Kathryn Helland

Wallpaper your Home(screen)

When we bought our house in Bucks County, we had to contend with lots of wallpaper. There were wallpaper bricks, flowers, metallic ‘splashes’ on an orange background…even the ceilings were wallpapered. Taking down all that paper was like conducting an…

Image of Emergency Communication 4 All communication board

Emergency Preparation for AAC

The past year has given us a stark reminder of how important it is to be prepared for the unexpected. Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria have impacted the lives of millions. In Puerto Rico, 3,000 people died. People have faced…

Poster with a road and the words, "My vision impairment should not mean I don't get to have a voice."

AAC and Vision Impairment

Sometimes we assume that someone who is blind or has low vision, won’t be able to access and use AAC. This is not true. There are ways to make AAC accessible for those who can’t rely on their sight for…

Image of a calendar with core Vocabulary

Core Words for the (rest of the) Month of August: Get, Make, & See

August is a month of warm temperatures, vacations, and leisure activities. Whether it be a trip to the shore, or a trip to the park, we all need words to describe what gives us pleasure. Here are some core words…

ACES Takeaways

It has been a blink of an eye. Our participants have gone back home, and it is hard to describe how much I already miss these people. I am sad that more opportunities like ACES don’t exist in their…

Image of ACES participant with butterfly face

ACES Week Two: Check In

We are reaching the final days of ACES. Goals have crystallized and most technical glitches have been solved. S now can send emails from her new Tobii I 110. J is up and running with the CoughDrop app, and his…

Image of a young man standing in front of the Temple Owl statue wearing red.

ACES Day Three: Check In

The community is forming and the days are flying past! We are getting to know each other and working hard. One unexpected hitch has been tons of rain. This is not a typical Philly summer. It can make it…

Building a Community: ACES 2018

What does it mean to form your own community? ACES 2018 begins today. The participants arrive this afternoon and our community will start to form. Some of us have met before, some are new. Some come from the Philly area,…

Core Words for the Month of July: Go, Stop, Play, & Feel

There are lots of great core vocabulary resources for the classroom, including core word calendars. My goal here is to place these vital words in a context that is useful for adult learners of AAC. Adults with ID participate in…

Let’s Give Them Something To Talk About

Language is like a garden that contains many types of flowers. We need to be able to ask questions, make comments, or even tell someone to take a hike! We need to be able to communicate about a whole range…

Author: Kathryn Helland (page 2)

Author: Kathryn Helland (page 2)

Wallpaper your Home(screen)

Emergency Preparation for AAC

AAC and Vision Impairment

Core Words for the (rest of the) Month of August: Get, Make, & See

ACES Takeaways

ACES Week Two: Check In

ACES Day Three: Check In

Building a Community: ACES 2018

Core Words for the Month of July: Go, Stop, Play, & Feel

Let’s Give Them Something To Talk About

Introduction

Author: Kathryn Helland (page 2)