Practically Speaking

This accessible guidebook is every professional¿s key to helping students develop the language and literacy skills that lead to higher academic achievement and positive peer relationships. Balancing practical strategies with up-to-date research, this book unlocks language and literacy skills for children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and lays the groundwork for long-term school and social success. Educators and Speech Language Pathologists, (SLP¿s) who provide communication support will learn to collaborate effectively to improve outcomes for students who use AAC; determine student needs through effective, ongoing reading, writing, and language assessments; develop IEPs based on each child¿s language, communication, and literacy goals; help students move beyond emergent literacy and develop the skills research identifies as the keys to reading success; meet IDEA requirements by adapting the general curriculum so all students participate and achieve; support students' successful use of various AAC technologies; supplement classroom instruction with visual and oral scaffolding supports; and promote positive social relationships and friendships between students who use AAC and their peers. Readers will get clear descriptions of instructional techniques, guidelines for curriculum adaptations, and practical tools and visual aids such as model intervention plans, task analysis forms, and charts of sample accommodations.

About the Editors: Gloria Soto, Ph.D., is Professor of Special Education and Communication Disorders, San Francisco State University, California. Carole Zangari, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is Director, Tyler Institute, and Professor of Speech, Language, and Communication Disorders, Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.