Author Archives: chris.bugaj

Learning Where The Words Are Located on AAC Through Practice

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Supporting someone learning language using augmentative/alternative communication (AAC) means modeling the use of vocabulary by use the AAC yourself. No matter the AAC being used, finding where the words are to model them takes effort, time, and practice. The following are some ideas for how to learn where the words are:

  1. While watching television together, listen for the use of core words (the most frequently used words) and practice finding them as you hear them in the show or during commercials. Try finding a few fun, high-impact, fringe words (less commonly used words) too!
  2. Get peers or siblings involved by inviting them to randomly call out words for you to find and then switch roles where they search for words. Peers and siblings make excellent communication partners!
  3. Most robust AAC applications have a search feature that helps users locate words. Use the search feature whenever stuck on where to find the sequence of buttons to press to say that particular word.
  4. Going slow is a good thing! Taking time to find the word while modeling can provide the time necessary for the AAC user to process the language.
    Word Finder on LAMP:WFL

    Use the Word Finder function on the Language Acquisition Through Motor Planning: Words For Life application to search for the location of words.

    Keyboard icon circled on LAMP:WFL

    Use the Keyboard button on the home screen of the Language Acquisition Through Motor Planning: Words For Life application to access the Word Finder function

    The Search Feature of Proloquo2go

    How to Locate the Search Feature of Proloquo2go

Improving Visibility of Content Displayed on iOS Devices

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Display & Text Size

Display & Text Size in Accessibility Settings

Whether using an LCPS provided or personal Bring Your Own Technology device, iPhones and iPads have a number of useful features helpful for those who need assistance seeing the content on the screen which can be accessed through the Settings application. Some features include changing the contrast, increasing the font size, and bolding the text. The site Adjust the display and text size on iPhone explains each feature listed on the Display & Text Size menu embedded with the Accessibility portion of the Settings menu. The video Apple iOS Display and Text Size explains how to use a few of the more commonly used display options. Explore the different settings to see which adjustments should be made to improve the visibility and the usability of the content displayed on the screen.

Color Coding and Adding Emojis to Google Drive Folders for Organization

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The human brain 🧠 can recognize images in a matter of milliseconds, according to research at MIT. This information can be useful in helping students (and adults!) in quickly finding information by color and emojis in Google Drive. For example, science folders could be in green and social science folders could be in blue. An emoji of a microscope 🔬 could be added to the file name of the science folder and a globe 🌎 to the file name of the social science folder. Have an important file about organization? Add a file cabinet 🗄️ to it! These colors and pictures can help trigger memory in the blink of an eye đź‘€ when trying to locate files plus they add an element of fun! These strategies can help students organize their information in a way that they can quickly access later without the need to rely on text. Check out this video from Specialized Instructional Facilitator – Assistive Technology Jean Garrett to learn how to color code and add an emoji from emojipedia.org.

Immersive Reader Integration into Nearpod

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Nearpod is an interactive, multimedia presentation tool. Immersive Reader is an embedded feature created by Microsoft. Immersive Reader provides text to speech, text display options, syllable and parts of speech support, and more! Explore the integrated features that Immersive Reader provides by watching this brief video below.

Google Keep Voice Notes

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Have an idea on the go? Don’t want to forget a task you just thought of? No time to type it all out? NO problem! Use the Voice Note feature in Google Keep! Voice notes taken on your phone are great, but then they just sit in an audio file, on your phone, until you put it to use or type it out somewhere else. Why not have Google Keep do that for you? With the Google Keep iOS app, you can record voice notes on the go and it will put that recording into a sticky note on your virtual wall. What is even better, is that it will translate your audio note into text, in the same “sticky” note!  Prefer to jot down notes, but not type? You can also write out a note with your finger or stylus. Google Keep will put that into text as well. Then you can color code, move around, label, and search for your notes like usual. No more forgotten ideas!

Google Keep Voice Note

Voice Note in Google Keep

Voice Note Google Keep

Voice Note Listening in Google Keep

90 Different Languages for Voice Typing

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You can use Voice Typing in Google Docs in 90 different languages! Students who are learning a new language can speak that language and see it instantly turn into spoken text! Here’s how it is done:

  1. Open a Google Doc
  2. Click on “Tools”
  3. Select “Voice Typing”. A microphone box will then appear. 
  4. Use the dropdown menu above the microphone to select a different language.Voice Typing Icon that looks like a microphone

Language Menu for Voice Typing

To view the full list of languages available, check out the Google Voice Typing Support Page. 

Three Ways to Use Text to Speech with Read&Write for Google Chrome

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Read&Write for Google Chrome LogoClick on the purple puzzle piece to install the Google extension Read&Write for Google Chrome.

Or click here for installation instructions in English

Or click here for installation instructions in Spanish.

  1. Click the play button play buttonto listen to text being read aloud in Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Forms, Google Sheets, Schoology, and the Chrome web browser. Try it now to listen to any text in this blog post!
  2. In Google Meet, click the Hover SpeechHover Speech Icon button to hear the text in the chat read aloud. Place the cursor over text in the chat…no need to click!
  3. Do you see text within a picture? Use the Screenshot Reader Screenshot Reader iconto draw a box around the text to have it read aloud. Try it with the text in the image below.Children at play sign

Who Uses AAC?

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Silhouette of a variety of people

The quick answer to the question of “Who Uses AAC?” is everyone! The American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) defines AAC very broadly: “AAC includes all of the ways we share our ideas and feelings without talking.” By that definition, every person is an AAC user but only some people can rely on speech as their primary mode of communication.

A common myth is that a person needs to be completely non verbal or non speaking to require AAC. Let’s bust that myth together today! We can start with the name, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, or AAC. What was that first word?? It was Augmentative. To augment means to add to, or to supplement. AAC can be used by a person who does use verbal speech, or sign language, or a letter board, or pictures to communicate purely to make their message clearer!

“An individual does not abandon simpler strategies in the march toward independence. Instead, the individual acquires more and more sophisticated communication methods to add to an existing repertoire.” Blackstone & Hunt Berg, 2003

Watch this video to see how AAC is used to augment Philip’s verbal approximations, gestures, and voice.

3 Ways to Access Voice Typing on a Chromebook

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Introducing typing/writing options to students gives them the flexibility to choose which modality works best for them. One option that is readily available throughout the Google Suite, Schoology, and built into Chromebooks is Voice Typing. It is also commonly referred to as Speech to Text, Speak to Type, or Voice Dictation. There are multiple ways to access this feature in the Google Suite. 

  1. Dictation Accessibility Feature – Turn on the built-in accessibility feature called Dictation on a Chromebook. This allows a user to use Voice Typing in virtually any digital environment. Watch this video to learn more and/or use the following directions:
      1. Go to Chromebook Settings
      2. Type “Accessibility” into the search field
      3. Select “Manage Accessibility features”
      4. Scroll down to the “Keyboard and Text Input” section
      5. Click “Enable Dictation (speak to type)”

A microphone icon will appear at the bottom of the screen to use in Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Chrome, Schoology, and more!

2. Tools Menu or Keyboard Shortcut in Google Docs –

In Google Docs, under the Tools menu, select “Voice Typing” or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+S. A microphone icon will appear on the screen to turn on and off the voice typing feature.

Voice Typing Icon that looks like a microphone

Voice Typing Icon

3. Read&Write for Google Chrome – Install the Read&Write for Google Chrome extension. Selecting the headphone icon instantly activates Voice Typing in the Google Suite and for web browsing.

Read&Write for Google Chrome Speech Input icon

Read&Write for Google Chrome Speech Input icon

Read&Write for Google Chrome Logo

Read&Write for Google Chrome Logo

 

🤖 Robots for Everyone and Especially For Those Learning Language Using Augmentative/Alternative Communication (AAC) 🤖

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Educational experiences involving robots have proven to be an engaging and empowering way to teach expressive language concepts to those who use augmentative/alternative communication while simultaneously improving computer science skills. During the 2020-2021 school year, Instructional Facilitators of Computer Science worked with Classroom Teachers, Speech-Language Pathologists, and other educators to design and deliver educational experiences using robots to practice expressive language with students with autism. This collaboration has continued and expanded in the 2021-2022 school year with the inclusion of students with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities. Learn more about how robots can be used by everyone to learn language by checking out the following resources: