ELA and AAC

Reading and listening comprehension, spelling and vocabulary are key parts of the common core for all grade levels. For our students who communicate using alternative methods and do not yet write we still need to address these vital skills.  In fact, it may be more important that we teach these skills. Not to mention use the teaching of these skills as a vehicle to increase communication abilities.

Here is a collection of worksheets designed for AAC users who do not write.  The sheets have embedded data collection for alternative assessment. Additionally they focus on vital communication skills such as categorization, locating vocabulary, using synonyms and antonyms and giving opinions.

Please remember that using these sheets is not teaching, it is testing.  Testing should never replace teaching!  These sheets should be used after direct and differentiated instruction that gives students to skills to answer the questions.  Handing any of these sheets to a paraprofessional and expecting that to replace quality teaching is obviously something none of us would consider high quality instruction.

Feel free to adapt these for other picture symbol sets, communication systems and ages/abilities. If you send me your creations I will share them with all my readers!

Fiction Comprehension Check
Non-Fiction Comprehension Check
Spelling
Vocabulary

I Can Hear You

I can hear you.
It seems like you don't know that,
Do you?
I am sitting here,
In this chair.
Trying as hard as I can.
Or I was, at least.
Are you?
You ask me questions,
But you won't wait for me to answer.
You talk so fast.
And you don't check that I am ready.
When I'm quiet I'm good
When I'm noisy I'm bad
You boss me around,
Press this,
Touch that.
If I do or if I don't,
It doesn't matter.
You have already decided.
You have decided that I can't.
You have decided I can't hear you.
You have decided I can't understand.
But I can,
I can hear you,
I can understand.
Maybe I don't understand every word.
But I do understand your tone.
I understand that text message
Is more important than me.
I understand your data sheet
Is more valuable than me.
I can hear you.
When you talk about:
Your husband,
Your traffic jam,
Your student who is too low to get it.
I can hear you.
I know that student is me.
I know, and,
I can hear you.

The Real Costs of Premium AAC Apps

Today Dynavox announced that some of the dynamic PODD communication program will be available for an additional $100 purchase on their T10 device and Dynavox Compass app.  The Compass app is by subscription only.  Which got me thinking, how much does it really cost to use some of these apps? Especially ones by companies that also make stand along devices (legacy companies)?

least expensive over five years $99.99

There is a lot of nickle and diming with some of the apps. You might pay extra for the voice or even more for a premium voice.  You might pay extra for the more research based vocabularies (Gateway, WordPower, iEssence).  You might pay extra for cloud storage to back up or share files. You might even have to pay extra for symbols!  Some app companies are straight forward and the price is all inclusive (Proloquo2Go, AACorn, Speak For Yourself, SonoFlex) and others find lots of little extras to charge you for (Go Talk Now, TouchChat, LAMP Words for Life) and others are using a cost prohibitive subscription model unless you by one of their $5000 traditional AAC devices then they waive the subscription (Dynavox).  This is not to say that there is anything inherently wrong with offering more of "pay-for-what-you-need" style app as long as companies are clear about what that in their app descriptions, advertisements and websites.

Those of us who have been around a while notice that the "old time" companies like Dynavox, PRC (LAMP Words for Life), Saltillo (TouchChat) and Attainment (Go Talk Now) seem to be the ones trying to find every possible way to charge us without coming out and saying it.  I understand they need to find a new business model that will allow them to stay afloat in a new post-iPad AAC world, but somehow I think this isn't the way to do it.  Quality, beautiful, easy-to-use, research based products will have us in the field spending money.  Add to that customer service, and not necessarily in the old way (call centers) but in new ways like through Facebook, Twitter, Skype and YouTube (and more) and setting up groups for customers to support each other.  That is what will make money.  Assuming AAC professionals and parents are stupid enough to fork over all sorts of money because your company is one of the oldest players on the field will not make money.  Some the legacy companies mistook customer dependence for loyalty in the past!

Also here is some free advice for AAC app companies:
1) schools and adult service agencies generally cannot make in app purchases because of how their purchase order system works
2) schools, adult service agencies and state rehabilitation and assistive technology agencies do not generally pay for subscriptions. They don't know their budget from year to year and they aren't able to pay for ongoing subscriptions for just a handful of clients
3) parents and agencies that do a fundraiser such as Gofundme are better off fundraising for one larger up front purchase than ceaseless fundraising to pay for subscriptions
3) people, schools and other agencies included are generally willing to pay for quality, complete solutions

most expensive over five year $1499.95

I did a little cost analysis.  This analysis assumes you will use a comprehensive vocabulary set, picture symbols for communication, a premium voice and some means of backing up your pages.

The five year cost for some of the apps are as follows (click link below to see chart):

• Sonoflex, $99.99
• Go Talk Now $212.96
• Proloquo2Go $219.00
• Lamp Words for Life $299.99 ($1294.95 with iShare)
• TouchChat HD $311.97 ($911.87 with iShare)
• Dynavox Compass $1499.95 

Here is the link to the table:.