Welcome to the end of 2024, and the end of season one! This season has brought us episodes on parent coaching, AAC evals, app info, gathering support from various sources, and we are so grateful to the guests who have shared those stories. This episode is a thank you and a recap of all we have accomplished, and a sneak preview into the exciting changes coming in 2025. To pay forward the gratitude built in the Take AACtion community, proceeds from joining the Podcast Resource Library will go toward WeaveChat and Lily’s Voice for the remainder of the year!

A personal Take AACtion step to wrap up this season- if you have loved this podcast, write us a review, share an episode to a friend or on socials, or send a message Lauren’s way to say what you’re loving!

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Rebekah is an early intervention speech-language pathologist who has been working in rural Western North Carolina for over 6 years. She supports families and their children with a variety of communication and feeding outcomes, as well as her colleagues on a primary service provider (PSP) team. Rebekah is passionate about helping families and early interventionists consider how AAC can be used to increase children's participation in their everyday routines and activities.

Rebekah begins by introducing the early intervention model used in her practice (6:33), followed by an overview of her evaluation process (11:34). She explains how she helps families secure funding for the AAC system deemed most effective during trials (20:39) and shares her approach to choosing between multiple beneficial systems, highlighting key features to consider (30:16). Rebekah wraps up with her top tips for SLPs to confidently start AAC evaluations (40:44). Finally, Lauren concludes with her signature Take AACtion step (44:59).

Follow along with Rebekah and her team on FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/FamilyInfantPreschoolProgram

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This week we are joined by Megan, a speech/language pathologist with over 20 years of experience, most of which have been spent serving students with complex communication needs within various settings, including early intervention, home health, hippotherapy, and preschool and elementary school. With extensive knowledge regarding various forms of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) from lite to high tech, Megan’s passion is to help guide students, parents, and professionals alike in their journey to find the AAC system(s) that will help them become the most independent and autonomous communicators possible. Megan also owns and operates SENSEAble Literacy, empowering everyone to bring the love of literacy, AAC, and sensory-based experiences together for all learners.

(4:09) Lauren and Megan kick off their conversation around AAC and literacy by discussing the importance of teaching literacy to children with complex communication needs. (6:46) Megan walks us through how to get started introducing literacy skills to AAC users, as well as (8:54) gives ideas for shaping letter babbling into functional literacy. (11:39) She then guides us through transitioning from letter/sound awareness to literacy within story books. (17:03) This leads Lauren and Megan into a discussion regarding adding book specific information into a communication system, and how it can relate to descriptive teaching versus explicit vocabulary instruction, (22:58) which evolves into a discussion regarding reading comprehension overall.

(26:35) They then take it back to basics, and Megan gives ideas for how to introduce pre-literacy skills in the early intervention setting. (29:43) She then provides ideas for classroom teachers who support students with complex communication needs. (41:32) Megan and Lauren wrap up their literacy discussion with strategies for being an effective reading partner while modeling on the AAC system. (49:21) Lauren leaves us with a summarizing Take AACtion step to help us be better reading teachers, no matter what our job title may be.

Follow along with Megan @senseableliteracy on all social media platforms to continue getting support about integrating literacy and AAC!

• @inspireconnections.aac on Instagram

This week, Lauren is flying solo to chat with us about the AAC evaluation process. (2:59) She shares how the setting in which an evaluation takes place can shape the evaluation process, giving an overview of each. (9:04) Lauren then describes how our own clinical experience can impact an AAC evaluation, and how we can grow our knowledge to strengthen the process. (15:48) Lastly, she discusses how to source and explore AAC resources.

• @inspireconnections.aac on Instagram

This week, Lauren is joined by Nicole, a speech-language pathologist at a private practice. Her undergraduate degree is in Human Development with an emphasis on health services from California State University San Marcos. After completing her bachelor‘s degree, she obtained her Master’s in Communicative Sciences and Disorders from New York University. Upon completing her Master’s program, Nicole’s goal was to work with children because of her passion for giving children and their families the tools and knowledge they need to enable their children to develop the language and speech skills to thrive in their everyday lives.

(2:28) Nicole shares her experience working with her local device representatives, and how they have supported AAC access as well as (6:41) completing evaluations within her practice. (12:23) Nicole then describes the support device reps can provide for therapy teams, and what supports the practice she works for have used. Being relatively new to the field, (14:50) she also describes the additional resources she has sought to become an effective AAC implementer. Lauren and Nicole wrap with (21:16) sharing obstacles and successes she’s experienced, as well as (23:21) tips for fellow newer clinicians who are overwhelmed getting started. (25:31) Lauren gives us her Take AACtion step so that we can better take advantage of the resources we have available to us!

• @inspireconnections.aac on Instagram

Welcome back to the Take AACtion Podcast! This week we are joined by Nikki, a proud mom of three from New Jersey and the owner of Schultz Speech Therapy, a small practice dedicated to providing neurodiversity-affirming care. With a passion for the DIRFloortime® approach, Nikki focuses on supporting gestalt language processors and AAC users, empowering children to communicate in ways that work best for them.

(4:21) Nikki introduces us to the principles of DIRFloortime® and how the framework can be generalized into practice. (7:20) She then breaks down how AAC is incorporated into DIRFloortime®, and how the approach complements therapy. (20:22) This leads Lauren and Nikki into a discussion on how building executive functions is often the starting line for effective therapy, and coaching parents on its importance. (23:15) Nikki shares one of her success stories, where noticing individual needs supported effective intervention. (28:28) This leads Nikki and Lauren into a discussion about how we can acknowledge past mistakes so that we can learn and grow from them moving forward. (30:01) Nikki leaves us with tips on how we can support parents and clinicians when introducing individual, play-based techniques versus compliance-based approaches. As always, (38:08) Lauren gives us a TakeAACtion Step- check out the resource library to help!

Learn more about DIRFloortime®: https://bit.ly/4fgIW3g

• Instagram: @schultzspeechtherapy

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This week, Lauren is joined by Vidya, a mom to an eighteen year old son on the spectrum. Her son is non-verbal and uses AAC to communicate. She is on a mission to help fellow Autism parents to help their children with Autism without overwhelm through her blog, podcast and social media.

(1:05) Vidya introduces herself by sharing the pathway she and her son have followed, leading them to their current AAC system and supports. As her path has included a move from Canada to the US, (12:49) Vidya shares the different in supports that have been available. (18:49) She shares challenges with incorporating AAC into daily living, as well as (26:47) the rewarding aspects. (36:55) Vidya leaves us with some achievable ideas for parents and providers supporting AAC users. Lastly, (45:22) Lauren gives us a Take AACtion step to better support our community of AAC communicators.

Follow along with Vidya on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest @autismfamilystory or on her blog, https://autismfamilystory.com/. You can also listen to her podcast, autismfamilystory podcast, on your favorite podcast streamer!

• @inspireconnections.aac on Instagram

Welcome back to the Take AACtion Podcast! This week, (2:25) Lauren hosts a solo episode guiding us on how to have successful conversations about AAC. (4:42) She reminds us that goals and needs are set by AAC users, not practitioners, (5:33) which drives how we can go into challenging conversations about AAC use. (13:18) We are given three steps designed to have productive discussions and expand perspectives when team members are working from different belief systems around AAC implementation. If you need some guidance getting started with your why, what, or how, check out the resources below!

Take AACtion with Lauren:

This week we are joined by Melissa, who is both mom to an AAC user and SLP! She has been practicing for 14 years across various settings. (1:13) She walks us through her deep dive into AAC learning, as well as (2:22) her journey in pursuing services and supports for her son. (6:14) She then shares with us how she balances having her professional brain turned on while still needing to have her parent brain running, too. (7:36) This jumpstarts a discussion between Lauren and Melissa about unexpected interpersonal challenges, as you try toc f2 balance being a parent whose professional knowledge can support your parenting in a two parent home.

(9:42) Melissa shares challenges implementing at home, and how it has shaped how she coaches parents and coworkers. (12:14) She then gives some tips for creating language routines that create language opportunities. (18:42) Melissa also shares how she creates environmental supports to shape communication behaviors into language opportunities, and (23:35) some helpful ideas for whether you are a parent or an SLP supporting an AAC user. (25:46) Melissa wraps us up by sharing the most rewarding aspects of bringing AAC into their home.

Lauren leaves us with her (29:08) Take AACtion step. Need some help getting started? Follow along with Lauren!

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This week we are joined by Anna, who describes her experiences with AAC implementation as a recent graduate. Anna is a first-year speech-language pathologist in Northeast Ohio, completing her CFY, (clinical fellowship year) in a pediatric clinical setting. She primarily works with autistic individuals and AAC users.

Anna kicks off our episode (1:20) by describing her unique education pathway, where she completed a certification in Early Intervention prior to attending Speech-Language Pathology graduate school. (3:21) She describes her experience learning about AAC at the graduate level, which set the foundations for AAC evaluation and implementation in practice. However, due to the expansive nature of AAC, not everything can be covered in a semester course! This leads to (7:08) challenges when evaluating in practice and (9:23) the imposter syndrome of simultaneously being the expert on your team while still having so much more you can learn. Anna shares her tips for (12:16) having difficult conversations with team members to move toward collaboration, and away from common practices that have been mistaken for best practices.

Lauren and Anna go on to discuss the (14:24) successes and (18:54) challenges that prepared Anna for tackling her CFY. Then, Anna shares practices that have helped her feel successful as a brand new SLP both in her (20:19) work and in (28:56) developing a work-life balance. They wrap up (33:16) with tips to feel confident taking on AAC, no matter your overall level of experience. Lauren leaves us with our (38:43) Take AACtion step- this episode may have helped you take it!