Staci Neustadt, M.S., CCC-SLP

September 25th, 2012

Tonight you will learn….

What Alexicom AAC is How to access your child’s

communication pages (via iPad/internet)

Programming the Alexicom app on the iPad and in “the cloud”

Alexicom Tech

Created the first internet-based, but not dependent, AAC system (patent-pending)

iOS and Android apps – load on all of your technology to use everywhere!

Alexicom AAC app – full access/full language app

Privilege of Pieceful Solution students Covered by DDD if recommended by an

AAC evaluator

Alexicom AAC app

Many language page sets

Page sets selected to best meet your child’s needs

Need to be personalized

Can use symbols or “real” pictures

Personalize… 1,2,3…..

1. Edit/Create

2. Publish

3. Use

In app Editing – in the moment

Creating a page: in the free iOS and Android apps In the app, go to the “Select a Page” tab Select “Edit” on top left (may need to enable in

Settings) Edit an existing page by selecting a page from the list Create a new page by pressing “[+]” on the right

○ Give the new page a name, specify number of rows and columns and picture size

Edit the cells on the page just as you would on the internet. Just press “Edit” on any cell to edit its content. Take a picture with the device camera or select an image from

your saved albums, including pictures saved from the web Add a label and/or spoken text Optionally link to another page

Creating a page: iOS

Page list in app

Creating a new page in the app

Online editing: www.alexicomaac.com

Editing an existing page

Determine the page name (usually categorical such as school, food, snacks)

Select your child’s name as the “client” and then select the page from the alphabetical pull down menu

Editing/creating on the website – http://www.alexicomaac.com

Publishing To use pages you have created on-line

you must “publish” the pages first through the app *NOT THE WEB

Ways to identify/plan messages and vocabulary: Sentence-based messages

Sentence-based messages are those which need to be communicated quickly and will get immediate response from the communication partner. “Can I go to the bathroom?” “I need help, please.” “My pencil broke. Can I sharpen it?”

These are examples of sentence-based messages that may have implications for the regular classroom.

Comments may also be sentence-based. “That’s cool.” “Oh, gross!”

Care should be taken in selecting and programming comments that are age appropriate and ones heard by typical peers. Listen to students for suggestions!!

*Caution! Too many sentence-based messages will limit the student’s understanding of language and the ability to create self-generated message forms.

Identify/Plan messages, cont’dPhrases Phrases are “starters” that will be completed with a student’s choice. “I like…” “I want…” “Can I have….?” Phrases are usually based on a situation where scripted conversation is useful. For a student who has potential to self generate sentences, this is a keystroke reduction for a longer form that is available in the word-based vocabulary.

Identify/Plan messages, cont’dWords Words in an AAC system are the most powerful means for the student to self-create. However, words must be well planned into an organization system that allows for access (memory of where the needed vocabulary is located) Many AAC devices come with pre-programmed vocabulary packages. The tendency is to start a student with lots of “nouns”. However, nouns are not the most common words used by typical speaking children. Think of teaching words in ways that they can be combined to generate a “sentence.” You may want to use this word list to help you think about how these words are used by other children within the classroom activities.

Tips

Keep consistent placement to encourage motor planning

Put vocabulary in the appropriate category

Use vocabulary your child or a child would use, not what we want them to use

Make vocabulary age appropriate

Settings in the free apps

Auditory output on selectionAuto load home page

Disable from main iPad Settings!Edit & delete enable/disableScanning

Auto-scan, step-scanLinear, row/column scanningAuditory ScanningScan speed 0.5 - 8 sHold time 0.01 - 1 sScan soundInclude header buttons in scanDirect touch only (keeps keyboard from popping up in scan mode)

Settings in the free apps

Screen settingsHighlight selected cellAdjust frame widthZoom/bounce on/off1x-3x cell magnification for scan/touch

Text-to-Speech settingsOnboard TTSSpeak each wordMale/female voicesAdjust pitch, speed, variance

Word prediction150,000 word libraryLearn new wordsTrack frequency of work usePrompt for dictionary reset

Text to Speech

Fun Friday!

“Like” Alexicom Tech on Facebook for Fun Friday activities posted once or more a month

Username funfriday, password funfriday

Publish pages to your iPad and link them to an existing page

Stay supported

Contact me at school

support@alexicomtech.com