VOLUME 3, ISSUE 17
MAY 2015
TIS AND THAT May is Better Hearing and Speech Month! By: Lisa McKinney-Jackson, Speech-Language Pathologist Speech language pathologists and audiologists all over the country are celebrating Better Hearing and Speech Month in May. Speech-language pathologists are often called upon to use technology in their work, whether they work in school systems, clinics, universities private practice, hospitals or homes. But what do technology and communication have in common? Isn’t communication by word or through sign language? Communication is much more than using your hands or voice for those who have physical or mental challenges and are not able to use their voice or hands effectively. Alternative and augmentative communication, also known as AAC, is a way or providing the ability to communicate to people who cannot speak or use sign language. It can range from low-tech, using simple pictures and objects to tell wants and needs, to very high-tech, using dynamic displays of various pictures to go along with full sentences and paragraphs typed by the user to tell their wants, needs, ideas, thoughts and feelings. There are many websites, apps, and devices that may help with making alternative ways of communication possible. Today, I will provide a few of those for your consideration and information. WEBSITES: geekslp.com-The GeekSLP website has many ideas for helping people communicate, including apps and devices. Excellent source of using technology for communication.
asha.org-This is the official website of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. It has assistance for using augmentative and alternative communication, as well as information on other speech, language, and hearing problems. It has information for both professionals and the public.
prentrom.com-This is the Prentke-Romich Company website that creates AAC devices. The website also has information about how to get funding for devices, resources for AAC, and support and training for using AAC devices.
Aactechconnect.com-This website has apps, devices, information about evaluations for AAC users, workshops, and free materials.
http://tinyurl.com/ou3t38d-The website, for the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, has information about AAC, seminars, conferences and other resources.
http://tinyurl.com/nupcuz4-Enablemart website. This site has information on AAC ranging from $0-$5000.
Ussaac.org-The official site for the US Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. It includes information on devices, laws regarding AAC, emergency preparedness for AAC users, and a magazine for more AAC information.