About Us
Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Kentucky Speaks AAC provides resources and information for working with individuals who use AAC or need AAC to communicate effectively. See”Our Projects” for training and resource links designed for educators, speech-language, pathologists, assistive technology specialists, AAC users and their family members to improve communication outcomes.
How We Help
Our Work Supports People Who Use AAC
Improving Communication
Outcomes for AAC Users
Communication Supports for
Children, Youth, & Adults
Training & Resource Links
What We Are Doing
Our Projects
TAALC Project
TAALC (Teaching Age Appropriate Learning through Communication) Project supports teachers and speech language pathologists to provide communication interventions for students with complex communication needs. TAALC provides webinar opportunities and registration information.
ECHO in AAC
The ECHO in AAC is a one-hour webinar series with both teaching presentations and case studies for solving AAC access challenges. ECHO is an evidence-based professional learning model to promote evidence-based practices in rural areas.
SPEAC IT & SPEAC OUT
SPEAC-OUT proposes an enhanced program for special educators and speech-language pathologists to collaborate on effective communication interventions for students with severe disabilities using in-person and distance learning applications.
Register
to Learn More
Kentucky Speaks AAC provides training and resource links for educators, speech-language, pathologists, assistive technology specialists, AAC users and their family members to improve communication outcomes.
Asynchronous Learning Series
1. TAALC Listen Up! Series (ASHA CEUs)
2. TIES 101 & 102 Communication in the Inclusive Class (ASHA CEUs)
3. School Administrator Series (EILA Credit)
4. Transition-Age Youth & Adult Communication (Professional Learning Certificate)
Peer Support for Communication
Research indicates that peers can support and encourage the use of AAC. For more information about implementing peer support, see the KY Peer Support Network.
What We’ve Done
Our Resources
TAALC Communication Strategies
Teaching Academic Age-Appropriate Learning via Communication (TAALC)
The underlying premise of TAALC is all students can and do communicate, and TAALC presentations are designed to provide training and experience in identifying communicative competence for students with complex communication needs.
Select a communication strategy listed below to learn more about how to implement each strategy.
Partner-assisted scanning is a communication strategy for students who have a consistent confirmation or rejection of offered choices. This confirmation or rejection can take the form of eye gaze, ...
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Aided Language Modeling requires the communication partner to model the use of the AAC device by simultaneously touching the symbols for key words while saying the words of the ...
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Peer-mediated supports are evidence based strategies that involve identifying and equipping a group of peers to provide ongoing support to students with significant disabilities in or outside of the ...
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To reflect, interpret, and expand on a student’s unique communication, is to vocalize what the behavior (facial expression, body language, or vocalization) is communicating and expand that communication by ...
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Words represented by symbols and used frequently and flexibly across the day are more likely to be learned by a student. Core words include verbs, adjectives/adverbs, and ...
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The identification of activities and people that appear to engage a student with communication challenges. These preferences can then be used to understand what a student may be communicating ...
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Communication Bill of Rights
All people with a disability of any extent or severity have a basic right to affect, through communication, the conditions of their existence. Beyond this general right, a number of specific communication rights should be ensured in all daily interactions and interventions involving persons who have severe disabilities.
From the National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities (NJC)