over, through, up, fast, not, out, down, look)
* Baby Bear Sees Blue by Ashley Wolff (down, in, up, who, that, see, me, what, good, those, let, off, look, close; also have used for targeting colors)
* Big Yellow Sunflower by Frances Barry (little, what, you, be, under, out, up, come, big) (kids love the unique way the pages flap open and form a sunflower)
* Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin & Eric Carle (what, you, see, look, at, me; also have used for targeting colors)
* But Not the Hippopotamus by Sandra Boynton (board book) (not, in, on, to, with, come, go, yes)
* Count to 10 with a Mouse by Margaret Wise Brown (little, in, look, through, there, see, what, here, up, around)
* Down by the Cool of the Pool by Tony Mitton (down, by, in, can, you, like, me, I, not, you, see, all, stop, no)
* Duck in the Truck by Jez Alborough (board book) (this, in, where, down, help, can, not, out)
* Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow (board book) (put, on, off, no, more, can, go)
* From Head to Toe by Eric Carle (I, am, can, you, do, it; also have used for targeting body parts)
* Go! Go! Go! Stop! by Charisse Mericele Harper (board book) (little, go, like, new, into, to, up, look, here, there, stop, not, across)
* Goodnight Little One by Margaret Wise Brown (little, on, close, in, stop, no, all)
* Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss (I, am, that, not, like, here, there, in, with, on, you)
* Hooray for Hat by Brian Won (up, go, away, on, look, give, not, want)
* Hot Rod Hamster by Cynthia Lord (I, need, you, want, which, more, now, go, where)
* I Could Be, You Could Be by Karen Owen (I, can, be, make, all, in, on, like, up, me)
* I Like Bugs by Margaret Wise Brown (paperback) (I, like, in, on, big)
* I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont (oversized board book) (I, like, myself, me, no, be, my, different, same, fast, slow, go, do, down, all, want, not, look, stop)
* I See Summer by Charles Ghigna (I, see, at, in, with)
* I Went Walking by Sue Williams (board book) (I, what, you, see, look, me)
* If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff (if, you, give, go, with, up, take, in, look, find, put, need, want)
* If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff (if, you, give, some, go, it, when, drink, all, up, more, make, up, want, play, get, need, off, around, finished)
* If You Give a Pig a Party by Laura Numeroff (if, you, give, want, put, on, to, look, all, be, there, take, play, finished, come, make)
* If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff (if, you, take, give, want, on, see, make, need, finished, help, go, up, get, look)
* If You're Happy and You Know It: Jungle Edition (if, you, it, your, give, up, around, go, do all)
* Inside, Outside, Upside Down by Stan & Jan Berenstain (go, in, down, out, on, to, off, come, up)
* Let's Go Visiting by Sue Williams (paperback) (go, what, you, play, no, more)
* Like a Windy Day by Frank Asch (I, want, play, like, down, through, turn, in, make, help, big, on)
* Little Bitty Friends by Elizabeth McPike (little)
* Monkey Puzzle by Julia Donaldson (my, little, not, help, you, big, me, come, no, not, her, she, over, that, where, go)
* More Spaghetti, I Say! by Rita Golden Gelman (play, with, me, can, on, by, no, not, eat, you, do, it, I, need, more, love, with, look, that, look, away)
* Mouse by Zebo Ludvicek (have, not, more, all, me, like, look, can, up, see, here, go, no, you)
* Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash by Sarah Weeks (out, big, take, all, on, up)
* Natsumi! by Susan Lendroth (small, big, not, fast, want, like, help, yes, open, come, look, all)
* Not a Box by Antoinette Portis (why, you, in, not, it, what, on, I, this, around,
* Oh, No! By Candace Fleming & Eric Rohmann (in, help, no, not, down, get, out, slow, on)
* Old MacDonald's Funny Farm by Roxanne Lanczak Williams (small paperback) (no, not)
* One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root (board book) (down, by, in, help, who, can, to, no, all, we, out)
* Over in the Garden by Jennifer Ward (over, in, on, where, through, by, up; includes facts about the creatures in the book)
* Over in the Meadow by Ezra Jack Keats (over, in, all, where, on, by, we)
* Peek-a-Moo by Marie Torres Cimarusti (who) (fun flip down flaps)
* Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire (I, will, go, in, want, see, it, do, like, this, where, will, you, here, not, out, why, put, me, can, look, all, more, on, make, up, there,
* Say Boo to the Animals! by Ian Whybrow (off, we, go, through, some, up, in, not, you, who, that, what, now, this, where, want, play)
* Say Hello to the Baby Animals by Ian Whybrow (this, go, want, hello, look, me, I can, see, you, love, in, love, who, go, here, down, goodbye)
* Sitting in My Box by Dee Lillegard (in, my, let, me, over, all, no, this, it, go, not)
* Ten Apples Up on Top by Dr. Seuss - includes small character pics on Velcro inside front cover (up, on, look, you, I, can, do, it, more, on, me, not, stop, let, come, this, want, they, get, out)
* The Itsy Bitsy Spider by Iza Trapani (up, down, out, again, off, no, go, in, next to, me, stop, done)
* The Napping House by Audrey Wood (board book) (there, where, in, that, on, who, no)
* The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle (board book) (on, want, go, not, eat, on, in, who)
* The Wheels on the Bus: read-along sing-along trip to the zoo by Jeanne Willis (all, on, go, at, down, off, we)
* There Was an Old Martian Who Swallowed the Moon by Jennifer Ward (there, old, with, why, I, off, not, down, on, it, after, over, this, done)
* Tiptoe Joe by Ginger Foglesong Gibson (fast, slow, hello, come, with, me, you, see, what, under)
* Trashy Town by Andrea Zimmerman and David Clemesha (put, on, in, big, down, look, stop, there, by, it, around, no, behind, all, yes, up, love, off, go) (very fun to read)
* Warning: Do Not Open This Book! by Adam Lehrhaupt (put, this, want, let, out, why, not, like, no, what, can, you, stop, that, make, love, all, need, away, go) (hilarious to read.... I seriously lol every time)
* Way Far Away on a Wild Safari by Jan Peck (far, away, on, for, me, I, hello, see, you, goodbye, find)
* We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen (board book) (we, go, on, big, not, no, through, over, under, that, get, open, up, in)
* We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen (paperback) (we, go, on, big, not, no, through, over, under, that, get, open, up, in)
* We're Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzer (we, go, on, not, under, over, up, those, away, over, through, around, what, that, it)
* We're Going on a Lion Hunt by Margery Cuyler (get, put, on, use, we, go, on, big, look, what, can, not, over, around, through, under, up, see, out, close,
* We're Going on a Nature Hunt by Steve Metzer (we, go, on, what, look, not, in, to, down, up, through, over)
* What Will Grow by Jennifer Ward (what; also lots of great adjectives and includes facts about seeds)
* Where are You Going, Smitty Baby? by Meridith Smith (where, go, look, let, me, see, can, I, know, have)
* Who's in My Garden by Phyllis Gershator (oversized board book) (who, see, between, across)
* With Any Luck I'll Drive a Truck by David Friend (at, when, myself, make, in, with, my, that, yes, I, can, on, all, like, if)
* Worms for Lunch? by Leonid Gore (who, eat, not, me, like, love, more)

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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP

Founder of OMazing Kids

Soon to be retired and doing something totally new 🏔😎🌲

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Here is a list of 70 kids picture books with lots of opportunities to target Core Vocabulary that I recently sold (60 in a large SLP buy sell trade group on Facebook and the remaining 10 on my own OMazing Kids SLP Retirement Sale page).

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For AAC users to communicate autonomously, they need to achieve proficiency in skills that enable them to freely express themselves. However, this requires an understanding of communicative competence so that parents and professionals can set goals accordingly. Read on to learn more about the individual skill areas that are key components of communicative competence.
What is Communicative Competence?

In 1989, Janice Light proposed a definition for communicative competence in which she identified four skill areas that are important to focus on to achieve communicative competence.

In 2003, Light added that psychosocial factors such as confidence, motivation, attitude, and resilience along with environmental barriers and supports can play a major role in the development of communicative competence .

So, the five core domains that are part of communicative competence are:

1. Operational Competence

2. Strategic Competence

3. Social Competence

4. Linguistic Competence

5. Psychosocial Competence

Let's look at each of these skill areas in more detail -

Linguistic Competence

Linguistic Competence refers to knowledge of spoken and written language along with the mastery of linguistic codes of AAC systems. It includes

Expressive and receptive language skills in the communicator's native language

Knowledge of pictures, symbols, syntax, and grammar of the different AAC systems

Multilingual learners acquiring language skills necessary for communicating with the larger community in addition to knowledge of their primary language.

Knowledge of core and fringe vocabulary along with commonly used phrases

Operational Competence

This involves skills required for operation of AAC systems and includes

Learning to use gestures and sign language

Learning to operate with different access methods

Navigating pages in a communication book

Navigating folders in Augmentative and Alternative Communication systems

Turning speech generating devices on and off and charging it

Maintaining electronic devices

Strategic Competence

Strategic competence refers to adaptive strategies needed to overcome limitations of the AAC system and deficits in other skill areas. It includes

Learning to use multiple modes of communication appropriately

Directing the communication partner to assist with constructing a message

Developing the ability to convey messages using available vocabulary and feature

Requesting additional vocabulary

Using prediction for more efficient communication

Using Pre-stored phrases for quick communication

Requesting help to repair and avoid communication breakdowns

Social Competence

Social competence refers to the knowledge of how to use AAC systems and strategies in social interactions. It includes

Pyschosocial Competence

Psychosocial competence refers to the ability to deal with everyday situations with mental stability. It includes

Being motivated to interact and communicate thoughts

Faith in the positive effects of Augmentative and Alternative Communication methods

Confidence in communicative abilities

Being persistent in expressing ideas even in the event of communication breakdowns

Understanding of environmental barriers to communication

Hope you enjoyed reading about communicative competence for AAC Users. Please write your feedback and suggestions in the comment section below.

References
http://communication.bridgeschool.org/what-is-communicative-competence/communicative-competence-skill-areas/ https://praacticalaac.org/praactical/communicative-competence-in-aac/ https://www.asha.org/PRPSpecificTopic.aspx?folderid=8589942773&section=Key_Issues#Communicative_Competence

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Understanding Communicative Competence for AAC Users - Avaz Inc.

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For AAC users to communicate autonomously, they need to achieve proficiency in skills that enable them to freely express themselves. However, this requires an understanding of communicative competence so that parents and professionals can set goals accordingly. Read on to learn more about the individual skill areas that are key components of communicative competence.

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ASHA Resource: Communication Bill of Rights

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ASHA Resource: Communication Bill of Rights

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All people with a disability of any extent or severity have a basic right to affect, through communication, the conditions of their existence.

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What skills are needed for an individual to be able to say anything they want to anyone they want anywhere they want? A collection of integrated skills often referred to as the “communicative competencies”. This first post in a series on communicative competence summarizes all of the different skil

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The SETT Framework: An Interview with Joy Zabala

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Podcast Episode · SLP Nerdcast · S1 E16 · 1h 10m

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Wecome to the Communication Matrix

Understanding what individuals are capable of today is the first step toward helping them reach their potential.

Assessment

The Communication Matrix is a free assessment tool created to help families and professionals easily understand the communication status, progress, and unique needs of anyone functioning at the early stages of communication or using forms of communication other than speaking or writing.

"I am very excited about using this Matrix as part of our assessment and treatment plan for students with ASD." - Special Education Teacher

Community

Our Community includes an active forum where SLPs, teachers, families, and researchers can connect, share information, learn from the field, and offer and receive support.

"I love a focus on complex communication needs. Frequently I look at sites or information that does not apply to my students. It is great to have a site that focuses on the students I work with." - Parent

Purchase Paper and PDF copies of the Communication Matrix Assessment here.

See who is using the Communication Matrix around the world

© 2023 Charity Rowland, Ph.D.

Site by State33 and Smith & Connors

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The Communication Matrix is a free assessment tool created to help families and professionals easily understand the communication status, progress, and unique needs of anyone functioning at the early stages of communication or using forms of communication other than speaking or writing.

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Setting the record straight on AAC and speech

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In which we refute the myth that AAC hinders oral language development. Hang on, though… slinging citations won’t convert most skeptics. Bring your curiosity and empathy, too.

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If you're a parent with a child with complex communication needs, then you're probably overwhelmed with all of the acronyms thrown around in the special needs community. After all, many speech therapists (myself included) have a number of acronyms at the end of their title.

The acronym I'm talking about today happens to be my favorite: AAC.

AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, and I've already written a blog post explaining exactly what it is here.

Essentially, AAC refers to any kind of communication system, beyond spoken language, that helps children communicate. This includes communication options like sign language, pictures exchange (PECS), and visual supports like a printed communication board (you can download mine for FREE here, but also high-tech systems like an iPad loaded with apps to support communication.

But with communication systems like this, especially those involving technology, there are often common myths. So today we're busting the most frequent AAC myth:

"If my child starts using AAC, then they won't ever learn how to talk."

This is a concern of many parents and teachers who are afraid that AAC will discourage spoken communication. However, there's absolutely no research proving that kids stop talking when you give them AAC. In fact, I find that once kids start using a device it actually encourages more verbal communication.

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Busting AAC Technology Myths - Rachel Madel Speech Therapy Inc.

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Learn the truth about Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) technology with Rachel Madel's blog. Discover how AAC can actually encourage verbal communication and help children with complex communication needs express themselves.

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Learn about AAC for autistic children, with tools and resources to help speech therapists, SLPs, OTs and other clinical professionals navigate the AAC journey.

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AAC Evaluations for Adolescents/Adults with IDD: How I Do It — NWACS

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NWACS Board Member Casey shares how she approaches AAC evaluations for adolescents and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities.

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Intelligent search from Bing makes it easier to quickly find what you're looking for and rewards you.

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Building AAC Facilitation Skills with Tabi Jones-Wohleber: MASTER PAL Training, Module 6

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Let’s be honest: The most advanced AAC device in the world isn’t going to be very helpful unless it’s well-implemented. That’s why it is so important that communication part…