Speech therapists (SLPs) have questions about coverage for augmentative and alternative communication devices in nursing homes. There is a lot of confusion about who covers what and where it is covered. Let’s dive in. How Do We Define Nursing Facilities? These types of facilities may…
Author: Kathryn Helland
Kathryn is a certified speech-language pathologist and works with children and adults with complex communication needs. She has been with the TechOWL team since 2015 and is currently working on her doctorate. She would like to examine how to best support AAC users in higher education.
Supporting Artists with Disabilities
Consider buying gifts from artists who use AAC. Many of us are doing our holiday shopping last minute. It might be a good year to skip the big box stores and use our spending to make a difference. There are…
AAC Users and Thanksgiving
Centering Communication Let’s talk about some ways we can support AAC users during the holidays. November is a time when we think about gratitude. As society reopens, we can… …be grateful for the chance to see family and friends. …be…
Free AAC Apps for SLPs
Speech pathologists play an important role in assessing people for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). SLPs are trained in language development and can help teams figure out where they need to start. And SLPs are the only ones who can…
Fall Core Vocabulary
A great thing about core vocabulary: High-frequency words don’t change with the season. Fall is here and it is getting colder outside. Beach days are done, and we can look forward to pumpkins and apple cider. Many of us are starting…
AAC App Sales – October 2021
October 2021 Many AAC companies put their apps on sale for half price in October for International AAC Awareness Month. It is a great time to save money and get communication into the hands of someone who needs it. Each…
Apple’s iOS 15 and AAC: Accessibility and Independence
Over the last month, Apple has released information about upcoming changes to their operating systems for iPhones and iPads. The operating system is like a scaffold. It supports all the apps we use on our devices. The latest updates will include several exciting improvements to accessibility. Some of these new features include the following: Sign Time…
ADHD and AAC
There is little research on AAC and ADHD. Folks with ADHD as a primary condition do not typically need augmentative and alternative communication, so this is understandable. However, ADHD frequently co-occurs with other conditions that can negatively impact the ability…
AAC App Sales: April 2021
CLICK HERE FOR OCTOBER 2021 SALE DATES! Many AAC companies put their apps on sale for half price for some time in April. April is Autism Acceptance Month. It is a great time to save money and get communication into…
Do You Need an SLP?
Considering augmentative communication? You might not need an SLP. There are times when you can figure out quite well what may work on your own. For instance, will you have a temporary loss of speech? Do you have literacy skills?…