Talking With Tech AAC Podcast

We need your help to keep Talking with Tech going strong! If you are a loyal listener, please support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech. This week, the TWT team is proud to present Part 3 of Rachel’s interviews from ASHA 2019! Before the interviews, Rachel chats with Chris about doing a live podcast interview with Jennie Bjorem, speaking on a panel about podcasting and ethics, and her presentation on apps and autism! Don’t miss the discussion of Pepi Bath 2 😆! After that: 🔑 Erik Raj stops by the booth to talk about infusing technology into stuttering treatment, including using funny pics to get kids talking (PhotoFunia) and using a voice changer (voicechanger.io) to motivate clients to talk more in therapy! 🔑 Kate Lamb (@lesswasteslp on Insta) talks about her “zero waste speech therapy room” and how she utilizes strategies like refusal, recycling, and reusing to cut her year’s trash down to the size of a spice jar! One great tip - use less laminating sheets and more reusable plastic sleeves instead! 🔑 Sarah Gregory discusses her presentation on AAC in the general education classroom, free resources on Twitter at @SGregorySLP, and why social media is a great way to follow amazing adult AAC users! 🔑 Kathy Hoffman, Arizona State Superintendent, talks about her presentation on being an advocate for public education, her decision to run for state office, and how she became the first educator to become State Superintendent of AZ in 20 years! 🔑 Lucas Steuber shares about working with Tobii Dynavox customers to figure out their biggest needs working with AAC. 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 strong! If you are a loyal listener, please support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech. This week, the TWT team is proud to present more of Rachel’s interviews from ASHA 2019! Before the interviews, Rachel chats with Chris about meeting all of the TWT fans at ASHA, how great it was to be part of something that is helping others, and talking with AAC user Hannah Foley. After that, we hear from: 🔑 Adriana Lavi - Dr. Lavi is the author of the Clinical Assessment of Pragmatics, Assistant Professor at Loma Linda University, and founder of the Lavi Institute. Dr. Lavi talks about creating and standardizing the CAP with her husband, why video-based assessment of non-verbal language is so important to pragmatics, and using auditory-visual bombardment to teach how to read facial expressions. 🔑 Debbie Brooks - the very funny host of SLP Wine and Cheese podcast talks about going from a job as a comedy writer to working as an SLP, why she is a “productive procrastinator”, and how she got started with the podcast. 🔑 Matt Hott - the host of the SpeechScience podcast checks in briefly to talk about being at the XceptionalEd booth and working with ASHA SEALs. 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 strong! If you are a loyal listener, please support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech. This week, the TWT team is proud to present Rachel’s interviews from ASHA 2019! Before the interviews, Rachel brings on her #1 fan, Mama Madel, to chat with her and Chris! After that, we hear from: 🔑 Lynsey Lobdell and Brie Norton discuss their presentation about four foundational components to ensure authentic communication across all environments: 1) Improved team communication to promote a collaborative environment; 2) training; 3) support; and 4) culture. 🔑 Maria Kotsonis, host of SLP’s Wine and Cheese Podcast. Maria talks about hosting, working with her co-host Debbie Brooks, why she loves listening to different podcasts and learning while she does other things, and more! 🔑 John Kim - talks about his presentation about the SETT framework and how to incorporate AAC into the classroom curriculum. He shares about utilizing Student, Environment, Task, Tool framework to make a self-guided questionnaire for service providers to help highlight needs. He talks about working with teachers and SLPs who are not as familiar with AAC. 🔑 Andrea Paulson - undergrad student at Middle Tennessee State at ASHA for the first time. She shares about her favorite talk and a upcoming conference at her school with keynote speaker Celeste Roseberry-Mckibbin on Saturday Feb 29th. 🔑 Nicole Tripp - discusses presentation about tracking data to drive change for AAC service delivery, working with administration with data to promote funding and training, evaluation of your own district, collaboration with teachers, and more! 🔑 Daisy Clay talks about creating SimpleAAC to respond to the issue of providing a device without implementation by providing guidance for parents, teachers, and others using the acronym SimpleAAC. It stands for Show, Interesting, Pause, Language, Exploration, Always available, Add words (expansion), and Commenting. 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 strong! If you are a loyal listener, please support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech. This week, Chris interviews Nicole Bender, an AAC specialist who was inspired to move from the US to Thailand to help people with developmental disabilities to communicate! Nicole shares her fascinating experiences deciding to move to another country, her challenges and successes working with AAC in Thailand, and why Nicole loves working abroad so much. Before the interview, Rachel gives her much awaited update on her experiences in Nepal, including adapting her training to help people in a developing country, traveling to far-flung locations, blending in with the locals, and more! Key ideas this week: 🔑 Nicole makes great use of Saltillo’s “Activity First Approach” - We pick a motivating topic, fill in words in the different sections on the visual, and think about what we need to say or do to get the child to say targeted phrases. 🔑 Song activities for AAC - some families with a song-based activity before working on core words. The family sings songs together and points at the pictures as they sing. It can help in some cases get the family more comfortable with picture-based vocabulary. 🔑 It is important to think about culture when choosing AAC pictures to use. In some cases, the picture is not culturally appropriate’. For example, Nicole found out that a picture of someone putting their feet to signify “take a break” in Thailand isn’t used because putting up your feet and pointing them at someone is considered rude. 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 strong! If you are a loyal listener, please support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech. This week, we are happy to share our third Small Talks episode! We have 5 different short interviews from Brian Whitmer, Brandi Lee Wentland, Kathy Howery, Shaun Pearson, and Kelly Key! Each of them shares a key experience or strategy that is of particular interest! Key ideas this week: 🔑 Brian Whitmer, CEO of CoughDrop, talks about the process of coming up with CoughDrop’s clever AAC-themed shirts (e.g., “I love it when a good motor plan comes together”). 🔑 Brandi Lee Wentland discusses pushing into classrooms and other environments to support students in a more naturalistic environment. 🔑 Kathy Howery shares about working with parents, students, and SLPs at an AAC camp in Canada, including the importance of training communication partners before the camp begins. 🔑 Shaun Pearson shares about creating a table-top role playing game for children at AAC camp with Kathy, and all the creative ideas the students came up with! He also touches on the Argyle and Crew role playing game for kids and adults! 🔑 Kelly Key talks about #coreaokey, a fun activity she came up with to work on core vocabulary! You play a song, and as it plays, you can model the language from the song! 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 strong! If you are a loyal listener, please support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech. This week, Chris interviews Catherine Fredricks, a School-Based SLP & AAC Specialist with Wayne Township Public Schools. Catherine shares about her experience using AAC with students with a variety of needs (bilingual students, language-delayed students who are verbal, students with complex communication needs, etc) and how she builds excitement at school for a student’s early progress with AAC. Hearing about how she has built success and buy-in within the schools is useful and inspiring! Before the interview, Chris and his amazing wife Melissa Bugaj catch up on the latest at Melissa’s school site! Key ideas this week: 🔑 Descriptive teaching is a way to reinforce and teach core language when we are discussing fringe words, especially during academic subjects. For example, instead of finding “ocean” or other fringe words during a science lesson, talk about the ocean - it is big, it is cold, etc. This allows for access to the curriculum while also reinforcing core language. 🔑 It can be difficult to get everyone on a school site “on board” with modeling & core language. Often, finding just one teacher to embrace AAC and work with the students can lead to others seeing the progress, which can create more buy-in for everyone. 🔑 When writing goals for students with complex communication needs, consider allowing for verbal responses as well as AAC responses in the goal (e.g., don’t just write the goal for AAC). This respects the student’s communication regardless of modality, and recognizes that verbal skills can grow with AAC skills. 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 strong! If you are a loyal listener, please support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech. This week, Rachel and Chris interview Amanda Scheriff, an SLP working with students with complex communication needs at the Labbb Educational Collaborative in Lexington, MA! The Labbb Collaborative is a multi-district collaboration providing special eduction services that promote inclusion and independence. Amanda works with the Labbb’s multiple handicap program and social/emotional program, and she has lots of great practical advice and strategies to share! Key ideas this week include: 🔑 The “Symbol It” app is a speech to symbol app that takes speech input and will display the corresponding symbols/text. This can be a great way to avoid using an AAC user’s device to give them commands (“Sit down”). 🔑 Asking AAC users which greetings, slang, humor, etc they would like on their device is a great way to increase interest in communicating with others, especially peers. 🔑 Amanda uses Carole Zangari’s “Tell Me: AAC in the Preschool Classroom” curriculum with her students as a way to provide structured reading and writing lessons focused on core language & familiar books. 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 strong! If you are a loyal listener, please support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech. This week, Chris interviews with AAC enthusiast, SLP, and TWT podcast listener Sarah Gregory (@SGregorySLP on Twitter) about “authentic” inclusion, social belonging, peer modeling, universal access, and more! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel talk about Rachel’s upcoming trip to Nepal to train and coach teachers and caregivers about AAC! Key ideas this week: 🔑 If we include students with complex communication needs into a general education classroom, we should try and help them feel they are part of the class and they have friends in the class. See this graphic by Shelley Moore. 🔑 Running peer modeling groups in school is a great way to teach everyone in school about AAC & celebrate our differences. 🔑 Culturally responsible teaching - can we structure classrooms so that AAC users are better represented? 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 strong! If you are a loyal listener, please support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech. This week, Rachel interviews Dr. Lisa Erwin-Davidson (www.lisa-aac.com) about some of the questions Lisa had working as an AAC specialist, what answers about language she has discovered in her research, and her areas of interest she is exploring next!! Lisa is a faculty member at CSU Fullerton who has conducted research into how preschoolers with and without disabilities are taught core language, and she has unique insights into how core language develops! Key ideas this week: 🔑 Rachel gives an update on the family from the “Aggressive Behaviors” episode. 🔑 One type of core word, a “concept relational word” (e.g., in/out, before/after, big/little), can make an excellent target for beginning AAC interventions. 🔑 Infusing graphic language into daily routines, whether done by teachers or parents, is a great way to expand how often AAC is modeled and used throughout the day. 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 strong! If you are a loyal listener, please support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech. This week, the TWT team is pleased to share Rachel’s interview with David Tobin, former TV producer and CEO of Audiojack! First, Chris and Rachel discuss how they have gone almost 2 years making the podcast, and haven’t yet met in person (but almost did last week). Chris and Rachel also connect about using audio as a tool in therapy, and the importance of being able to visualize and use our imaginations. Next, Rachel connects David Tobin, former TV producer and CEO of Audiojack (www.audiojack.com), to talk about his company and how Audiojack is being used in classrooms and therapy rooms to improve student engagement and foster creativity. Finally, the episode ends with a short Audiojack, with Rachel and Chris comparing what they heard in the clip! Key ideas this week: 🔑 “Audiojacks” are audio-based, wordless stories created by layering lots of different sounds together. 🔑 Rachel has used Audiojacks to help clients produce more language and get better engagement in therapy. 🔑 Some of Rachel’s clients used vocabulary Rachel didn’t know they had when trying to describe an Audiojack. 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 strong! If you are a loyal listener, please support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech. This week, Chris interviews SLP & AAC Specialist Brandi Lee Wentland, owner of We Speak AAC! Brandi shares lots of helpful strategies for working with AAC users, including collaborating with other professionals, using a reinforcement matrix, helping others to get started on their AAC journey, and more! Key ideas this week include: 🔑The cost of agreeing to increase speech therapy minutes can be much greater for a district than vs the cost of a device, but a request to increase speech minutes may be much less scrutinized in some settings than a request for AAC. 🔑BCBAs want research, preferably research of a certain type. Instead of debating the merits of some AAC research, more productive conversations can be had about video modeling, functional language, and utilizing AAC with motivating activities. 🔑Increasing the number of communication partners that model AAC with an AAC user both a) increases their exposure to language overall and b) demonstrates respect for the AAC user’s chosen mode of 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 strong! If you are a loyal listener, please support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech. This week on TWT, Rachel shares about her recent experience with a client who became aggressive, self-injurious, frustrated during a therapy session, and what she was thinking and feeling as the situation felt like it was slipping out of her control. Rachel and Chris discuss the wide variety of emotions and thoughts that can occur after an experience like this, and they consider how we can best support students with complex communication needs who also demonstrate challenging behaviors. Key ideas this week include: 🔑 Chris wonders whether videotaping sessions with the client could be helpful in figuring out what may have caused the client’s aggressive outburst. 🔑 Gradual exposure to a disliked item, like a particular food being moved closer to the client each session, can be effective in some cases where students become upset or disregulated interacting with it. 🔑It is worth considering whether we can we make therapy that is engaging and fun that in order to reduce aggressive behaviors overall? Visit bit.ly/twtpod for access to previous episodes, resources, and CEU credits that you can earn for listening to TWT episodes!

This week, Chris interviews SLP and AAC Specialist Meghan Betz about her experiences with AAC and what she has learned about reflective listening, working collaboratively in IEP meetings, working successfully with parents in the home, chunking information for parents & teachers, and more! Key ideas this week include: 🔑 Rachel & Chris talk iPad stands - Rachel talks about her favorite sturdy and inexpensive iPad stand on Amazon and Chris shares about making iPad stands with 3D printing at thingaverse.com. 🔑 Chris discusses his article for USAAC on using block coding to teach language. Learn more about coding at code.org and about the robots Dash & Dot at https://www.makewonder.com/robots/dash/ 🔑 Meghan & Chris discuss the importance of listening as much as we talk when interacting with parents and teachers in order to build their confidence and buy-in with therapeutic interventions. bit.ly/twtpod also has 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 strong! If you are a loyal listener, please support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech. This week, Chris interviews Kelly Key about her role as Assistive Technology Coordinator with the Barrington 220 School District! They discuss promoting core vocabulary in Kelly’s district, using the SETT framework to evaluate AAC needs, helping to find communication opportunities in the school day, and more! Key ideas this week include: 🔑 Discussion of the story on Twitter about Rachel Romeo teaching a young boy with ASD basic AAC skills during an 8 hour-flight. 🔑 Rachel & Chris’ experiences helping others with assistive technology out in public. 🔑 Kelly shares about growing her school district’s “Core Vocabulary Initiative” from 5 to 75 professionals! 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 strong! If you are a loyal listener, please support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech. This week, Chris & Rachel connect with the amazing Gail Van Tatenhove about her career, working with adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities who use AAC, and more! Key ideas this week: 🔑 Gail shares from her wealth of experiences, including how communication needs change as young AAC users grow into adulthood and beyond. 🔑 The idea that people with verbal speech don’t benefit from AAC is a myth - the first “A” in AAC is for “augmentative” communication! 🔑 If we rely only upon verbal speech to develop language, then language can be delayed when speech sounds are delayed. “Visual supports” are a great way to teach language while speech sounds develop. 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 strong! If you are a loyal listener, please support our podcast at patreon.com/talkingwithtech. This week, the TWT team is pleased to share Rachel’s interview with Charlotte DiStefano. Charlotte is a researcher at UCLA with the Center for Autism Research and Treatment, as well as a Clinical Psychologist at the UCLA Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Clinic. Charlotte shares about being a researcher at UCLA, her involvement with JASPER, her research on autism & language development, ways therapists can improve interventions, and more! Key ideas this week include: 🔑 The importance of school districts providing access to AAC devices after school and during the summer. 🔑 When making device selections, try and involve parents, private SLPs, and teachers where possible! This can improve buy-in and help us make the most informed decision possible. 🔑 JASPER (Joint Attention, Symbolic Play, Engagement, and Regulation) is a treatment approach that "targets the foundations of social communication and uses naturalistic strategies to increase the rate and complexity of social communication.” Visit bit.ly/twtpod for access to previous episodes, resources, and CEU credits that you can earn for listening to TWT episodes!

This week, the TWT team presents their third “Productivity Hacks” episode! This episode covers additional “hacks” that Rachel and Chris were not able to get to during their AAC in the Cloud presentation, including Slack, Trello, Voxer, ITT, Doodle, and more! Key ideas this week include: 🔑 Using Slack to coordinate and organize messages between groups of people, such as an IEP team. 🔑 Rachel is “obsessed” with Voxer, a walkie-talkie app for team communication that allows sharing of short voice and video messages. 🔑 Doodle makes scheduling easier for meetings by highlighting the times everyone is available at the same time. Before Rachel and Chris share these “hacks”, the adorable Margaret Bugaj joins the podcast to share about modeling using LAMP Words for Life with a new AAC user while they watched movies together. Margaret also shares about being a temporary LAMP user herself when she recovered from stitches, and her advice for new LAMP users!

This week, TWT presents the second half of the presentation “Tech Hacks that Support Team Collaboration, Productivity, and Efficiency.” This session was originally presented by Chris and Rachel as part of the AAC in the Cloud 2019 conference! Key ideas this week include: 🔑 Rachel discusses how she uses TheraNest to help her schedule multiple clinicians at once. 🔑 Summer vacation gives some AAC users a chance to work with different communication partners. We can use this opportunity to see how AAC skills are generalizing outside of the therapy room. 🔑 This week’s half of the “Productivity Hacks” presentation continues to share lots of ideas to help you become more productive and effective, including using Google for to do lists, sending screen captures with Loom, holding team meetings with Zoom, and more! Slides at bit.ly/AACproductivityhacks. Before we present the second half of “Productivity Hacks”, Chris and Rachel talk about the end of extended school year services, using technology to schedule clinicians, assessing how skills learned in the therapy room are generalizing, and more!

This week, the TWT team presents the first half of their presentation “Tech Hacks that Support Team Collaboration, Productivity, and Efficiency.” This session was originally presented by Chris and Rachel as part of the AAC in the Cloud 2019 conference! Before we present the first half of “Productivity Hacks”, Chris and Rachel talk about working with impulsive clients, using wait time and eye contact to distinguish communication attempts, doing therapy alongside communication partners, and more! Key ideas this week include: 🔑 Developing “care plans” for communication partners - e.g., “next week, we will practice expanding utterances by one word” - is a great way to think more about coaching. 🔑 Rachel uses her Core Word Bundle every week to explain core words, language expansion strategies, parts of speech, and more to parents. https://www.rachelmadel.com/shop/core-word-vocabulary-bundle 🔑 This week’s “Productivity Hacks” presentation shares lots of great ideas about how to become more efficient and effective in your AAC practice, including making QR codes and using bit.ly links. Slides for this presentation: bit.ly/aacproductivityhacks

This week, the TWT team presents the second half of the “ABCs of AAC.” This session was originally presented by Chris and Rachel as part of the SLP2B 2019 conference! Before we present the second half of the “ABCs”, Chris and Rachel talk about augmented reality in therapy, the “Do Not Touch” app, supporting literacy, and more! Key ideas this week include: 🔑 Rachel loves to use some slang in therapy because shared use of slang fosters peer acceptance. We need to program and teach users how to communicate in the same way others are communicating. 🔑 It helps to get the community involved with AAC, so more people know more about how to connect and interact with AAC users. 🔑 Avoid repeating phrases too often for children who use scripts. instead, teach language concepts as individual units so kids can say whatever they want to say, whenever they want to say it. Listen to part 1 of the “ABCs of AAC” and this week’s episode, then head to bit.ly/techceu to earn CEU credit for listening!

This week, the TWT team presents the first half of the “ABCs of AAC.” This session was originally presented by Chris and Rachel as part of the SLP2B 2019 conference! Before we present the first half of the “ABCs”, Chris and Rachel discuss using the power of core vocabulary, changes to their schedules from summer, celebrating an AAC user’s circle of support, and more! Key ideas this week include: 🔑 Modeling looking for vocabulary (and using the search function) on a device is a great way to help everyone feel more comfortable looking for vocabulary. 🔑 “Think-alouds” can be used in combination with modeling on the device(e.g., “Hmmm…how do I search?”) to help clients think about solving the problem themselves. 🔑 The “ABCs of AAC” from Rachel and Chris is an excellent introduction into AAC and is intended for anyone interested in a better understanding of the fundamentals of AAC. Listen this week and to part 2 of the “ABCs of AAC” next week, then head to bit.ly/techceu to earn CEU credit for listening to these episodes!

This week, the TWT team is pleased to share the second half of the “Golden Rules of AAC Competency in a New Era of Communication.” This session was originally presented by Lucas, Chris, and Rachel as part of the #XedAAC18 conference! Key ideas this week include: 🔑 Overlapping treatment with other professionals can teach you strategies you did not learn in your own professional training. 🔑 It is important to support an AAC user’s “operational competency” - the ability to turn on the device, change the volume, plug it in, etc. 🔑 The COLE (Continuum of Language Expression) is a free tool used by therapists and IEP teams to evaluate early language development. http://bit.ly/colegooglesheets Before we present the second half of the “Golden Rules”, Chris and Rachel discuss accessible programming, learning from other professionals, operational competency, and more! Listen to part 1 of the “Golden Rules of AAC Competency in a New Era of Communication” and this week’s episode, then head to bit.ly/techceu to earn CEU credit for listening!

This week, the TWT team is pleased to share the first half of the “Golden Rules of AAC Competency in a New Era of Communication.” This session was originally presented by Lucas, Chris, and Rachel as part of the #XedAAC18 conference! Before we present the first half of this session, Chris and Rachel discuss several topics related to 3D printing, including creating 3D core word symbols using Project Core! Key ideas this week include: 🔑 Teachers and SLPs can coordinate with students in “maker clubs” to print 3D core word symbols using Project Core. 🔑 The “AAC competencies” are a helpful framework for planning AAC intervention by providing a broader definition of communication competence and success with AAC. 🔑 Five domains of communication competence in AAC: social, operational, linguistic, strategic, and emotional competence. Listen this week and to part 2 of the “Golden Rules of AAC Competency in a New Era of Communication” next week, then head to bit.ly/techceu to earn CEU credit for listening to these episodes!

This week, Lucas Steuber of Tobii Dynavox returns to help Chris and Rachel answer questions from our listeners! Key ideas this week include: 🔑 Ideas for supporting an eye gaze user's as he enters a magnet high school for game and app development. 🔑 Advice for a person whose client uses AAC and appears to display block-like disfluencies. 🔑 Strategies for promoting literacy, including incorporating the use of bluetooth keyboards. For show notes, links to resources, past episodes, and more, visit bit.ly/twtpodcast. To earn CEU credits for listening to past episodes of TWT, head to bit.ly/techceu!

Listen to part 1 of the AAC Apps Update last week, then head to bit.ly/techceu to earn CEU credit for listening to both of these episodes! This week, the TWT team is pleased to share the second half of the AAC Apps Update 2018! This conference session was originally presented by Lucas, Chris, and Rachel as part of the Special Apps Update Conference 2018. Before we present this week’s session, Chris and Rachel discuss Rachel's recent hand injury, ideas for improving aided language input, and more! Key ideas this week include: 🔑 Important features to look for in AAC applications. 🔑 Using parallel-talk vs self-talk when working with adults over 60+ 🔑 App ideas & strategies for challenging AAC assessments.

Listen to part 2 of the AAC Apps Update next week, then head to bit.ly/techceu to earn CEU credit for listening to these episodes! This week, the TWT team is pleased to share the first half of the AAC Apps Update 2018! This conference session was originally presented by Lucas, Chris, and Rachel as part of the Special Apps Update Conference 2018. Before we present this week’s session, Chris and Rachel discuss reading specialists, being aware of compensatory measures when assessing children with autism, and more! Key ideas this week include: 🔑 AAC users may benefit from working with a reading specialist and/or from including a reading specialist on their interdisciplinary team. 🔑 When assessing receptive language, you must determine whether a child really understands the language and isn’t using compensatory measures, such as visuals or gestures. 🔑 School districts should consider teaching the basics of AAC to all students and staff!

This week, Rachel interviews educational therapists and co-hosts of the Learn Smarter podcast, Stephanie Pitts & Rachel Kapp! Stephanie and Rachel share what educational therapy is, why executive functioning is so important, and strategies they utilize to help learners improve task initiation, time management, and motivation! Key ideas this week include: 🔑 Educational therapists teach learners how they learn and strategies they can use to learn better and improve executive functioning. 🔑 No child is actually "lazy" - it is often about meeting learners where they are. 🔑 How to help early communicators improve both sustained attention and task initiation. For show notes, links to resources, past episodes, and more, visit bit.ly/twtpodcast!

This week, the TWT team presents another “Small Talks” episode featuring short conversations with AAC specialists Erin Sheldon, Kelly Fonner, Lance McLemore, and Mo Buti! Key ideas this episode: 🔑Suggest an AAC evaluation for young children (2-3 years old) with limited expressive language, because we don’t have to delay language skills while other skills (e.g. articulation skills) catch up. 🔑Try to use fun, memorable stimuli and prompts in therapy, because clients talk more about things that are silly, remarkable, and novel. 🔑Ask students who are AAC users to use their vocabulary to talk about the curriculum in the classroom, not just answer basic vocabulary questions. For show notes, links to resources, past episodes, and more, visit bit.ly/twtpodcast!

This week on TWT, Chris interviews Brian Whitmer, CEO of CoughDrop, about OpenAAC.org and the “open” movement supporting AAC users and their right to move communication boards from one system to another, access a free set of symbols, open 3rd party apps inside their AAC systems, and more! Key ideas: 🔑Many AAC developers do not allow communication boards to be moved from one communication system to another system, especially if that system is not owned by the developer. This can lead to users being stuck on old, broken equipment when a system or device is no longer supported. 🔑Giving control back to the user can be good for developers as well as users! Building customer goodwill can be a powerful way to build customer loyalty. 🔑The Communication Workshop (https://www.coreworkshop.org) is a growing collection of free materials, videos, and prompts for teaching words and ideas to AAC users. For show notes, links to resources, past episodes, and more, visit bit.ly/twtpodcast!

This week on TWT, Rachel interviews Alyssa Hillary Zisk! Alyssa is a graduate student in neuroscience who shares their experiences as an autistic adult who uses AAC part of the time to communicate. Key ideas this episode: 🔑Some autistic adults experience intermittent or insufficient speech. 🔑Some of these adults use AAC part of the time. 🔑It is important to give AAC users the same chance to participate in discussions and to allow them to communicate in whatever modality they choose. For show notes, links to resources, past episodes, and more, visit bit.ly/twtpodcast!

This week on TWT, we share the second half of Rachel’s interview with Carly Stoltenberg! Carly is an SLP who was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) two years ago. At one point in her recovery, Carly was paralyzed and unable to speak. In the second half of the episode, Carly shares what she has learned about valuing the uniqueness of each person in our care, and why honesty about her struggles with GBS has led to greater, more meaningful connections with others! Key ideas this episode: 🔑There are many ways to acquire AAC, and successful implementation doesn’t always require the involvement of an “AAC expert.” 🔑The “wrong” AAC is often better than no AAC at all. 🔑We should respect the differences in each patient, because there no “one size fits all” when it comes to a person’s treatment and care. For complete show notes for this episode, visit bit.ly/twtpodcast Earn CEUs from listening to Talking with Tech at linktr.ee/talkingwithtech

This week on TWT, we air the first half of Rachel's interview Carly Stoltenberg, an SLP who was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome two years ago. At one point in her recovery, Carly was paralyzed and unable to speak. Carly shares her amazing journey to regain her ability to walk and talk, and how this has shaped her passion for positive thinking and patient advocacy! Key ideas this episode: 🔑The critical need for patients to be able to communicate with medical professionals during treatment. 🔑How Carly used low-tech AAC to communicate when she was paralyzed. 🔑A resilient attitude isn’t about “not having bad days,” its about getting back up when you’ve been knocked down. For complete show notes for this episode, visit bit.ly/twtpodcast Earn CEUs from listening to Talking with Tech at linktr.ee/talkingwithtech

This week, Chris interviews Charlie Danger, an occupational therapist from the UK who specializes in assistive technology and AAC! Charlie shares from his fascinating experiences working with AT and AAC in Qatar, including how to increase our understanding of other cultures and the importance of learning about our own! Key ideas this episode: 🔑 Importance of encouraging more than requests from AAC users 🔑 Why “different but not less” applies to both cultural and neurological differences 🔑 Strategies for working with AAC users and families from different cultures For complete show notes and links from this episode, visit bit.ly/twtpodcast Earn CEUs from listening to Talking with Tech at linktr.ee/talkingwithtech

This week, Chris interviews Longwood University graduate students Shannon Graham, Courtney Kaczmarek, Lizzie Llewellyn, and Payton Yates! Key ideas this episode: 🔑 Students’ research on ways people, like teachers, learn AAC 🔑 Benefits (and challenges) of 1:1 instruction 🔑 Value of encouragement from mentors and supervisors For complete show notes and research discussed in the episode, visit bit.ly/twtpodcast Earn CEUs for listening to Talking with Tech and more at linktr.ee/talkingwithtech

This week, Rachel interviews speech-language pathologist and mindfulness meditation leader Melanie Pensak! Melanie offers nature-based and home-based speech-language therapy services through her business, Destination Speech. In addition to her work as an SLP, Melanie leads wellness workshops and meditation groups, and specializes in helping therapists and parents prevent burnout and increase joy! Melanie believes that being aware of the present moment is a “superpower” that everyone can use to live life with more joy! Three keys from this week’s episode: 🔑 Why making small changes over time often leads to the biggest results. 🔑 How mindfulness can be helpful for children, especially those with complex communication needs. 🔑 How mindfulness can be promoted in therapy through play-based activities, such as creating a focus on breathing by pretending to blow out a candle. Links: To learn more about Melanie, visit www.melaniepensak.com For links to resources from this week’s episode, to listen to previous episodes, and more, visit linktr.ee/talkingwithtech!

This week, Talking With Tech is re-broadcasting the second half of our March 31st Facebook Live episode with Matt Hott, host of the SpeechScience podcast! Continuing where they left off last week, Rachel discusses how a AAC Clinical Speciality Certification could benefit SLPs in private practice, and why we should focus on how certification affects AAC users, not just ASHA members. Chris shares ideas about possible “microcredentials” that demonstrate expertise in particular sub-specialty areas, like eye gaze devices, least-to-most prompting, etc. Rachel notes that the Speciality Certification would expose those seeking certification to the latest evidence and best practices for AAC. Rachel also discusses the need for all clinicians to be more confident about AAC, whether or not they are certified. Matt shares why certification would give him more confidence as an SLP when working with parents and clients. Chris notes the importance of being motivated to learn, whether or not we are working towards certification. Rachel and Chris conclude by sharing their hope that the AAC Specialty Certification will support a “coaching” model that empowers communication partners to facilitate language all day long! Links: SpeechScience podcast: xceptionaled.com/podcasts/speech-science/ To join the Talking With Tech Facebook Group, earn CEUs, and more, visit linker.ee/talkingwithtech! For Part 1 of our Facebook Live episode on AAC Clinical Specialty Certification, click here

This week, the TWT team is re-broadcasting the first half of our March 31st Facebook Live episode! Rachel, Chris, and Matt Hott of the SpeechScience podcast took questions from listeners about the ASHA AAC Clinical Specialty Certification. During this free-flowing discussion, they share concerns with the “expert” model, why Specialty Certification may help improve graduate-level AAC instruction, and how a Specialty Certification could impact private practices working with AAC. Rachel and Chris also touch on concerns about insurance payments, the need for more a collaborative approach to assessment, questions about who should be considered an “AAC Specialist”, and more! Links: SpeechScience podcast: https://xceptionaled.com/podcasts/speech-science/ Chris Bugaj's book, "The New Assistive Tech: Making Learning Awesome for All!": https://www.amazon.com/New-Assistive-Tech-Learning-Awesome/dp/1564846881 For Part 2 of our Facebook Live episode on AAC Clinical Specialty Certification, click here

If you are interested in learning about the proposed ASHA AAC Clinical Speciality Certification, don’t miss this week’s interview with Dr. Katya Hill! Before the interview, Rachel shares why her jury duty was not as bad as she had expected, and why taking a step away from work can be so helpful. Next, Rachel and Chris discuss new AAC users who repeatedly press all (or only one) of the buttons on their device, and why this doesn’t need to be actively discouraged for the behavior to fade. Finally, Chris talks about his experience touring schools to evaluate classroom seating and lighting design. Next, Chris and Rachel interview Dr. Kayta Hill, Associate Professor at Pitt and leader in developing the new AAC Clinical Specialty Certification! First, Katya shares about how she came up with the phrase “SNUG” (spontaneous novel utterance generation) while working on her dissertation. Next, Katya discusses her role in gaining approval for an AAC Specialty Certification and why a specialty certification for AAC is being sought. Katya also covers why graduate-level AAC instruction will hopefully improve as a result. The process of developing the certification, including identifying specific AAC competencies, is also discussed. Links: ASHA’s page for New Specialty Areas: https://www.asha.org/Certification/specialty/Approved-Petitioning-Groups-for-New-Specialty-Areas/ Clinical AAC Research Conference at Howard University, October 17th-19th: https://aacinstitute.org/2019-caac/

In this week’s episode, Chris interviews proficient AAC user and Prentke Romich Company (PRC) Ambassador Lance McLemore! Before the interview, Chris is joined again by his wife, Melissa Bugaj! Melissa and Chris discuss the first ever International #ATChat, which focused on AAC and Access. Next, Melissa discusses her recent experiences with students who use AAC. Melissa shares about learning to increase wait time, how AAC devices are helping users to demonstrate competencies for alternative assessment, and how a student self-regulated his behavior by protesting on a device. Following this discussion, Chris interviews PRC Ambassador and AAC user Lance McLemore! In Lance’s role as Ambassador, he attends conferences and speaks to different groups about his experiences using Lamp Words for Life. The interview is played in real time so our listeners can hear how quickly he accesses his device – it’s amazing! Lance shares how he taught himself to use Lamp Words for Life, how practice has helped him improve his rate, and why he believes motor planning is so important to using an AAC device successfully! Links: Questions and responses from the first International #ATChat on AAC and Access! Lance has an upcoming free webinar with the Center on AAC & Autism! Register at https://prentrom.pages.salesfusion.com/Implementing-LAMP-April-Webinar-Series

This week, Rachel and Chris connect with Chris’ wife, Melissa Bugaj to talk about what makes a successful IEP meeting! Melissa is Dean of Special Education at Loudoun Valley High School and has lots to share about effective meetings, including the need for open and transparent communication, the importance of agendas, and why involving parents before the IEP meeting is so important! Rachel also shares about her experiences with IEP meetings, and why, whenever possible, Rachel tries to talk with a student during an IEP meeting rather than about him or her. Following this discussion, Chris interviews Mo Buti! Mo is an advocate and instructional advocate who works with school districts and families to ensure free and appropriate public education for students with a variety of disabilities and special needs. Mo is an expert in the IEP process, and provides amazing advice about a wealth of subjects related to IEPs, including writing measurable goals, using the word “benefit” vs “require”, and the power of active listening! Links: Find out more about Mo Buti at her website: https://www.aiepautism.com Rachel’s recommended video messaging app: Marco Polo Melissa’s book recommendation: Guide to Collaboration for IEP Teams by Nicholas R.M. Martin

On this week’s episode Rachel talks about her impromptu solo trip to Hawaii and how she balanced both disconnecting with technology and using technology to keep her connected to friends and family. Chris opens up a broader discussion about productivity hacks and minimalism with therapy materials. In this week’s interview, Chris talks with four members of the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Regional Network (WATRN) about creating a grassroots community to support AT & AAC. The four guests this week are WATRN Founder Mike Hipple and SLP/AT Specialists Jennifer Schubring, Kelsey Osten, and Sharon Redmon. They talk about how the defunding of Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative (WATI) inspired them to start a grassroots organization, WATRN, to meet the need for AT & AAC education and support in Wisconsin. Along with sharing information across the state, WATRN brings regional groups together to meet, share knowledge, and raise awareness about issues related to AAC! Don’t forget to join the TWT FB Group where we will reveal the topic of the Live Event on March 31st 8:00 EST/ 5:00 PST! Also, be sure not to miss Rachel’s course in the free Special Apps Update Conference taking place on March 27th at 8:00 EST/5:00 PST. You can sign up for free at www.specialappsupdate.com with the code: XEDSAU19. We want to know what you think! You can connect with us on Twitter and Instagram (@talkingwithtech)! Also, please subscribe and post a review for us on iTunes - it helps others to find us! Links: Wisconsin AAC Network: www.wisconsinaacnetwork.org

On this week’s episode of Talking with Tech, Rachel interviews Sarah Whyte, a Certified Brain Injury Specialist and Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) specializing in AAC & AT for the adult neurogenic population. Sarah has instructed the AAC course at Vanderbilt University and led the AAC program for outpatient neurogenic rehabilitation at Vanderbilt Medical Center. She has presented on numerous occasions about AAC for the adult neurogenic population, including acute-care patients, ALS patients, and aphasia patients. Before the interview, Chris shares an experience from work with a colleague about an eye tracking system. Rachel and Chris then briefly discuss end of life care and AAC for populations with regressing communication and motor skills. They also touch on grief and the counseling component involved in both children and adults with complex communication needs. Links: For Sarah's webinar on managing communication deficits with ALS patients, go to speechpath.com. Interested in earning CEU’s by listening to “Talking With Tech”? Check out our course at bit.ly/twtcorepd.

On this week’s episode, Rachel, Chris and Lucas answer listener questions for a second time! Topics include ideas for teaching the word “more," how to get siblings/peers involved in therapy, and how we can support AAC curriculum for home-schooled students! Interested in earning CEU’s by listening to “Talking With Tech”? Check out our course at bit.ly/twtcorepd.

On this week’s episode Rachel and Chris discuss all things related to access with their special guest, Kelly Fonner. Chris talks about his book heading up the charts and Rachel and Chris discuss their most recent webinar, “ABC’s of AAC”. During Chris’ interview with Kelly, they talk about PODD (Pragmatic Organization Dynamic Display). PODD is a unique type of AAC system where the vocabulary is organized according to pragmatic functions. This type of system is particularly useful for children with limited access or those who might benefit from partner-assisted communication. Links: Rachel & Chris’s Course “ABCs of AAC”: https://xceptionaled.com/course/abcs-of-aac/ We Speak PODD YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfvD20l2wn-fS2Ar4bdTXZg Kelly Fonner: www.kellyfonner.com

On this week’s episode, Chris talks about his recent tour of the FETC and ATIA conference circuit. Rachel and Chris discuss what it’s like preparing for a big presentation and how to get participants engaged in the material. In this week’s interviews, Chris has the pleasure of speaking with Christine Baudin (creator of the Facebook Group: “AAC for the SLP”). Chris also talks with amazing high schooler Michael Dicpinigaitis of Jericho Adapts Toys. Finally, Chris speaks with inclusive technology specialist Mike Marotta. Mike shares about his podcast, Inclusive Technology for All, his favorite Chrome extensions, and why Google Keep may be his favorite part of the "G Suite". Links: AAC for the SLP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1539830846285663/ Jericho Adapts Toys: www.jerichoadaptstoys.org Mike Marotta, ATP: www.MMATP.com and @MMATP on Twitter

This week on Talking with Tech, Chris and Rachel talk about data management tools and technology that allows open lines of communication between caregivers, therapists, and parents. The TWT team also discusses the power of video clips for data collection, evidence of progress and team communication. Rachel mentions her latest obssession with the website “Loom” for video hosting and sharing. Chris and Rachel also mention a future “Listener Questions Answered” episode and ask listeners to send in their questions and comments and how to start earning CEU’s for listening to “Talking with Tech” podcast at bit.ly/twtcorepd. On this week’s interview, Rachel speaks with Carly Hynes, a teacher from Liverpool who discusses AAC implementation in the classroom. Carly discusses her journey from one student with complex communication needs to now having over seventeen students currently at her school. She talks about managing multiple devices and team communication for each of her students. Carly describes her modified core word classroom approach and advocates for communication throughout all activities during the day. Rachel and Carly also discuss student motivation, following their line of interest, and why lesson plans need to stay flexible. For more about Carly Hynes, check out her instagram at: www.instagram.com/sandfieldparkschool/ We want to know what you think! You can connect with us at our Facebook group Talking with Tech, on Twitter, and Instagram (@talkingwithtech)! Also, please subscribe and post a review for us on iTunes- it helps others to find us!

Interested in earning CEU’s for this podcast? Check out the course at bit.ly/twtcorepd. In this week’s episode, Chris and Rachel talk about balancing administrative tasks, service delivery and direct communication with parents and caregivers. Chris discusses ATIA and a session called “AAC Spotlight” where clinicians get a chance to present a problem with AAC implementation and then discuss different possible solutions. The TWT team discusses therapist and educator transitions that happen when a student progresses through their education, and how parents can help maintain effective services during and after these changes. Chris mentions several easy online tools (piktochart.com and easel.ly) for making infographics as well. To conclude, Chris and Rachel describe how future SLPs can participate in the SLP2B conference presented by XceptionalED (xceptionaled.com/slp2b), and how to earn CEU’s for the “Talking with Tech” podcast at bit.ly/twtcorepd. Next, Rachel interviews Jason Lehmbeck, an app developer and parent of a child with complex communication needs! Rachel and Jason discuss Special X, his new online pilot platform that acts as a child’s digital binder for parents to keep all important documents together. Jason has also created a team to interact with parents in order to help them navigate and better collaborate with educators, therapists, and government agencies. Jason hosts a podcast, “Who Lives Like This” with Elizabeth Aquino, that focuses on issues relevant to caregivers, advocates, and furthering disability rights (wholiveslikethispodcast.com). During the interview, Jason discusses a therapist that took extra time to discover his son’s motivations and preferences, and how that positively impacted speech therapy for their son. Rachel and Jason also talk about how SLPs can help parents “see the future” in their children’s communication. Bonus - For a free AAC Transitions worksheet by TWT's Michaela Ball, visit https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/AAC-Transition-Sheet-4342513 We want to know what you think! You can connect with us at our Facebook group Talking with Tech, on Twitter, and Instagram (@talkingwithtech)! Also, please subscribe and post a review for us on iTunes - it helps others to find us!

Interested in earning CEU’s for this podcast? Check out the course at bit.ly/twtcorepd! This week, Chris and Rachel talk about how to engage AAC users, improve their motivation, and why clinicians, not users, should be responsible for creating highly motivating activities. Rachel discusses how to utilize the iPad and augmented reality during therapy to create communication opportunities. The team also describes how to earn CEU’s for the “Talking with Tech” podcast (learn more at bit.ly/twtcorepd)! In this week’s interview, the TWT team talks with Dr. Michael Biel, Speech-Language Pathologist and professor at California State University, Northridge. Dr. Biel describes how he became interested in motivation for rehabilitation and how he can create treatment opportunities that engage clients and motivate them to persist in their efforts over time. Next, Dr. Biel discusses Self-Determination Theory and how it applies to therapy. He also discusses how therapists can help motivate a client to make lasting changes to their behavior (e.g., changing how we ask a client what they want to accomplish in therapy). Dr. Biel discusses how to create an environment with clients where they feel they can be honest and genuine without repercussions or judgment. Dr. Biel then addresses the question of “How do I motivate my student when my student doesn’t seem to be motivated by anything?” The terms intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are defined and discussed, as well as the difference between engagement and empowerment. Respecting the autonomy of others is mentioned as a culminating point.

This week, the TWT team interviews Russell Cross of the Prentke Romich Company! Russell is one of the authors of the Unity language system that’s been embedded in all PRC devices since 1996 and has spent over 30 years working in the field of AAC! Before the interview, Rachel and Chris discuss two of the important ideas covered in the interview: "phrasal verbs" and "key words". Phrasal verbs are essentially combinations of verbs with small words that, in combination, mean something new (e.g., "get up," means something very different than "get"). Chris and Rachel discuss how a "core word of the week" approach doesn't usually emphasize combined words, and how explicit instruction on combining core words AAC users already know can be a great way to build more vocabulary. Rachel and Chris also talk about "key words", another idea discussed by Russell in the interview. "Key words" are the core and fringe words that are important to a particular person at a particular time. For example, "Santa" is a word that may only be important for a particular time of year, and the name of a person's dog is usually more important to the owner. Teaching key words may help build functional vocabulary in a more personalized and motivating way. Rachel shares her experiences in the schools recently, including her efforts to find time to teach core words, her challenges with "pushing in" to classrooms for therapy, and the impact of teacher and aide turnover in the classroom. Chris and Rachel discuss the importance of finding small opportunities in the school day to teach core words, and how "finding time in between the lesson" can provide for more language learning opportunities without removing any other instruction. Next, Chris talks with Russell Cross about phrasal verbs, key words, and his experiences at PRC, including helping to develop the Unity language system. First, Russell shares about why the biggest cost of an AAC solution is almost always going to be the costs related to learning the device and help with implementation, not the cost of the device itself. Even if you provide a device to a student, they will not usually learn it without help and instruction. Second, Russell and Chris talk more in-depth about phrasal verbs and how they can be used to boost vocabulary. Finally, Russell discusses the concept of “key words” and why they can be so useful and motivating in vocabulary development! Links: Phrasal Verbs: Usage and Acquisition By Emilie Riguel: http://bit.ly/phrasalverbsacquisitionresearch 28 ways to Boost your Client’s Vocabulary by Speech Dudes: https://speechdudes.wordpress.com/tag/phrasal-verb/

This week, Rachel and Chris discuss the recent article in the ASHA Leader, “The Pitfalls of Presumption” by Katie O’Neil and Rebecca McCarthy. They agree with some ideas in the article, including the importance a well-planned assessment and implementation. They talk about why the phrase “presuming competence” can be confusing, and why they both prefer the phrase “presume potential.” Chris and Rachel go on to share some of their concerns about this article being misused by some clinicians to defend their role as "gatekeeper." If not read carefully, the article seems to advocate a process where clinicians decide who is, and who is not, allowed to receive training on a robust language system. Chris and Rachel go on to discuss why they presume their clients have the potential for robust language systems until proven otherwise, and why they think others should too. Following this, we share Rachel’s interviews from ASHA with Bill Binko, Cindy Halloran from LAMP Words for Life, Heidi LoStracco of Speak for Yourself, Sarah Wilds of PRC-Saltillo, and Brian Whitmer of Cough Drop! First, Bill Binko talks about Lesson Pix, a resource for creating custom learning materials for classrooms and therapy. He also talks about AT makers, an organization that seeks to introduce the “maker” community to the assistive technology community (e.g. partnering school robotics teams with people with AT needs). Second, Cindy Halloran talks about the new version of LAMP Words for Life with improved support for users with visual impairment. Third, Heidi LoStracco stops by to talk about Speak for Yourself. Rachel and Heidi discuss some of the new updates, how they have tried to make learning the software easier, and a new 30-day trial of the software launching soon. Fourth, Sara Wilds of PRC-Saltillo discusses ExploreAAC.com, a new site that provides an introductory tutorial on AAC for parents, teachers, new clinicians, and anyone else interested in AAC. Areas covered in the tutorial include the meaning of “AAC,” differences between communication and language, and information about PRC & Saltillo devices and services. Fifth, Brian Whitmer stops by and chats about this year’s Cough Drop shirt giveaway, why they think the shirts are a way to start conversations about AAC, and how the Cough Drop team come up with the shirt’s theme every year. Finally, we share Mai Ling Chan’s brief interview with Summer Loehr, winner of the Xceptional Podcast Network contest at ASHA! We want to know what you think! You can connect with us at our Facebook group Talking with Tech, on Twitter, and Instagram (@talkingwithtech)! Also, please subscribe and post a review for us on iTunes- it helps others to find us! Links “The Pitfalls of Presumptions” by Katie O’Neil and Rebecca McCarthy, ASHA Leader (December 2018) https://leader.pubs.asha.org/doi/full/10.1044/leader.FMP.23122018.10 LessonPix: www.lessonpix.com ATMakers: www.facebook.com/groups/ATMakers LAMP Words for Life: www.aacapps.com Explore AAC: www.ExploreAAC.com Cough Drop T-Shirts: https://shop.spreadshirt.com/coughdrop/