AAC in the Cloud - Highlighted Sessions
Highlights For the Week of Jun 29, 2026
Tell me More -- Descriptive teaching methods for instructors of AAC users
2018
“Tell Me More” will provide instructional tools to utilize while developing teaching models for AAC users. Descriptive teaching poses inquiry phrasing that elicits responses that may be composed through of core vocabulary but still challenges the academic content presented. Descriptive teaching helps teachers meet the demands of State standards/assessment while respecting the domain of AAC users.
Powerful insights from Adult AAC users that challenge how we practice AAC
2019
In 2018, AssistiveWare embarked on a project to create support materials for users of text-based Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC). After conducting a comprehensive literature review, we realised how little specific support and knowledge there is. Following this we conducted interviews with a range of AAC users and their supporters, including users with developmental disabilities and Autism, acquired physical disabilities, aphasia, and traumatic brain injury. The insights and knowledge gained from the group of AAC users changed many assumptions we had made about AAC.
Highlights For the Week of Jun 22, 2026
Home Grown – Planting Seeds for AAC Growth
2022
Communication opportunities are everywhere. While therapeutic AAC intervention may be valuable to provide clients with foundational skills, it is certainly not the only way to encourage skill development in those with AAC needs. This session will explore manageable and accessible strategies for selection and implementation of AAC systems at home.
What's New With CoughDrop
2018
We're always making changes to CoughDrop, based on new research and what we learn from our users. Come see how new integrations, built-in modeling ideas and other new features keep making CoughDrop better and better!
Highlights For the Week of Jun 15, 2026
AAC and the Transition to Adulthood
2018
This presentations will run through steps, concerns, and consideration regarding students who will be transitioning from school-based services to adulthood. Adult vocabulary, funding, and resources will be considered.
What are Tangible Symbols? Use of these AAC Supports Across Settings
2022
Learn what makes a "good" tangible symbol including considerations when making them that I have found to be successful. Demonstrating how this form of AAC can be powerful tool to provide access to AAC, not just in school, but also at home and how they can be used to facilitate and open doors for community interactions.
Self-advocacy for AAC users
2026
Transitioning into adulthood means being equipped for leading your own team, dealing with new life situations, and making sure you achieve your goals. Speaking up for ourselves, so we can achieve what we want in life is a skill everyone needs to learn, including those of us who use AAC.
Highlights For the Week of Jun 8, 2026
The Tennessee Talks Grant -- Building AAC Capacity in TN Public Schools
2020
Tennessee Talks is a grant project funded by the Tennessee Department of Education in 2018. Four regional contracts work collaboratively helping public schools serve the needs of their students with significant communication challenges. This presentation discusses the work we’ve done, and how it has evolved in the last few months.
Eye Gaze Access for Autistics
2022
Eyegaze AAC is often primarily considered when a disability affects the use of hands, arms or multiple limbs! When thinking of eyegaze most people think of ALS, cerebral palsy or similar disabilities as they are well known for impacting motor and coordination! rarely if ever considered for autistics, however many autistic speak at length about the brain body disconnect where our bodies don't listen to our brains, this ranges from person to person but is widely discussed and well known in the autistic community, the brain body disconnect effect motor movements, speech coordination ect. However despite it being widely discussed by autistics. As well as Spoken a fair bit about by many non speaking autistics eyegaze still doesn't seem to be looked at as an AAC access method for autistics
Highlights For the Week of Jun 1, 2026
AAC for Families -- Stories of Ourselves: Fun With Family Photos
2019
To improve AAC skills, it helps to write for an authentic audience. Organizing and marking up photos can be a fun family activity. It provides opportunities for commenting, asking/answering questions, and using the alphabet. Once photos are organized, they can be used in the AAC app to set a topic or share a memory.
AAC and Heritage Language
2021
A Heritage Language is a language that is not the dominant language, typically learned or used at home, by people who have cultural ties to that language. Through our family’s journey to achieving fluency and a working AAC device in an endangered language, this presentation will address common issues.
Literacy Connections -- Reading, Writing and AAC
2023
For students AAC communicators, the development of literacy skills are essential to unrestricted access to ALL the words. Too often, Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening are taught in isolation. In this session, participants learn ways to connect and integrate reading, writing and language into instructional routines across the student day.
Highlights For the Week of May 25, 2026
Implementing Dasher for the First Time in an AAC App
2021
Dasher is a fluid, continuous gesture text entry system implemented for the first time in an AAC app in Predictable, as an access method. It is accessible via direct touch, as well as head and eye tracking, and features a letter prediction engine.
¡¡Encuentra el tesoro!! Recursos y estrategias para alfabetización emergente en español
2023
La evidencia confirma que las personas con Complejas Necesidades de Comunicación necesitan aprender a leer y escribir. La búsqueda y creación de materiales y recursos para apoyar la alfabetización integral de lectores y escritores emergentes, nos invita a compartir recursos para las necesidades de estudiantes y adaptadas a español.
Overcoming Barriers to Communication
2018
Providing successful home, school, and community communication experiences for individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) can be challenging, particularly in environments that do not easily allow for use of high-tech AAC systems. This webinar will provide participants with an overview of innovative strategies collaboratively developed by family members and therapists to overcome environmental and positional barriers to communication. This "show and tell" will highlight some of the creative adaptations that have allowed children and young adults to communicate in bed, in the shower, horseback riding, swimming, and more!
Highlights For the Week of May 18, 2026
Fostering Independence of AAC Users in ALL Areas of Life
2021
I am going to look at home, school, community, friends and special events and how the user can be as independent as possible with the support of others.
Intro to CoughDrop AAC- Enabling Parents to Model on any Device and Platform.
-Beyond the Device Mentality
2017
AAC Success Stories with CoughDrop (Getting to Know the App)
2019
This session covers some of unique team building features, data and reports included in CoughDrop that help grow a stronger AAC team. Whether you are new to CoughDrop or wanting to refresh your knowledge, you'll gain insight into how others are using it and what ways it might be a benefit to current and potential AAC users and their teams.
Highlights For the Week of May 11, 2026
Giving CoughDrop a Second Look - What You Haven't Seen CoughDrop Do Before
2019
CoughDrop has added some great new features over the last 18 months, all focused around helping communicators and their support teams be more successful. Check out what we've done around goals, modeling support, messaging, integrations, etc.!
Using Eye-Tracking to Access Predictable
2021
Predictable is a text-to-speech app designed for people who are literate but don't have the ability to speak. In 2020, we introduced three innovative access methods relying on Apple technology. This year, we worked with Irisbond and integrated the first iOS eye-tracking solution!
Highlights For the Week of May 4, 2026
Communication in the Community
2019
Community based instruction is an essential piece of today’s life skills curriculums. Unfortunately, supporting students who use AAC in the community setting can be a difficult and daunting process. This presentation aims to provide resources and support to help professionals provide the best possible services to the individuals they serve.
AAC is Everything, Everything is AAC -- Why Guided Access & Other Methods of Locking Tablets Remove Autonomy
2021
To many, there's AAC apps for communication, and other devices for everything else. But, we use other apps (on the same device!) for communication, and AAC as non-communication assistive tech. The lines between AAC and everything else are fuzzy. Denying this, and locking us into one app is harmful.
Highlights For the Week of Apr 27, 2026
Putting the other "A" in AAC: The Augmentative Part
2019
In the world of AAC (Augmentative Alternative Communication), we tend to really focus on the alternative piece. As an SLP working in the public schools, I work with a lot of students who are partially verbal. That is they are speaking words but it might just be one or two word sentences or telegraphic speech. Oftentimes these students really benefit from the structure of a low tech communication board to give their sentences correct grammatical structure and by having a multi-sensory method of expressing themselves. This presentation will give you some tips and ideas for ways you can help your students "augment" their communication.
Communication and Literacy in the Secondary Special Education Classroom -- It CAN Be Done!
2021
This presentation will detail the introduction of literacy and communication to a classroom of four young men with autism and a history of ineffective education. “Never too old to start” is a motto that rings true in the classroom that had one year to prove that intensive teaching works.
Highlights For the Week of Apr 20, 2026
AAC and Verbal Individuals: How AAC Impacted Our Lives
2018
My friend Lydia Wayman and I both have a diagnosis of autism. We are both verbal; AND we are both AAC users! We use AAC to supplement our verbal communication. Come hear us talk about how we use AAC to help us; even though we are verbal.
All Hands On Deck for Touch Access
2021
Calling all hands-on deck for touch access! There is so much to consider and explore for clients who use touch access. This session is led by two assistive technology consultants and speech-language pathologists ( SLPs) to review ways to encourage touch access, low-tech to high-tech device modifications and DIY ideas to trial touch access methods with your students. One small change can make a big difference when using touch access. Get ready for this hands-on course and leave with a touch access resource guide for editing tips, checklists and trial ideas.
Highlights For the Week of Apr 13, 2026
Feature Matching in the AAC Assessment
2023
Feature-matching in AAC assessment is a crucial component of the assessment process but can be intimidating! Feature-matching is completed by looking at an individual’s skills and needs to determine the most appropriate AAC system features (ASHA, n.d.). Learn more in this recorded webinar!
AAC in the Classroom...for the teacher
2018
“AAC in the classroom” usually means AAC for students. Sometimes, however, it's the teacher who needs AAC! I'll be talking about AAC in the workplace, specifically the classroom as a workplace, based on both my experience and that of other teachers I know of. Practical tips incoming!
Highlights For the Week of Apr 6, 2026
Free AAC Resources for Buy-in and Communication Growth
2023
Let's explore some of the great materials, websites, supplies, and assets that can be accessed for FREE to help support AAC communicators and teams.
Highlights For the Week of Mar 30, 2026
Visual Impairments & AAC -- Case Study and Discussion of Tips & Device Adaptations
2023
Join Naomi and Stefanie as Naomi discusses what she has learned as a part-time AAC user with vision impairments, and Stefanie shares device modifications she has made with young AAC users with vision impairments. Participants will receive access to resources related to AAC and vision impairments.
Highlights For the Week of Mar 23, 2026
My AAC is Part of My Gender Presentation
2020
When setting up AAC, considering disability is normal. But, identity is complex, more than just our disabilities, and our assistive tech is a part of us. It needs to support the whole person. We’ll discuss using AAC as a trans, disabled person and some considerations as they customize their device.
