Kathryn Helland

FLyer with information about ACES 2020. Learn more at TechOWLpa.org.

ACES 2020: 30 Years of Communication and Community

TechOWL is excited to announce the dates for ACES 2020! Join us July 25-August 7, 2020 to create, connect, and celebrate! ACES, Augmentative Communication Empowerment Supports, is a 2-week intensive training program and on-campus experience at Temple University for young adults…

Different size shoes and the message to Speak my language, use my AAC.

AAC Posters

I love October. AAC Awareness Month is a chance to shine a light on this topic that we care so deeply about. I enjoy getting to see all the wonderful posters, gifs, and memes. They help to remind us of…

AAC Awareness and Free Speech for All

October is AAC Awareness Month, and a great time to acknowledge developments in the world of augmentative and alternative communication. This year has brought head tracking to some apps on the iPad Pro, and the ability to make phone calls from…

"I have something to say" on the Proloquo2Go AAC app.

Making Phone Calls with Proloquo2Go

We got some exciting news from the folks at Assistiveware this week. The latest update to Proloquo2Go includes support for Dark Mode, the use of Split Screen, and……drum roll……making phone calls! People will be able to make a call and…

Speak For Yourself app with red What If? on top.

Backing Up AAC Apps on the iPad

Is everyone ready for September 19th,2019? This is the date that iOS 13 drops and all our Apple devices will remind us to Update our Software. This new iOS has some great accessibility features, but with anything new, there is…

Voice Control command page in TouchChat AAC

iOS 13, Voice Control, and AAC

The next iOS update is now in beta testing. iOS 13 promises some big changes that will have an impact on people with disabilities. Right off the bat, Accessibility is no longer hidden under the General folder in Settings. Just…

iPad screen with TouchChat AAC and message: What do I do now?

TechOWL Videos: Getting Started with TouchChat

At our state AT lending library, one of the biggest questions we get is, “Now what?” Borrowers open the big shipping box and may not be sure of their next steps. Here at TechOWL, we are working on creating a…

"Assume intention to teach intention." quote from Kate Ahern

AAC and Teaching Intentional Communication

In the past two weeks, I have been mulling over something that Kate Ahern said during her presentation at AAC in the Cloud. “Assume intention to teach intention.” How do we acquire vocabulary, and intentional use of language through AAC? …

Transitioning to a New AAC Device or App

I work with several adults who are in the midst of transitioning to new devices. Their old devices are no longer supported by the manufacturers. The new devices look and feel different, even though they come from the same company.…

Colorful image of instructions for making an eye gaze board.

Light Tech Eye Gaze: A Place to Start

When we consider eye gaze AAC, we often think of really expensive devices with built in “magic” cameras (actually infrared cameras, but they seem like magic to me). We don’t have to go straight to super high tech to enable…

Author: Kathryn Helland

Author: Kathryn Helland

ACES 2020: 30 Years of Communication and Community

AAC Posters

AAC Awareness and Free Speech for All

Making Phone Calls with Proloquo2Go

Backing Up AAC Apps on the iPad

iOS 13, Voice Control, and AAC

TechOWL Videos: Getting Started with TouchChat

AAC and Teaching Intentional Communication

Transitioning to a New AAC Device or App

Light Tech Eye Gaze: A Place to Start

Introduction

Author: Kathryn Helland