This week, we share Chris’s interview with Darla Ashton, an Assistive technology Coordinator, Instructional Specialist, and BCBA with Carmel Clay Schools in Indiana! Darla and Chris discuss topics in AAC related to the question, “What do you know now that you didn’t know 10 years ago?” Darla discusses her district’s journey to determine what AAC program to use, Darla’s move away from the “expert model” of AAC assessment, creating an AAC professional learning group in her district, how more BCBAs should collaborate with the team to support AAC, and more!
Before the interview, Chris, Melissa, and Tucker Bugaj gather to discuss AAC use on the popular Star Wars series, “The Mandalorian”. They discuss how characters tried to say “Baby Yoda” wasn’t ready for AAC, and how Baby Yoda (aka Grogu) protested, pressing “no, no, no, no” and refusing to give up his AAC.
Key Ideas this Week:
🔑 One important shift over the last 10 years for Darla is shifting to giving the teacher a tool to teach language without putting pressure on the student to use the device - an AAC user doesn’t have to “prove” anything for us to provide them AAC.
🔑 Darla believes the most important thing for an AAC user’s success isn’t necessarily the app we choose, but the confidence level of the people who are going to be communicating with the student (e.g. staff, teachers, parents, SLPs).
🔑 In Darla’s district, some classes will have several AAC users who all use the same AAC app. Darla will frequently provide the same AAC app to a new AAC user joining that class. However, there are some circumstances where Darla will not provide the same AAC app to a student, such as when a sibling has a different AAC system at home and the parents would like to model using that app.
Visit talkingwithtech.org to access previous episodes, resources, and CEU credits that you can earn for listening to TWT episodes!
Help us develop new content and keep the podcast going strong! Support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech!
Amy Mayer, Judy Schoonover, Remi Moran, & Tiffany Zaugg: Small Talks VIII
Carole Zangari, Tabi Jones-Wohleber, Rachel Langley, & Michaela Ball: The "Stepping Into AAC" Project
Recast: Rachel Dorsey: Taking a Neurodiversity-Affirming Approach to Therapy
Recast: Rebecca Moles: Preventing Abuse and Neglect With AAC
Recast: Talking with Tech Roundtable: Early Intervention & AAC
Recast: Kathy Howery: Understanding the Lived Experiences of AAC Users
Caroline Woeber: Supporting AAC Users with Angelman Syndrome
Benjamin Gibbs: Interviewing Chris Bugaj for a Master's AT Program
Amy Mayer: Engaging Students and Driving Inclusivity with EdTech Tools
Karina Carter & Nicole Young: Teaching Language to AAC Users with Horses
Elisa Wern - The Importance of Including OTs During AAC Consideration & Implementation
Fairfax County Public Schools AT Team: Celebrating the Life of AAC Specialist Jeff Powers
Yoosun Chung: Honoring an AAC User's Chosen Form of Communication
Chantelle Hutchinson: Supporting Adult AAC Users with Acquired Brain Injuries
Tiffany Joseph (Part 2): The Use of Gestalts in Acquiring Language as a Part-Time AAC User
Tiffany Joseph (Part 1): Educating and Supporting AAC Users as a Part-Time AAC User
Bob Sagoo: Empowering an AAC User as a Parent
Beth Moulam & Joanna Holmes: Recognizing AAC Users as Multimodal Communicators
Daniel O'Connor & Bradley Heaven: Creators of All Access Life, an Adaptive Product Nonprofit
Breea Rosas: Neurodivergent Affirming Practices for School-Based Practitioners
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
In the Great Khan’s Tent
Visualize Meditations
The No-Frills Teacher Podcast
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
The Mel Robbins Podcast