by Rachel Madel and Chris Bugaj
Join speech-language pathologists Rachel and Chris as they discuss supporting complex communication needs with alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) and assistive technology!
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
11/1/2017
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0 available
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March 12, 2025
This week, we share Chris and Rachel’s Q&A session with Professor Danielle Reed and her students at Midwestern University. They discuss interdisciplinary collaboration, the importance of mindset in AAC implementation, how occupational therapists can work effectively with speech-language pathologists, and more! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel touch on Chris’s experience teaching AAC to pre-service occupational therapy students, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration, mindset shifts, and the importance of making communication fun and engaging. Key Ideas This Week: 🔑 The Biggest Challenge in AAC Implementation Is Training Communication Partners – The main difficulty in teaching kids to use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) isn't the child’s ability but rather ensuring that parents, teachers, and therapists consistently model and support its use. Overcoming resistance and misconceptions among adults is a crucial part of AAC success. 🔑 Collaboration and Buy-In Are Essential for AAC Success – When selecting an AAC system, it’s important to involve the entire team, including parents, therapists, and educators. A collaborative approach ensures better long-term implementation and prevents division in decision-making that could hinder the child’s progress. 🔑 Mindset and Education Over Restriction – A common mistake in AAC is limiting vocabulary or access based on assumptions about a child’s capabilities. Instead of restricting words or making assumptions about a child's abilities, the focus should be on providing access to robust language and educating both the child and communication partners to use it effectively. Help us develop new content and keep the podcast going strong! Support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech! Visit bit.ly/twtpod for access to previous episodes, resources, and CEU credits that you can earn for listening to TWT episodes!
February 19, 2025
This week, we Share Chris’s interview with Saffron Murphy-Mann, Helen Hewson, and Andrea Sharples! Saffron Murphy-Mann is a specialist AAC teacher with a background in music, working in both mainstream and specialist settings to support young AAC users in accessing education and demonstrating their knowledge. Helen Hewson is an AAC user born with cerebral palsy, who has been using various forms of AAC since childhood and is now a trustee of Communication Matters, advocating for AAC awareness and supporting others on their communication journeys. Andrea Sharples is a speech and language therapist and the director of AT Therapy, an independent practice that provides AAC mentoring and support, employing AAC users with lived experience to inspire and guide others. All three are actively involved in Communication Matters, contributing to the organization’s mission of empowering AAC users and fostering a supportive community through conferences and advocacy! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel discuss the balance between accessibility and privacy, particularly in the context of AAC devices and personal information. They explore concerns about exposing personal identifying information on devices and luggage tags, while also considering how to maintain security and accessibility for users with fine motor challenges, such as using strong passwords with tools like sticky keys. Key Ideas This Week: 🔑 Empowering Individuals With AAC: Helen Hewson shared her personal journey with cerebral palsy and how AAC technology transformed her life, enabling her to communicate effectively and gain independence. Her story underscores the critical role AAC plays in breaking down barriers for individuals with communication disabilities, allowing them to express themselves, participate in education, and engage socially. 🔑 The Community and Inclusivity of the Communication Matters Conference: The CM conference is not just a professional gathering but a vibrant, inclusive community event that brings together AAC users, families, professionals, and manufacturers. The conference features a mix of educational sessions, social events (like the open mic night and fancy dress dinner), and opportunities for networking and collaboration. 🔑 The Growth of Communication Matters: The episode highlighted the growing popularity of the CM conference, which was sold out in 2024, and the plans to expand its reach in 2025, including attracting more international delegates and potentially hosting the largest AAC flash mob as a world record attempt! Visit talkingwithtech.org to listen to previous episodes, find new resources, and more! Help us develop new content and keep the podcast going strong! Support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech!
February 5, 2025
This week, we present Part 1 of our TWT Live episode, “Vibes of AAC”! TWT Live episodes include interactions with the audience, including feedback and questions! This week, Chris and Rachel discuss the critical role of modeling language for AAC users, emphasize the importance of coaching communication partners, and highlight the significance of fostering a mindset that supports literacy for all children! Key Ideas this Week: The Power of Inclusive AAC Events – The discussion about the open mic night at the Communication Matters conference highlighted the importance of creating inclusive, public spaces where AAC users can express themselves, perform, and interact with a diverse audience. This fosters greater awareness and acceptance of AAC communication in the wider community. Privacy Considerations for AAC Users – The episode explored the issue of privacy for AAC users, particularly in public settings where others can see their message formulation. This raised important questions about how to support AAC users’ preferences for display and output features, balancing accessibility with personal privacy. Coaching and Encouraging AAC Modeling – A major theme was the challenge of getting educators and caregivers to consistently model AAC use. The conversation emphasized the importance of coaching, structured support, and making AAC modeling a natural part of daily routines to help AAC users develop strong communication skills. Visit talkingwithtech.org to listen to previous episodes, find new resources, and more! Help us develop new content and keep the podcast going strong! Support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech!
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