Talking With Tech AAC Podcast

Chris talks with Lynsey Phillips and Brie Norton, two AAC leaders in Northwest Arkansas who have built a powerful, practical framework for AAC implementation across settings. They share how their partnership, spanning private practice and public schools, helped move AAC from isolated “expert-driven” work to a shared responsibility model that includes educators, peers, families, and community partners.

In this episode, Chris & Rachel talk with Bob Sagoo a longtime assistive technology professional and parent advocate. Bob shares the story of his son Harchie, his path from low-tech communication supports to high-tech eye gaze and the Grid ecosystem. Bob shares how Harchie’s drive for speed, independence, and participation (including accessible gaming) shaped the way he thought about AAC. Bob also introduces The Harchie Way, a foundation being developed to carry forward Harchie’s legacy by connecting AAC users and the assistive technology industry, promoting education (including healthcare communication access), and pushing for innovation that is truly user-informed. Key Ideas This Week: Innovation Works Best When AAC Users Help Design It Harchie was deeply interested in how AAC could evolve beyond static grid sets. Bob shares Harchie’s ideas about AI-enabled AAC supports (like context-aware vocabulary that changes based on location, predictive communication supports, and using a device camera to recognize emotion/health cues and prompt for support). The underlying message is that AAC users should be involved at the concept stage, not just asked to test a finished product. The Harchie Way: Building a “Conduit” Between Users, Industry, and Systems That Must Be Accessible Bob outlines early goals for The Harchie Way: creating pathways for AAC users to share priorities directly with developers, promoting education and awareness (especially for healthcare providers supporting people who don’t communicate in conventional ways), and advocating for access in real-life systems (medical tech, banking, and beyond). Bob also shares Harchie’s future-facing vision of helping AAC users attend and present at conferences such mirroring the strong user-centered culture seen at Communication Matters in the UK. Contact Information: Visit talkingwithtech.org for weekly episodes, transcripts, and resources to help speech-language pathologists, caregivers, and communication partners tailor technology for people with complex communication needs! Join the Talking With Tech Patreon to get exclusive benefits like bonus guest‐interview episodes, behind-the-scenes videos, giveaways, and priority answers to your AAC questions to help you sharpen your skills and confidence in AAC!

This episode, Chris & Rachel interview Britton Payne! Britton Payne is an entertainment attorney who has worked with major studios like Nickelodeon and Warner Bros., and he is also the father of an autistic son. He founded The Autism Scene and created the AUSPEC Awards to promote authentic autistic representation—especially non-speaking AAC users—in children’s animation! Key Ideas This Week: Authentic Autistic Representation in Kids’ Media Matters - Britton emphasizes that autistic and non-speaking characters are vastly underrepresented in children’s animation. Because kids’ pop culture reaches every home and classroom, it has huge potential to model empathy, patience, and inclusion—especially for non-speaking autistic people who use AAC. Representation in media can teach children how to interact respectfully with peers long before adulthood. The Autism Scene and AUSPEC Awards Aim to Change the Industry - Britton founded The Autism Scene and created the AUSPEC Awards, a script competition requiring meaningful interaction with an explicitly autistic character. The competition offers resources, tutorials, sample scripts, and feedback from autism consultants, autistic reviewers, and animation industry leaders. The goal is to help writers create characters that are authentic, non-ableist, and industry-ready—and to make studio executives more comfortable greenlighting shows with autistic characters. Inclusion Requires Patience, Understanding, and High Expectations - Through stories about his friend Alfonso and conversations about AAC, Britton highlights how neurotypical people must learn to wait, listen, and presume competence—especially with non-speaking AAC users. He stresses that autistic people belong in every genre and every part of society. Giving them space and tools to express themselves enriches everyone’s storytelling and understanding of the world. Visit talkingwithtech.org for weekly episodes, transcripts, and resources to help speech-language pathologists, caregivers, and communication partners tailor technology for people with complex communication needs! Join the Talking With Tech Patreon to get exclusive benefits like bonus guest‐interview episodes, behind-the-scenes videos, giveaways, and priority answers to your AAC questions to help you sharpen your skills and confidence in AAC!

This week, we share Rachel’s interview with Quinn Kelly! Quinn Kelly is a bilingual speech-language pathologist who specializes in working with children who use both AAC and American Sign Language (ASL). She serves on the AAC committee for the New Jersey Speech and Hearing Association and works with Language First, an organization supporting professionals serving deaf and hard-of-hearing students. In this episode, Quinn shares her expertise on the intersection of AAC and ASL, advocating for culturally sensitive, individualized, and collaborative approaches to communication support. Key Ideas this Week: The Intersection of AAC and ASL Requires Cultural and Clinical Sensitivity – Quinn Kelly emphasizes that not all deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals are ideal candidates for AAC, and decisions must consider cognitive, motor, visual, and cultural factors. Professionals should avoid a one-size-fits-all approach and ensure AAC supports are culturally and linguistically respectful of Deaf identity and ASL as a full language. Collaboration and Family-Centered Decision Making Are Essential – Effective support requires collaboration among SLPs, teachers of the deaf, audiologists, OTs/PTs, and families. Since most families of deaf or hard-of-hearing children have little prior experience with Deaf culture, professionals play a key role in educating and guiding them through complex communication decisions involving sign language, AAC, and spoken modalities. Research and Practical Strategies Can Bridge AAC and ASL – Quinn shares practical tools (e.g., ASL symbol sets, video-based icons, advocacy buttons like “I need an interpreter”) and highlights new research she co-authored showing how AAC and ASL can complement each other. This underscores the growing recognition—supported by ASHA’s updated stance—that ASL is a language, not a form of AAC, and that multimodal communication approaches can empower deaf and hard-of-hearing communicators. Visit talkingwithtech.org for weekly episodes, transcripts, and resources to help speech-language pathologists, caregivers, and communication partners tailor technology for people with complex communication needs! Join the Talking With Tech Patreon to get exclusive benefits like bonus guest‐interview episodes, behind-the-scenes videos, giveaways, and priority answers to your AAC questions to help you sharpen your skills and confidence in AAC!

This week, we share Chris's interview with Brian Whitmer! Brian is the founder of the AAC app CoughDrop and Open AAC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the AAC field through collaboration, transparency, and open data initiatives. Whitmer discusses his goal of fostering innovation, sharing community insights, and helping the AAC industry move toward more equitable and effective practices. Key ideas from This Episode: Open AAC’s mission is to improve the AAC field through collaboration and transparency: Whitmer described how Open AAC takes a “bird’s-eye view” of the AAC industry, collecting data from professionals, users, and families to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities for growth — all without being tied to any single product or company . The “State of AAC” survey highlights progress and persistent challenges: The annual Open AAC survey gathers open-ended responses about apps, vocabularies, and practices. Results show that while awareness and resources are growing, issues such as inconsistent education practices, limited partner training, and inequitable funding continue to hinder progress . The new “AAC GPA” aims to measure industry progress and accountability: Open AAC introduced an “AAC GPA” to grade different aspects of the field (education, advocacy, community, openness, etc.). The 2024 average was 1.9 out of 4.0, signaling that while some areas (like family engagement) are improving, education and systemic adoption remain major areas for development. Visit talkingwithtech.org for weekly episodes, transcripts, and resources to help speech-language pathologists, caregivers, and communication partners tailor technology for people with complex communication needs! Join the Talking With Tech Patreon to get exclusive benefits like bonus guest‐interview episodes, behind-the-scenes videos, giveaways, and priority answers to your AAC questions to help you sharpen your skills and confidence in AAC!

This week, Chris interviews Katie Roettele! Katie Roettele is an occupational therapist and assistive technology consultant based in Michigan, specializing in AAC and universal design for learning. She is passionate about using STEM and maker tools like Makey Makey and 3D printing to create accessible, hands-on learning experiences and DIY assistive technology! Key Ideas This Week: Early and Consistent AAC Use Matters – Introducing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) early helps children develop both language and confidence. It’s not about “waiting until they’re ready,” but about giving them tools to communicate right away. Partnership Between Families and Professionals – Successful AAC implementation depends on collaboration. Families bring deep knowledge of their child, while therapists and educators provide strategies and system support. When these perspectives merge, AAC use grows naturally. Focus on Real Communication, Not Just Devices – AAC is about building authentic communication opportunities, not just mastering the buttons on a device. Embedding AAC into daily routines, play, and social interactions fosters meaningful language growth. Visit talkingwithtech.org for weekly episodes, transcripts, and resources to help speech-language pathologists, caregivers, and communication partners tailor technology for people with complex communication needs! Join the Talking With Tech Patreon to get exclusive benefits like bonus guest‐interview episodes, behind-the-scenes videos, giveaways, and priority answers to your AAC questions to help you sharpen your skills and confidence in AAC!

This week, we share Rachel’s interview with Kayla Ireland! Kayla is a podcaster, college student, AAC User, and advocate who lives with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. She amplifies diverse voices through her shows, shares her personal communication journey, and the value of developing multiple modes of communication! Key Ideas This Week: The power of mindset and belief — Rachel shares how her mother’s cancer journey has shown the importance of optimism, presence, and reframing difficult experiences. She connects this lesson to her professional work, emphasizing that believing in someone’s potential can transform outcomes. Communication is multimodal — Kayla Ireland highlights that AAC is not just about devices. She uses a blend of sign language, fingerspelling, body language, vocalizations, and technology. Her advice is to use total communication and not force a hierarchy of methods. Efficiency and individuality in AAC use — Kayla explains that one or two words can carry the meaning of a full sentence, and sometimes spelling or gestures are faster than devices. She encourages professionals to respect user preferences and contexts rather than strictly focusing on grammar or pre-programmed systems. Visit talkingwithtech.org for weekly episodes, transcripts, and resources to help speech-language pathologists, caregivers, and communication partners tailor technology for people with complex communication needs! Join the Talking With Tech Patreon to get exclusive benefits like bonus guest‐interview episodes, behind-the-scenes videos, giveaways, and priority answers to your AAC questions to help you sharpen your skills and confidence in AAC!

This week, we share Chris’s interview with Claire O’Connor! Claire O’Connor is a speech-language pathologist and first-year PhD student at the University of Maryland. Her research focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and AAC, exploring how tools like ChatGPT can support AAC users better. Before the interview, Melissa, surprises him with news that his Assistive Technology team, comprising nine members, won the "Most Inclusive Team" award from their county's Special Education Advisory Committee Council! Chris himself also won the "Most Inclusive Administrator" award! Key Ideas This Week: Exploring AI as a Support for AAC Users: Claire is researching how large language models (like ChatGPT) can support—not replace—AAC communication by reducing delays, easing the cognitive load of message construction, and expanding short inputs into fuller messages . Co-Design with AAC Users: The project uses a participatory design approach, meaning AAC users are directly involved in shaping tools and prototypes. This ensures that their voices guide development rather than having solutions imposed on them . Focus on Empowerment and Trust: The research emphasizes building trust in AI and empowering AAC users. Instead of only testing tools, Claire plans to create a support group to hear AAC users’ experiences and perspectives, fostering comfort and inclusion before running compensated co-design workshops. Help us develop new content and keep the podcast going strong! Support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech! Visit talkingwithtech.org for episode transcripts, searchable episode database, links to resources, and more!

In this episode of Talking with Tech, Chris is interviewed by Adina Malamut, a graduate student and Employee Accessibility Specialist at the University of Texas at Dallas. Their conversation explores Adina’s professional background, her passion for accessibility, and her role in facilitating workplace accommodations. Chris shares insights from his extensive experience in assistive technology, discussing best practices for training, assessment, and systemic implementation of tools to support individuals with disabilities. Key Ideas This Week: Creative Versatility and Experimentation: Adina emphasizes the value of trying different styles and formats in her creative process, especially in comedy. She discusses how experimenting with diverse mediums—from writing and directing to performing—has helped her grow and connect more authentically with her audience. The Power of Community and Collaboration: She highlights the importance of working with others in the creative field. Adina shares how collaborating with fellow artists and being part of supportive communities has enriched her projects and offered essential feedback and encouragement. Personal Growth Through Vulnerability: A recurring theme is her willingness to be vulnerable in her work. She talks about how sharing personal stories and embracing imperfections not only deepens her connection with audiences but also contributes to her personal development as an artist. 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!

In this episode, Christina Schmidt discusses the critical role of cultural competency in AAC, emphasizing the need to honor linguistic and cultural diversity, such as African American English, within communication systems. She highlights the importance of clinicians addressing their own implicit biases and taking a thoughtful, reflective approach when working with families. Christina encourages professionals to build trust gradually, prioritize collaboration, and empower both caregivers and clients to ensure AAC systems truly reflect the user's identity and culture! 🔑Cultural Competency and AAC Must Go Hand-in-Hand: Christina emphasizes the importance of recognizing and respecting cultural and dialectal diversity—especially African American English (AAE)—when programming and implementing AAC systems. Ignoring these cultural elements can undermine identity, communication authenticity, and trust between professionals and families. 🔑 Clinicians Must Address Their Own Implicit Biases: A foundational step in becoming culturally competent is self-reflection. Christina encourages professionals to examine and challenge their own internalized biases before engaging with families. This self-awareness ensures more respectful, equitable, and effective service delivery. 🔑 Building Trust Takes Time and Intention: Establishing a culturally responsive relationship with families—particularly those from marginalized backgrounds—requires patience, ongoing reflection, and intentional rapport-building. Clinicians are urged to create safe spaces, validate cultural expressions, and engage in continuous learning to truly support meaningful communication through AAC. 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!

In this episode, Rachel Madel and Chris Bugaj recap their experiences at ATIA 2025, highlighting the value of community-building during the pre-conference and the growing impact of generative AI in AAC and assistive technology. They discuss exciting new tools like Symbol Creator AI and Flex Speak, and reflect on key sessions around policy advocacy, emphasizing the power of personal stories in influencing change. The episode underscores the importance of collaboration, innovation, and using your voice to make a difference in the assistive tech space. Key Ideas This Episode: Collaborative Learning and Connection at Pre-Conference and Sessions Chris & Rachel emphasized how the ATIA pre-conference fostered rich conversations and collaboration, particularly for professionals who often feel isolated in the AAC field. Participants valued the chance to share insights, ask questions, and build lasting relationships. The extended format of 1.5 days allowed for deeper dives into topics like coaching and core AAC strategies, enhancing both learning and community-building. Generative AI and Accessibility Innovations A major theme was the evolving role of generative AI in assistive technology. Presentations explored how AI could enhance AAC use—like suggesting dialogue based on context or location (e.g., at Starbucks)—and improve communication speed and flexibility. Tools like Microsoft’s Accessibility Insights, the Flex Speak app for multilingual AAC, and Symbol Creator AI from Global Symbols were highlighted as promising developments that support more inclusive and customizable communication. Empowerment Through Policy, Advocacy, and Storytelling Amidst concerns over funding and administrative changes, attendees were encouraged to advocate for assistive technology by directly engaging policymakers. A standout session by ATIA’s policy advisor Laura Kaloi underscored the impact of personal stories in influencing legislation. The episode closed with a reminder that every professional’s and user's voice matters in shaping future access and innovation in the field. 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!

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!

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! Learn more about the Communication Matters International AAC Conference at https://communicationmatters.org.uk/conference 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!

This week, we present 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!

This week, Chris interviews Dr. May Aguis! Dr. Aguis is a speech and language therapist with the National Assistive Technology Team in Malta!, She is also involved with the World Health Organization as a member of their Assistive Technology Advisory Group, and serves as a lecturer at the University of Malta. Dr. Aguis shares about her doctoral work with AAC and her efforts to train teachers and develop AAC resources across Malta! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel discuss the concept of “best” practices and why, in their opinion, using that phrase in the context of therapy can potentially be confusing, or even a turn off, to others. Key Ideas this Week: 🔑 Redefining Communication Beyond Assistive Technology – Dr. Aguis challenges the traditional categorization of AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) as merely a subset of assistive technology. She emphasizes that communication happens through multiple modes—gestures, symbols, and even digital expressions like emojis—highlighting the need for a broader understanding of AAC beyond just high-tech devices. 🔑 Interdisciplinary and Holistic Approaches to AAC – Effective AAC implementation requires collaboration across disciplines. Dr. Aguis discusses how occupational therapists, educators, and families play a crucial role alongside speech therapists. She also stresses the importance of addressing sensory needs before AAC intervention, particularly for autistic individuals, as sensory regulation significantly impacts communication success. 🔑 Global Challenges in AAC Accessibility and Language Representation – The discussion reveals disparities in AAC accessibility worldwide, particularly in languages like Maltese that lack text-to-speech technology. Dr. Aguis highlights the need for universal design in AAC systems and advocates for increased global efforts to ensure linguistic inclusivity in assistive technology. Learn more about the Communication Matters International AAC Conference at https://communicationmatters.org.uk/conference 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!

This week, we share Chris’s interview with Dr. Sam Brydon! Dr. Sam Brydon is a speech-language pathologist and researcher based in New Zealand who works with Torque Link, a nonprofit that conducts AAC assessments and provides support and training across the country. She balances this role with efforts to disseminate her doctoral research, which focuses on coaching and professional development for implementing AAC effectively! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel dive into a great listener question. The listener has an 8-year-old child with cerebral palsy and cortical visual impairment who uses eye gaze to access his AAC device. They are considering adding more words to the device, but are unsure if this is a good idea. Chris and Rachel share why the family should follow their gut to push for more words on the device, highlighting the importance of presuming potential in every child. Key Ideas This Week: 🔑 The Importance of Coaching in AAC Implementation: Dr. Brydon emphasizes that coaching, rather than simply delivering workshops or direct therapy, is crucial in supporting parents, teachers, and other communication partners to effectively implement Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) strategies. Collaborative coaching that includes practice, feedback, and reflection is essential for lasting change. 🔑 Challenges and Solutions in AAC Adoption: She highlights barriers such as the misuse of AAC tools (e.g., as behavior management tools) and the difficulty communication partners face in mastering AAC strategies. Her research shows that success hinges on providing consistent, hands-on coaching to help partners integrate AAC into daily routines and interactions. 🔑 The Role of Motivation and Motor Planning: Dr. Brydon discusses the importance of ensuring AAC systems are motivating for children and that they utilize consistent motor planning. She notes that tools like core boards and approaches like LAMP (Language Acquisition through Motor Planning) can enhance accessibility and engagement for users. 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!

This week, we share Chris’s interview with Ceanna MacGregor and Melanie Boyd! Ceanna is an AAC specialist and teacher working with CALL Scotland, an organization that supports staff and pupils in overcoming barriers related to assistive and communication technologies. Melanie Boyd is an AAC consultant who runs her own consultancy called Communication Angel. Melanie's career shift into AAC was inspired by the communication needs of her daughter. Ceanna and Melanie share about their participation in the professional learning network, Scottish AAC Geeks, and some of the benefits they have both received participating in this group. Before the interview, Chris and Rachel share a listener question about her son’s device being wiped, highlighting the need for multiple backups you can access if something happens to the AAC device. Key ideas this week: 🔑 The Power of Collaboration and Networking in AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication): Ceanna and Melanie emphasized the role of collaboration in advancing AAC implementation. Their involvement in the Scottish AAC Geeks highlights how professional networks, even small ones, can create a supportive environment for sharing knowledge and fostering innovation in AAC practices. 🔑 Overcoming Barriers and Shifting Mindsets in AAC Implementation: A central theme was addressing the challenges of fixed or negative attitudes toward AAC. They focused on strategies to promote positive mindsets, such as sharing success stories and advocating for a culture of belief in the potential of AAC users. 🔑 The Role of Innovation and Personalized Support: The discussion highlighted exciting advancements like the integration of AI in AAC and computer environmental controls, which offer personalized solutions and greater independence for users. Ceanna and Melanie also emphasized the importance of providing ongoing support to users, their families, and educators to ensure sustainable AAC implementation. Learn more about the Communication Matters International AAC Conference at https://communicationmatters.org.uk/conference 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!

This week, Chris interviews Owen McGirr (enaboapps.com), a software developer who is a passionate advocate for accessibility in technology! Living with cerebral palsy and using adaptive switches himself, Owen has dedicated his career to creating tools that empower people with disabilities. His innovations include apps like Switchify (switchifyapp.com), which allows users to control Android devices with adaptive switches, and SayIt, an AAC app tailored for effective communication. Through his open-source projects and relentless drive, Owen is transforming technology to be more inclusive and empowering for all! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel discuss why switches can be an overlooked option for AAC users with access issues. They stress the need for professionals to consider a variety of access methods, including switches, to ensure families are aware of all available options! Key Ideas This Week: Importance of Backup Systems: Rachel advocates for having a backup communication system, such as partner-assisted scanning, especially for users of eye tracking. She explains that eye tracking can be fatiguing, and having alternative methods ensures reliable communication. The Role of AI in Development: Owen highlighted how generative AI plays a significant role in his work, aiding tasks like coding, debugging, and brainstorming. However, he emphasized that AI serves as a supportive tool requiring human oversight to ensure accuracy and functionality. Empowerment Through Personalization: Owen’s journey with AAC devices underscores the importance of personalized technology. From starting with basic tools to creating solutions that suit his needs, he advocates for user autonomy in choosing the best tools and methods to empower users to communicate and interact with technology on their own terms. 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!

This week, we share Part 2 of Chris and Rachel’s TWT Live episode recorded at the 2024 Arkansas Speech and Hearing Association! In this half of the episode, they share about modeling, teaching AT tools, strategies to support language development, and more! Before the interview, Rachel shares about her experience teaching her grandmother to use a screen reader to regain independence despite vision loss. They discuss the broader implications of teaching technology usage, advocate for integrating tools like the Pomodoro Technique into education, the need for accessible design, and more! Key Ideas this Episode: Overcoming Barriers to AAC Adoption: The hosts emphasized the importance of asking questions to uncover the reasons behind resistance or challenges in implementing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). This approach helps identify specific roadblocks and creates opportunities to educate and empower teachers, paraprofessionals, and parents. The Role of Coaching and Modeling: The conversation highlighted the importance of hands-on coaching and modeling AAC use directly in classrooms. This strategy allows educators to learn by example and practice implementing AAC tools effectively, fostering better long-term adoption and skill development. Inclusive Decision-Making and Customization: Engaging all stakeholders (teachers, parents, service providers, and students) in a structured decision-making process ensures that AAC tools and strategies are well-suited to the student’s needs. This collaborative approach builds ownership and buy-in, making implementation more successful and sustainable. 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!

This week, we share Part 1 of Chris and Rachel’s TWT Live episode recorded at the 2024 Arkansas Speech and Hearing Association! The episode touches on several topics, including using AI to analyze language from Gestalt Language Processors, getting buy in from teachers, and more! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel discuss the some of the controversy surrounding “revoicing,”which involves a communication partner restating or clarifying messages from an AAC user. Key Ideas this Episode: 🔑 Revoicing as a Communication Tool: Chris and Rachel share why, from their perspective, revoicing, should be considered a legitimate component of a communication system when consented to and ratified by the AAC user. Rachel and Chris stress the importance of differentiating “revoicing” from controversial practices like facilitated communication, and call for structured guidelines to ensure ethical and effective practices in this area. 🔑 Generative AI as a Tool for Language Analysis: Chris and Rachel explored how tools like ChatGPT could assist in analyzing language development, including its potential to identify stages of Gestalt language processing. They noted the importance of educating AI tools for more accurate and insightful analysis. 🔑 Gaining Buy-In for AAC in Education: Strategies were discussed to encourage teachers to adopt AAC devices in classrooms, such as helping educators empathize with the challenges of nonverbal communication by asking if they have ever taught without their voice. 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!

In this episode of Talking with Tech, Chris, Melissa, and Maggie Bugaj reflect on the Disney+ movie Out of My Mind! This film centers around a young AAC user with cerebral palsy, and has sparked a lot of conversations about AAC online. The Bugaj family talks about how we can take the popularity of this movie to continue and share the message of inclusive education and support for AAC! 1. Presuming Potential and Inclusive Education: The episode emphasizes the importance of assuming all students, including those with disabilities, have potential. Teachers, families, and educators are encouraged to provide opportunities for students with disabilities to thrive in general education settings, advocating for systemic change rather than blaming individual limitations. 2. The Role of Relationships and Communication Tools: Highlighting the significance of AAC, the Bugaj family discusses how multiple forms of AAC can enable effective communication. The relationships built between students, teachers, and parents are crucial for understanding individual needs and fostering inclusive environments. 3. Shifting Attitudes in Education: The movie serves as a call to action for educators to reflect on their practices and biases. It challenges educators to embrace training and resources to support inclusive education, an important concept as general education increasingly incorporates special education responsibilities. The movie illustrates that change begins with educators understanding and altering the environment, rather than trying to change the individual. Links: Watch Out of My MInd on Disney+ Supplemental Materials, Including Lesson Plans 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!

This week, we share Chris’s interview with Kristen Hughes and Amy Kennedy! Kristen and Amy both work for Baldwin County Public Schools; Kristen as a speech-language pathologist and Amy as a special education resource consultant. Kristen is also a parent of a six-year-old son who uses AAC. Kristen is transitioning into a new role as an AAC specialist within her school district, and she wanted to ask Chris more about the Specific Language System First approach, leveraging collaboration, refining selection processes, and supporting educators with resources and training. Before the interview, Chris shares experiences from a recent classroom lesson that unexpectedly turned into a broader discussion about fostering AAC culture for a whole school! Key ideas this week: 🔑 Collaborative Decision-Making for AAC Selection: Kristen and Amy, along with Chris, emphasize a structured, team-based approach to selecting AAC tools. Instead of relying solely on a single expert’s choice, they suggest involving a full team—including teachers, parents, and relevant therapists—to determine the best AAC solution for each student. This approach helps foster shared ownership of the decision, ensuring consistent implementation and increased buy-in from all parties. 🔑 Efficient AAC Implementation Process: The team explores the idea of moving away from lengthy “trial” periods in favor of setting up a solid decision-making framework that defines criteria for selecting AAC tools based on specific student needs. By doing this, they aim to streamline the AAC selection and implementation process, helping reduce delays and allowing students to start benefiting from the tools more quickly. 🔑 Increased Support and Training for Educators: Recognizing time and comfort with AAC as barriers, they discuss the importance of training and support for teachers. Implementing consistent resources, like core boards and training on specific AAC tools, would empower teachers to integrate these tools more naturally in the classroom, reducing abandonment and ensuring AAC devices are used effectively. 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!

This week, Chris and Rachel share about NotebookLM.google.com, an AI website that will do things like create an actual “podcast episode” about an uploaded document or webpage! Chris and Rachel share some of the things they have created with this tool and ideas about how to quickly create engaging materials for your students. Key Ideas this Week: 🔑 AI-generated content for educational purposes: Chris and Rachel explore the use of AI to generate podcasts and conversational content based on text inputs through the website NotebookLM.google.com. They discuss the potential of using this technology to make learning materials more engaging for students, like listening to two hosts discuss educational content with emotion instead of just reading. 🔑 Impact of storytelling in learning: Rachel emphasizes the importance of storytelling in helping people engage with and retain information. She highlights how AI-generated discussions can create narratives that make dry or complex content more accessible and memorable. 🔑 Potential and concerns of AI in professional and personal contexts: While the technology is praised for its ability to save time and increase productivity (e.g., turning a slide deck into a podcast), both hosts also express concerns about the ethical implications, such as deepfakes and the possibility of AI being used maliciously. AI’s potential for both positive and negative impact is a recurring theme throughout the conversation. Links from this Week’s Episode: NotebookLM.google.com ifaketextmessage.com 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! .

This week, we share Rachel’s interview with Anand (@anandmurthy) and Amanda Murthy (@amandajanemurthy)! Anand and Amanda’s son, Maverick, is affected by infantile spasms, a rare form of epilepsy. Maverick has undergone multiple brain surgeries and faced numerous challenges related to his condition. Anand and Amanda share about their journey to raise awareness about infantile spasms, the importance of collaboration among healthcare providers, the need for comprehensive support systems for families of children with complex medical needs, and more! Key Ideas this Week: The Complexity of Infantile Spasms Anand and Amanda share the difficulty in diagnosing and treating their son Maverick's condition, infantile spasms, a rare form of epilepsy. They discuss the challenges of working with a medical system that often lacks awareness of infantile spasms and the need for immediate intervention, such as EEGs, to properly diagnose and manage it. The Importance of Advocacy and Persistence: The Murthys emphasize the importance of advocating for their child in the medical system, navigating insurance challenges, and ensuring Maverick receives appropriate care. They discuss how parents need to be assertive with insurance companies and sometimes even with medical professionals to secure necessary treatments. Collaboration in Therapy and AAC: The interview highlighted the significance of a multidisciplinary approach to Maverick’s therapy, including speech, occupational, and physical therapy, as well as ABA for autism. They also touched on the challenges of using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for a child with complex needs and the importance of having a cohesive and collaborative team to support his progress. 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!

Jessica Gerth and Jaclyn Lewis This week, we share Chris’s interview with Jessica Gerth and Jaclyn Lewis! Jessica (@chaoscommunicationconverse) is a speech pathologist who utilizes TTRPGs to enhance communication and social skills among her students. Jaclyn (@wranglerofchaos) is a writer, youth worker, and game master who wrote "Rolling with the Youth," a book focusing on fostering safe and fun spaces through role-playing games. Together, they emphasize the importance of inclusivity in gaming, aiming to provide all children, regardless of their backgrounds or abilities, a place at the table! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel discuss their shared sense of optimism for the future of AAC, and some of the possible sources for their positive outlook. They connect this optimism with the concept presuming potential, which requires an unwavering belief that students have the potential to grow and make progress! Key ideas this week: The Power of Role-Playing Games (RPGs) in Education and Therapy: Jessica and Jaclyn emphasize how tabletop role-playing games, like Dungeons & Dragons, can be used for educational and therapeutic purposes. These games provide opportunities for language development, social skills practice, and creativity. Jessica shares how she incorporates elements of these games into her work with students, particularly those on the autism spectrum, helping them with communication and engagement. Inclusivity in RPGs: The interview highlights the importance of creating inclusive spaces in role-playing games. Jaclyn discusses her work on making RPGs accessible to everyone, particularly younger players and those from diverse backgrounds. She and Jessica both emphasize the role of representation, where characters like Yumi, who uses an AAC device, offer both visibility and understanding of different abilities within the game. Safe and Supportive Game Environments: Jessica and Jaclyn explore how to create a safe environment for players through tools like "Session Zero," where expectations are set, and safety tools like the X-card, which allow players to signal discomfort. This ensures that games are not only fun but also emotionally and socially supportive for players of all backgrounds and abilities. Links from this Episode: “Rolling with the Youth” by Jaclyn Lewis: https://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Rolling-with-the-Youth.html 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! .

This week, we share Rachel’s interview with Amanda Diekman! Amanda (@lowdemandamanda)is an autistic adult and parent of three neurodivergent children who advocates for a shift away from traditional parenting models that prioritize control and demands. She suggests that accommodating children's needs and reducing expectations can foster better emotional connections. The interview underscores the significance of empathy, patience, and the need for adults to reflect on their own emotional responses to better support children in navigating their challenges! Before the interview, Rachel and Chris discuss some recent work that Rachel is doing on a yet-to-be-released update of her course, AAC Ally! Rachel shares that, since the previous version of AAC Ally focused more on assessment, the new version of AAC Ally will focus more on implementation and treatment. Rachel suggests that you sign up for her newsletter at rachelmadel.com/optin to receive updates on when the updated AAC Ally releases! Key Ideas this Episode: Radical Acceptance and Safety: Amanda emphasizes the importance of creating a sense of safety in children by aligning expectations with their capabilities. This involves understanding and accepting children as they are, without imposing overwhelming demands that trigger stress and make them feel unsafe. Non-Verbal Communication and Co-Regulation: Amanda explains that much of the communication with children, especially neurodivergent ones, can be non-verbal. Parents and caregivers should rely on their own nervous systems to co-regulate, recognizing distress signals and providing calm and connection to bring children back to a state of safety. Letting Go of Control: A major aspect of low-demand parenting is learning to release control and lower demands when children are overwhelmed. Rather than doubling down on rules or consequences, Amanda advocates for letting go of unrealistic expectations in the moment to restore emotional safety and connection. 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!

This week, we interview Brianna Hughes and Tiffany Rezvani! Brianna and Tiffany are Speech-Language Pathologists and AAC Specialists based in Northern California. They share all about the free AAC screening tool they created, called AAC Screening, that helps educators and clinicians efficiently identify students who may benefit from AAC devices! Before the interview, Chris shares some exciting news about going to Communication Matters in the UK this year! Chris will try and gather recordings while he is at the conference to share on a future podcast! Key Ideas this Week: Development of an AAC Screening Tool: Brianna and Tiffany created an AAC screening tool designed to streamline the assessment process for students in moderate and moderate-severe self-contained classrooms, particularly focusing on younger students (pre-K to kindergarten). This tool helps identify students who need AAC support more efficiently, allowing professionals to allocate more time to implementation rather than lengthy assessments. Benefits of Screening and Implementation: The AAC screening tool has reduced the stress on staff by ensuring that students are identified early, speeding up the provision of AAC devices, and freeing up time for training and support. This approach aligns with the specific language system first model, emphasizing quicker access to AAC and increased focus on real-world application and modeling rather than exhaustive device trials. Building a Supportive AAC Culture: By screening entire classrooms and often standardizing the systems used within them, the tool has helped foster a more confident and capable environment among teachers and staff. This approach has integrated AAC into daily routines and academic curricula, leading to improved communication and literacy outcomes for students, which benefits everyone involved in the education process. Links from This Episode: AAC Screening Tool: aacscreen ing.com 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!

This week, Chris interviews Marnina Allis and Marisa Portanova, two speech-language pathologists at Blythedale Children’s Hospital, the only independent specialty children’s hospital in New York State! Marnina and Marisa share about their role on the core assistive technology (AT) team, ideas for supporting AAC users and their families outside the hospital, taking a team-based approach to treatment, and more! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel share about starting the school year and how changing school teams often bring a certain amount of new energy to school sites. Chris also shares about one of his favorite things to start the school year - donning the costume of Shadow the Dog, the mascot for his wife’s elementary school! Key Ideas This Week: 1. Collaborative Approach to AT and AAC: Marnina and Marisa emphasize the importance of a collaborative approach at Blythedale Children’s Hospital, involving a core AT team that includes speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and a rehab engineer. This team works together to provide comprehensive support to pediatric patients with complex needs, ensuring that assistive technology solutions are tailored to individual requirements and are integrated into the patients' everyday lives. 2. Focus on Family and Community Involvement: The interview highlights the hospital's commitment to involving families in the therapy process, empowering them to feel comfortable and capable of using assistive technology with their children. They aim to provide ongoing education and support to families, recognizing that successful communication strategies need to be practiced in all environments, including home and school. 3. Make Learning Language Fun: Marnina and Marisa discuss their implementation of group therapy sessions that focus on fun, engaging activities like games and themed literacy projects, which allow children to interact socially while working on communication goals. This creates a supportive, interactive environment that promotes skill development and community building among AAC users. Links From This Episode: TED Talk - Derek Shivers: How To Start a Movement 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!

This week, we share a series of “Small Talks,” e.g. short recordings (less than 15 minutes) about a single topic of interest with guests Amy Mayer, Judy Schoonover, Remi Moran, and Tiffany Zaugg! Before the Small Talks, Rachel discusses presenting ant an online autism summit about some of the fundamentals of AAC. Meanwhile, Chris shares about recording some trainings on the “specific language system first approach” with some groups in Israel, including a presentation at the ISSAC Israel Conference where participants watched a prerecorded video, then did a live Q&A over Zoom. Small Talks This Episode: Amy Mayer: Question Slips - Sometimes, as a teacher, it gets overwhelming constantly being asked questions that are about trivial things, like using the bathroom or which color pen to use, and Question Strips are a strategy that can help! You put students in teams, and they are given slips that allow them to ask a question. The trick is, there are a limited number of slips, and all members of the group must sign off that this is what they want to ask. This dramatically reduces irrelevant question. Since students often want to save the slips for another time, they collaborate and solve their problems themselves! Judy Schoonover - Favorite Purchases from the Dollar Store: Something as simple as a pool noodles can be used as a pencil grip, as adaptive seating, converted into a foot fidget, made into a whisper tube, and more! Similarly, the Dollar Store sells thin kitchen rugs (18 x 24) are velcro sensitive, so when you fasten velcro dots to something, it will stay and not move! Tips on uses for Dollar Store cookie sheets, plastic protectors, plastic plates, and push lightsare also shared! Remi Moran: Creating a 50 Inch Touchscreen out of a TV - Remy bought an infrared frame that goes around his TV. The frame acts as a mouse pointer, essentially converting the TV into a large touchscreen. Remy shares how he puts videoes at the top and practices using AAC with his daughter at the bottom. Tiffany Zaugg: DebriefScape - UCF has a tool called debrief scape that allows you take video you have and tag certain moments on the video. you want to discuss. You can also tag lots of different spots on the video. This tool can be really useful for providing coaching and feedback when teaching someone about AAC using video, as recommended in programs like SMORRES. Links from This Episode:: Pool Noodles as Assistive Technology: https://blog.therapro.com/pool-noodle-as-assistive-technology/ Dollar Store Hacks for the Classroom https://www.weareteachers.com/50-dollar-store-hacks-for-the-classroom/ Writing Wizard: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/writing-wizard-school-ed/id631446426 Word Wizard: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/word-wizard-for-kids-school-ed/id447312716 DebriefScape: https://www.cs.ucf.edu/~ceh/EDGrants/DScape/

This week, Rachel and Chris interview the superstar members of the “Stepping Into AAC” project - Carole Zangari, Tabi Jones-Wohleber, Rachel Langley, and Michaela Ball! The “Stepping Into AAC” team shares about the core mission of the project: to introduce people to AAC, to guide them through the early months of using these new communication tools and strategies, and to offer resources to engage school teams and other caregivers. The program is divided into 20 parts with the intention to complete one part a week, making it more manageable! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel share about their experience over the summer meeting up in Virginia! Chris also shares about Jennifer Wexton, a congresswoman with progressive supranuclear palsy who recently became the first person to use AAC on the floor of the House of Representatives! Key Ideas This Episode: Family-Centered AAC Education and Support: The “Stepping Into AAC" project focuses on helping families understand and implement AAC through accessible training materials. These materials include videos, hands-on activities, and newsletters designed to empower families of individuals with Angelman syndrome and other AAC users by offering practical tools for communication development. Habit Formation as Key to AAC Success: The “Stepping Into AAC” project emphasizes the importance of habit formation for long-term success with AAC. By breaking AAC learning into manageable steps and activities spread over 100 days, the program encourages families to develop habits that integrate AAC into daily life, making it more natural and sustainable over time. Building Community Around AAC: The project recognizes the need for community, not just around the individual AAC learner but also for families. This includes support from other families on the AAC journey, professionals, and local communities, creating a sense of shared experience and providing much-needed encouragement and credibility to families advocating for their loved ones. Links from This Episode: Stepping Into AAC: https://www.angelman.org/stepping-into-aac/ Eleven Labs: https://elevenlabs.io/ 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!

This week, we present a Recast episode of Rachel's interview with Rachel Dorsey, an amazing autistic SLP who teaches courses on neurodiversity and goal writing. Recast episodes are previous episodes of TWT that Chris and Rachel want to highlight. In this Recast, Rachel Dorsey shares her perspectives on neurodiversity, how to help shift the perspectives of others to better affirm neurodiversity, the importance of co-regulation for Autistic people, and more! Before the interview, Rachel and Chris sit down with Melissa Bugaj and Sara Gregory to have a quick roundtable banter about gestalt language processing (e.g. scripting) vs analytical language processing, and ways that all people may use both methods to learn language. Key ideas this week: 🔑 A “neurodiversty affirming approach to Autism” involves respecting everyones differences and seeing people through their strengths and not just their deficits. It Includes listening to people from that community to learn from them how to improve your affirming practices. 🔑 What can we do to help shift people’s perspective to better support neurodiversity? Rachel Dorsey says help these people to ask “why”. Why is this happening? Why are they being disruptive? Why did they go from not being able to do a skill to doing it? Is it environment? Then, shift what you do next time in response to what you learn. 🔑 "Co-regulating" can happen in therapy when both therapist and the student (or client) help each other regulate. This will look different for different people. Does the Autistic person like to be left alone to do their own thing? Do they enjoy physical presence, or do they want space? Co-regulation helps to build trust and rapport and may help improve progress in therapy down the road. 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!

This week, we present a Recast of Chris’s interview with Dr. Rebecca Moles! Recast episodes are previous episodes from the early days of TWT that Chris and Rachel want to highlight! In this Recast, Dr. Moles shares the importance of communication and AAC in preventing child abuse, the categorization of abuse types, the need for educators to equip children with the language necessary for self-advocacy, and more! Before the interview, Chris, Rachel, and former host Lucas Stuber share some of their experiences with abuse and neglect, and highlight some of the strategies they have used to give children access to the language they need to report abuse and neglect. Key Ideas this Episode: 🔑 There are several ways to identify signs of physical abuse, including the presence of bruises in unusual places on a child's body or bruises that resemble objects. Dr. Moles also discusses how the age and mobility of the child can help distinguish between normal childhood bruises and bruises that might indicate abuse. 🔑 Dr. Moles explains the concept of mandated reporting, which requires professionals working with children (such as teachers, medical providers, and coaches) to report any suspicions of child abuse or neglect to state agencies. She stresses that mandated reporters do not need to be certain of the abuse, they only to have a reasonable concern. 🔑 It is important that children be able to communicate effectively about abuse, especially children with complex communication needs who use AAC devices. Rebecca emphasizes the need for AAC users to have access to words for all body parts, feelings, and basic actions to support the accurate reporting of abuse and neglect. Links: Crimes Against Persons with Disabilities Report: bit.ly/abusestatistics2014 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!

This week, we present a Recast of a previous “roundtable discussion” between Rachel, Chris, and previous host Lucas Stuber on early intervention and AAC! (Note: Recast episodes are episodes from the early days of TWT that Chris and Rachel want to highlight again). In this episode, Rachel shares her experiences with using AAC with very young children and discusses the benefits and challenges with early AAC implementation. They explore the misconception that AAC might hinder verbal development, as well as parental concerns regarding AAC as “screen time”, the importance of multimodal communication options, and more! Before the episode, Rachel shares that she no longer agrees with a position she shared on the podcast. In the roundtable, she shares that PECS can be a good option for learning initiation skills with AAC. Rachel no longer believes PECS is a good option for teaching language initiation to emergent communicators. Rachel clarifies that high-tech devices offer more robust and flexible communication options, which are usually more effective in supporting language development. She no longer suggests delaying the introduction of high-tech AAC if at all possible. Key Ideas this Episode: 🔑 Rachel, Chris, and Lucas emphasized that introducing AAC early in a child's development does not hinder speech development, but rather supports and facilitates it. They advocate for starting AAC interventions as early as possible, even for very young children, to aid in their communication and language development. 🔑 Peers are a great option for modeling AAC. Involving peers, parents, paraprofessionals, and teachers provides lots of modeling opportunities, which helps integrate AAC into every interaction and makes it a more natural part of the child's communication. 🔑 The importance of multimodal communication is highlighted, where different methods such as signs, pictures, and high-tech AAC devices are used simultaneously to support both expressive and receptive language development. This approach ensures that children have multiple avenues to communicate their needs and wants 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!

This week, we share a “Recast” of Chris’s interview with Kathy Howery! “Recast” episodes are episodes from the early days of Talking with Tech (with improved audio) that share important ideas Chris and Rachel want to highlight! Kathy is an AAC specialist, researcher, and educational consultant from Alberta, Canada who emphasizes the importance of understanding the lived experiences of AAC users from their perspective. She also shares about how therapy practices can improve by focusing on the personal, emotional, and social aspects of AAC use, and why AAC users should be provided with multiple communication modalities to better demonstrate their intelligence and capability! Before the interview, Chris, Rachel, and the previous host of TWT, Lucas Stuber discuss the lived experience of AAC users and the importance of being empathetic and supportive in our therapy. Key Ideas This Episode: 🔑 It’s not just about knowing how AAC devices work cognitively or intellectually - we need to do everything we can to understand what it feels like to use these devices and how they impact social interactions. 🔑 Kathy highlights the importance of developing empathetic practices, including challenging our preconceptions and being open to AAC users' personal experiences and perspectives. The aim is to foster a more compassionate and understanding approach when interacting with AAC users. 🔑 AAC users often use multiple modalities to communicate, including gestures, facial expressions, and body language, just like non-AAC users do. She also notes that an AAC user’s delay in responding can affect some interactions, and she stresses the importance of providing AAC users with various means of communication to ensure they are perceived as capable and intelligent. 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! .

This week, Chris interviews Caroline Woeber! Caroline is an SLP specializing in AAC at Children’s Hospital Colorado, including working at their Angelman/Chromosome 15 Disorder clinic. Caroline shares all about supporting communication and AAC in the hospital environment, training parents and caregivers about AAC, identifying next steps when teaching people with Angelman syndrome to use AAC, and more! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel answer a fascinating listener question about a complex communicator at their school whose parents want the student to use sign language instead of AAC. However, the school is pushing for AAC only. Chris and Rachel unpack this question, noting that it is often best for complex communicators to have multiple familiar communication modalities available. Key Ideas this Episode: 🔑Are we preparing students how to handle it when their preferred method of communication isn’t understood out in the community? If a student doesn’t want to use their AAC device unless there are communication breakdowns, you may want to role play dealing with intelligibility breakdowns and how to deal with that. 🔑People with Angelman syndrome often have problems with tremor, so be very thoughtful about things they may need, like keyguards. Some people with Angelman syndrome want to rip the keyguard off, so consider a fixed keyguard instead of magnetic or hinged keyguards. 🔑The Talking With Technology Camp (no connection with the TWT podcast) is an independent camp for AAC Users run by Children’s Hospital of Colorado and Easterseals for AAC users aged 6-21. It is an independent camp, and caregivers do not attend. Activities include inclusive fishing, hiking, swimming, talent shows, and more! Links: Talking with Technology Camp First Steps Camp Children’s Hospital of Colorado Chromosome 15 Disorders Clinic 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!

This week, Chris is interviewed by Benjamin Gibbs! Benjamin is a student at George Mason University studying Assistive Technology who is completing a school project interviewing Chris, and Chris asked if the conversation could go on the podcast! Ben has cerebral palsy that affects his walking gait and verbal speech. He uses a combination of verbal speech and AAC to communicate, depending on his communication partner and the context. Benjamin interviews Chris about evaluating students for AT, the importance of sharing AAC concepts with everyone at a young age, Benjamin’s lived experience as an AAC user, and more! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel discuss a listener question about adding a student who is adding words to his device without much consideration for where those words should be long term. Chris and Rachel discuss why we usually don’t need to lock a student out of editing their device, and ways that we can teach and shape the desire to add words into something positive! Key Ideas this Episode: 🔑 We shouldn’t password protect a device just because a student is adding words in an unexpected or “incorrect” way. Rather, we should shape and teach that the student should think through adding a symbol and where the word would best go. We shouldn’t treat a student adding buttons like a problem, we should be celebrating the student’s skills! 🔑 When we are evaluating a student for AT, it is really important to think about the environment, because the environment can be changed. You can change the instruction, furniture, etc to help support a student. For example, why give a student with dyslexia read pencil and paper when they could be given digital assignments that work better with text-to-speech apps. Let’s provide it digitally so everyone can benefit! 🔑 If you give an adolescent an AT tool that makes them stand out (e.g. a reader pen), they may abandon it to avoid standing out. However, if you provide technology tools to everyone (e.g., digital materials and built in text-to-speech), then the AT tools can be used by anyone without feeling different. 🔑 Chris believes “high-tech” and “low-tech” designations for AAC are not very helpful; whatever gets the job done is the tool, and it doesn’t need to be “high-tech” or “low-tech”. Many AAC users are forced to demonstrate low tech AAC skills before they are allowed access to high tech AAC, which has been a huge barrier to accessing the tools they need. 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!

This week, we share Chris’s interview with Amy Mayer! Amy is the founder and CEO of friEdTech (https://friedtechnology.com/), a company that provides educational technology (EdTech) professional development for educators. Amy talks about her recent book, Beyond Worksheets, which provides resources for teachers to utilize EdTech tools and to inclusively redesign education for everyone! She and Chris discuss the impact of AI on education and writing, ideas for creating meaningful professional learning experiences, and more! Before the interview, Rachel updates Chris about one of her clients, including how a fun collaborative creative writing exercise led to improvements in both his writing and spoken language! Key Ideas This Episode: 🔑 AI tools can be helpful for new writers trying to get feedback about their work, including reviewing for spelling and grammar. However, having a real person read and provide feedback about your writing may provide feedback from a broader view that current AI tools can’t provide. 🔑 Amy knows that educators often do not choose to come to a PD, but friEd Tech gets educators invested by designing learning experiences to solve problems that people actually have. Then, once people have talked about the problems they have, the group works together collaboratively to figure out how to solve those problems. 🔑 We need to have bigger conversations with students about the ethical use of AI tools. For example, some students never use AI tools because of ethical concerns, even though some AI tools could be used ethically to improve their learning. Amy's recent book: Beyond Worksheets: Creative Ways to Engage Students 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!

This week, we share Rachel's interview with Karina Carter and Nicole Young! Karina Carter is a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) at Children’s TheraPlay, where horses are used therapeutically to support children with disabilities and/or unique needs, including complex communicators! Nicole is the mother of TY, an AAC User who is one of Karina’s clients. Karina shares all about equine speech therapy with AAC Users, and Nicole shares about her son’s journey becoming an AAC user and (eventual) horse lover with Karina’s help! Before the interview, Chris shares about his wife's recent completion of a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, and his son, Tucker’s, quest to become a Veterinarian! Congrats Dr. Bugaj and good luck Tucker! Key Ideas this Episode: 🔑 When AAC Users started bringing their devices onto the horses, the device would be knocked around and was difficult to use, so the Children’s TheraPlay team developed an adjustable AAC stand that is worn around the horse’s neck! 🔑 Occupational Therapists (OTs) and Physical Therapists (PTs) have been using horses for therapy at Children’s TheraPlay for 20 years at TheraPlay, but Karina was the first SLP they hired. She had a lot to learn from PTs and OTs about sensory input and the client’s experience so she could integrate teaching communication with horseback riding. 🔑 During speech therapy, Karina works on a variety of language skills (e.g. prepositions) using tools situated throughout the arena, including a mailbox, poles, and rings. This helps create tempting communication opportunities for her clients! Links: Becca Eisenberg’s TWT Episode Becca Eisenberg’s book, All About Core Help us develop new content and keep the podcast going strong! Support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech! Visit talkingwithtech.org to listen to previous episodes, find new resources, and more!

This week, we share Rachel’s interview with the amazing Occupational Therapist (OT) Elisa Wern! Along with being a school-based OT, Elisa speaks and writes about issues related to AAC and OT, including that OTs can have a critical role in the AAC consideration and implementation process! Elisa shares ideas for supporting students with sensory processing issues, the need for OTs to get involved earlier to support writing at an early age, the importance of teaching AAC Users how to type, and more! Key ideas this week: 🔑 OTs are skilled with body and device positioning, environmental control, supporting executive function skills, and teaching students when and how to advocate for themselves. These are all skills that apply to AAC Users. OTs involved in the AAC process can provide greater perspective on many topics that are not as familiar to SLPs. There are things, like the glare from overhead lights, that SLPs may not consider, but OTs are often good at analyzing and making adjustments to positioning of the device and/or the student to reduce glare. 🔑 We need to think more about sensory processing concerns when we’re setting up and positioning an AAC device. Some sounds that come from an AAC device can cause sensory dysregulation for people with sensory processing issues, and if they don’t have the language to share their dysregulation, the situation is even more difficult to navigate. If possible, try and teach AAC Users (when they are ready to learn) how to navigate to a page where they can share these dysregulated feelings for themselves. 🔑 OTs should make sure they’re involved on the team when they are discussing writing at early IEP meetings. Providing acess to letters and literacy enables students have the ability to create any utterance, not just being forced to choose symbols and words that are not preferred by the AAC User, and it can take a lot of practice to develop alternative pencil or keyboard skills. Links from This Week’s Episode: ASHA, AOTA, and APTA Joint Statement on Interprofessional Collaborative Goals in School-Based Practice Elisa Wern's AT & OT Coaching & Consulting Website Fundamentals of AAC: A Case-Based Approach to Enhancing Communication Visit bit.ly/twtpod for access to previous episodes, resources, and CEU credits that you can earn for listening to TWT episodes! We need your help to keep Talking with Tech going! Please support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech

This week, we present Chris’s interview with some of the Fairfax County Public Schools AT Team: Jeff Sisk, Meaghan Tracy, Jennifer Carr, Ashley Kiley, and Colleen Kalamajka! They gather to share about the life of AAC/AT Specialist Jeff Powers, who passed away in 2023. They celebrate some of the many things he brought to his work with AAC, including helping people feel OK even if they don’t know everything, early support for the Specific Language System First Approach, his work sharing AAC on platforms like Youtube, and more! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel discuss the recent addition of automatic transcripts to Apple Podcasts, and some of the previous “behind the scenes” work that was done to provide transcripts for TWT episodes. Key Ideas this Week: 🔑 If you are interested in watching Jeff share about AAC, they have some of his videos up at the Fairfax County Public Schools AAC Page: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/academic-overview/special-education-instruction/assistive-technology-services-ats-5 🔑 AAC can become more of a tier 1 or 2 support. The most accommodations related to AT are typically visual supports and audio supports, and AAC provides both of those things. Providing AAC to more people also gives us an opportunity to teach a wider group of the community to be communication partners. 🔑 Fairfax County Public Schools recently had an “AAC Integration Workshop” with teachers that was all about how to use descriptive teaching to teach about more concepts, with a focus on breaking down academic language into easier language. Links from this week's Episode: Thing Explainer: https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Explainer-Complicated-Stuff-Simple/dp/0544668251 Help us develop new content and keep the podcast going strong! Support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech! Visit talkingwithtech.org to listen to previous episodes, find new resources, and more!

This week, we share Chris’s interview with Dr. Yoosun Chung, former president of USSAAC, activist, professor at George Mason University, and AAC user! Dr. Chung shares about her journey from South Korea to the United States to learn English and pursue higher learning, her first introduction to high-tech AAC as a doctoral student in assistive technology, her work as co-chair of the 2023 ISSAAC conference in Cancun, and more! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel have a fun discussion about suno.com, an AI song generator that creates some incredible songs about AAC - right on the spot! Chris and Rachel talk about how fun the tool is, and Rachel reflects on some of the motivating therapy lessons that she can create with this tool! Key Ideas this Week: 🔑 To AAC users, Dr. Chung says: don’t shy away from becoming activists. It is more than about speaking up, it’s about sharing your lived experiences and pushing towards a world that is inclusive for all. Each story we share, every obstacle we tackle, it expands the realm of understanding and acceptance. 🔑 To family members of AAC Users, Dr. Chung says: be a voice for your loved ones, ensuring they are heard in every space. It’s about empowering AAC users and their right to communicate themselves and making their own decisions. It’s crucial to respect and support their preferred method of communicating - this is a deep form of respect that lets them know you see and support them. 🔑 To service providers, Dr. Chung says: please listen to AAC users. Implementing AAC for someone needs to be a collaborative journey you embark on together. Involving AAC users in every step of the process is essential. This partnership ensures that AAC solutions are tailored to meet the unique needs of each user, fostering a more effective and empowering communication experience. Links from This Week’s Episode: NAACA Communication Access Video Suno.com: Online AI Song Generator

This week, we share Rachel’s interview with Chantelle Hutchinson (@dysphagiacommunity)! Chantelle is a Speech-Language Pathologist who works with adults with acquired brain injury and progressive neurological conditions. She shares about some of the factors that make working with clients with acquired brain injuries, like traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke, unique, including: how AAC needs can be different, the impact of frequently changing communication partners, the value of getting to know the client before writing goals, and more! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel chat about why podcasting should be considered and supported more often as a form of professional development. When we make education more engaging, it leads to better outcomes and retention! Key Ideas This Week: 🔑 Some people who have a TBI or stroke may not understand that they are communicating differently or their communication partner is not understanding. This can impact buy-in, because the client may not see much need for the device if they are not aware of the communication breakdowns. 🔑 We don’t always target building awareness about communication breakdowns for a client with a TBI or stroke. It takes a balance, because if a client is totally unaware, it can impact their ability to know when to use strategies (like AAC), but being highly aware of communication difficulties may lead to lower mental health outcomes overall. 🔑 A therapist working with TBI and stroke needs to keep in mind the client’s cognitive profile - some may never get to the point where they can initiate a conversation, no matter how much you practice the skill. In that situation, try and consider if the client’s needs are being met naturally and how you can best support them given their cognitive profile. Links from This Week’s Episode: Talking Mats: https://www.talkingmats.com/ 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!

This week, we share part two of Rachel’s interview with Tiffany Joseph! Tiffany is an autistic mother of three neurodivergent teens, as well as an educator, advocate, and a part-time AAC User with inconsistent verbal speech. She shares about her experience as a gestalt language processor, how she thinks AAC could help students mitigate their gestalts, her perspective on Spelling to Communicate, and more! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel answer a listener question about “seasoned SLP‘s” in the listener’s school district who said that “high-tech AAC wasn’t appropriate for kids with lots of behaviors.” Chris and Rachel discuss the question, noting that behaviors are often reduced when a student has a device, and they wonder whether those “seasoned” SLPs should reconsider their openness to new ideas. 🔑 Chris’s motto is “education instead of restriction,” meaning we should teach people how to use new things (like AI, etc) rather than just try and restrict or block them in the schools. In his experience, you can restrict a particular app or website but it’s better to teach students to use the tool in a better way. 🔑 Tiffany said it would’ve been really helpful for her communication growing up if she could’ve had a device that displayed the first half one of her gestalts, followed by different logical alternative endings that she could choose from to help her mitigate her gestalts. 🔑 Tiffany believes that spelling to communicate is a valid form of communication and doesn’t believe it should be controversial. She feels that, similar to “body doubling,” where the presence of a familiar person can help us regulate and focus, having a familiar partner facilitate communication is really valuable. Tiffany says that having a person there for to help coach the motor plan doesn’t make S2C invalid. 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!

This week, we present Part 1 of Rachel’s interview with the amazing Tiffany Joseph (@nigh.functioning.autism)! Tiffany is an autistic mother of three neurodivergent teens, as well as an educator, advocate, and a part-time AAC User with inconsistent verbal speech. She explains more about situations when verbal speech becomes difficult, the ways that writing text out before hand helps her, strategies she uses when she has trouble with verbal speech, and more! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel discuss a listener question from a parent of a teen who wants more authentic inclusion for her child, but she feels like encouraging more authentic inclusion is not very achievable. Chris and Rachel discuss the difficulty living in a world that isn’t universally designed, how we can use IEP accommodations to support UDL, cultivating belonging through inclusion, and more! Key ideas this week: 🔑 People will point out when someone doesn’t talk as much, and it often feels uncomfortable for that person. Not everyone talks all the time, but there is often an unspoken judgement when people are described as “not talking as much.” Sometimes it feels to Tiffany that she always has to be doing something extra, like talking, for others to feel happy. 🔑 Tiffany is a dyspraxic multi modal communicator with inconsistent motor plans, including with inconsistent verbal speech. Difficulty with motor plans can include routine activities, like brushing her teeth. Some people have entire bodies like this, while other people have only parts of their bodies with these kinds of motor difficulties. You can get really anxious in social situations when your speech and motor plans work inconsistently. 🔑 Be thoughtful about saving a student’s energy for learning & communicating, and try not to overdo repetitive daily tasks you know they can do. There isn’t an unlimited well of energy available, so we should be thoughtful with what we are asking someone to do. For example, don’t want to focus on handwriting so much that it limits progress on spontaneous communication. 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!

This week, Chris and Rachel interview Bob Sagoo! Bob is the father of Harchie, an 18-year-old young man with cerebral palsy who uses an AAC device with eye tracking to communicate (along with other modalities). Bob shares about Harchie’s AAC journey, Bob’s work to get Harchie mainstreamed in school, Harchie going to college, and more! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel talk about delivering fun experiences while teaching about language with AAC! They share about why we need to bring playfulness and a playful energy, and some ideas for ways we can bring the fun, like humor, music, dressing up, painting, and modifying games! Key ideas This Week: 🔑 Parents need to feel empowered - in any situation, parents are the expert when it comes to their child. It’s Ok to respect specialists for their experience and knowledge, but when it comes to your child, you are the expert. You are their advocate and speak on their behalf until they are able. 🔑 It’s for OK not to be OK. There is often a lot behind the scenes going on within families that we don’t see, especially for families of children with complex bodies. We need to give parents grace when working with them - if they don’t do something we recommend, there is probably a reason other than “they don’t care.” 🔑 Bob says the feeling he gets when he wakes up at three in the morning, of “I don’t know what my kid is going to do after I’m gone,” doesn’t really go away, but it can be helped a lot by taking the time to reach out and find out as much as you can. That will help you become as informed as possible as you learn about what your child needs. 🔑 If parents are feeling overwhelmed by information about their child’s needs and don’t know where to start, one good place is to connect with other parents of children with special needs, They can help you get started moving in the right direction, and anytime you’re going through something difficult, knowing you’re not alone can be very powerful! 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!

This week, we hear Chris’s interview with Beth Moulam and Joanna Holmes! Beth is a master student, former Paraolympian, a Trustee of Communication Matters (a branch of ISSAC), and patron of a charity called One Voice. She is a multi modal communicator who often uses AAC devices to communicate. Joanna (@mummyvsaac on Instagram) is the mother of Lucy, a 9-year-old multimodal communicator with a complex medical history that includes a genetic component. They share about Beth’s AAC journey, the importance of a language rich environment on AAC development, the multimodal nature of communication, and more! 🔑 Beth doesn’t feel she will ever reach her final communication destination, because she is always learning. Learning to use AAC is a labor of love, it takes hours of practice and lots of resilience for the user, families, and their support networks. 🔑 Beth and Joanna both emphasize the many modes of communication a complex communicator uses to communicate. A person’s communication “system” is more than the AAC app a person uses, it is everything that person does to communicate with others. 🔑 There is a popular misconception that getting an AAC device will lead to lots communication. You also need the language to use it, which for some is a long jump. Learning to use AAC for most people isn’t like flicking a switch, its like building a house - it takes a team of people, doing their best to do things in the right order, learning nail-by-nail, to use AAC together. 🔑 Beth had a communication rich home environment as a child, including being read to daily and having phonics on her bedroom wall that she discussed with her mother. She believes this was really important to her literacy and ability to work with AAC at a young age. 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!

This week, Chris interviews Daniel O’Conner and Bradley Haven of All Access Life! All Access Life is a nonprofit that showcases the latest trends and movements in adaptive products and assistive technologies on their website allaccesslife.org. Daniel & Bradley share about how they met when Daniel was Bradley's Aide in high school (Bradley has nonverbal Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy), how they came to decide to create a nonprofit together, and how they developed their mission to share information about adaptive products. They also discuss Bradley’s AAC journey and how the technology has progressed from the switches Bradley used as a teenager to the current eye tracking he uses on his TD Pilot device. Before the interview, Rachel shares about a family who had a very strong emotional reaction to having their child’s voice changed from a child’s voice to a teenager’s voice, and why we need to include the family and give lots of advance warning if we want to make a change to voice output for maturity purposes. Key Ideas this Week: 🔑 We should try and spread the word about current accessibility gaming options, like Copilot with the Xbox Adaptive Controller, that allow people like Bradley to play video games. Accessable gaming opens up social opportunities and allow users to engage with friends and family in new ways! 🔑 A lot of companies don’t think about the fact that people with disabilities use their product. Big companies like Microsoft embracing inclusive design with their Xbox Adaptive Controller helps move the field forward, but there is more work to be done! 🔑 Bradley says “nothing about us, without us,” meaning he wants companies who create products to get feedback from actual people with disabilities at every step of product creation. 🔑 Playing video games in schools shouldn’t be a carrot at the end of a difficult task, but rather something woven in (e.g. tallying up classroom scores on Rocket League to practice addition) to make learning more engaging. Links from This Weeks Episode Miles Harvey - Esports Research and Its Integration in Education (Advances in Game Based Learning) How to Use Copilot on Xbox

This week, we share Rachel’s interview with Breea Rosas! Breea is a school psychologist who works with educators on how they can implement neurodiversity affirming practices and neurodiversity affirming psychoeducation! Breea shares about the neurodiversity affirming approach and three key areas she works with educators and practitioners to address: 1) What assessments are we choosing; 2) How are we writing assessments; and 3) What are we communicating to the families in meetings? Before the interview, Chris shares his discomfort with using descriptions that label people as “typical” when the concept of “average” does not really capture the nuances that make up a person and could even be reductive. Key Ideas this Week: 🔑 Breea always writes reports as if the child will read it in 10 years, and she asks herself “How would it make them feel?” 🔑 We should be thoughtful about the assessments we are choosing. If you know, “Kids with ADHD, they are always bombing assessment X,” then consider giving a different assessment! You don’t always need to get the same tests to every student. 🔑 Parents have a lot of voice in IEP meetings - if as a parent, you hear a goal that doesn’t align with your philosophy, you can say, “This doesn’t align with our goals as a family. We don’t agree with this, we want something more creative.” As a parent. if something feels wrong, you should say something! Links from This Week’s Episode “The Myth of Average” Tedx Talk: https://youtu.be/4eBmyttcfU4?si=XcuHQrYCTEznV0iR Neurodiversity Affirming School-Based & Consulting Practitioners Facebook Group Autism Level Up: https://www.autismlevelup.com