This week, we share Part 1 of a “crowd sourced” episode recorded as a webinar with listener feedback we call “Talking with Tech Live”! To start, Chris and Rachel cover some AAC core concepts, like criteria for evidence-based practice, signs a child needs AAC, avoiding “quick fire” phrases, and 80/20 ratio for core words. Then, Rachel and Chris, together with listeners,  discuss some effective coaching strategies when working with AAC users via telepractice! Stay tuned next week for more listener questions & participation in Part 2!

Before the interview, Chris and Rachel talk about connecting with people who share similar genetic information, including the story of how Chris learned he had a half-brother through 23 and Me! 

Key ideas this week:

🔑 Three criteria ASHA about evidence-based practice: Is there research supporting the practice? Do professionals agree it’s a good strategy? What are people who actually use AAC telling us works for them? 

🔑 Signs a child needs AAC: If they aren’t able to speak, they have minimal language, speech is hard to understand, vocabulary less than 50 words, or they use a high level of scripted phrases.

🔑 Be careful of using “quick fire” stored phrases. They can be useful for certain circumstances, like social situations, but quick fires don’t support the individual building blocks of language very well. 

🔑 Talk with AAC users about things that are memorable, exciting, interesting, even gross. AAC users aren’t inspired to talk about boring things any more than anyone else would be! 

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Visit talkingwithtech.org to access previous episodes, resources, and CEU credits that you can earn for listening to TWT episodes!