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Augmentative/Alternative Communication Intervention
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Dr. Caroline Musselwhite & Julie Maro

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Julie Maro, M.A. CCC/SLP
W4855 Hemlock Road
Mondovi, WI 54755
julie@aacintervention.com

Caroline Musselwhite, Ph.D. CCC/SLP
916 W. Castillo Drive
Litchfield Park, AZ 85340
carmussel@cox.net


Class Information
 
bullet Website Creation Class Resources
bullet AT Training - AlphaSmart, Inspiration, WYNN
bullet Teacher Resouces
bullet Tools for Transforming the Teaching of Students with Special Needs
 
Boardmaker Resources

BoardmakerTM
Boardmaker is a computer software program used to make communication boards, picture schedules, instruction sheets and more.  In our opinion, it is one of the most commonly used programs in the field of augmentative/alternative communication.  Boardmaker contains over 3,000 Picture Communication Symbols in it's picture libraries.  These symbols can quickly and easily be pasted onto communication boards for use by children and adults whose speech is not readily understood by others.

Boardmaker is available through Mayer-Johnson, Inc.
Website:  http://mayer-johnson.com/
Phone:  1-800-588-4548.

Boardmaker is available in either Macintosh or Windows formats.  The Windows version has recently been improved and many new features added to make this program easier than ever.

The internet contains a wide variety of ready-made resources to get you started using Boardmaker.  Below are resources providing tutorials and instructions as well as ready-made boards and activities.
 

BoardmakerTM Tutorials & Instructions
 
 
Tutorials for Getting Started with Boardmaker Link
Boardmaker Basics  Boardmaker basics pdf file
Beyond Boardmaker Basics  Beyond Boardmaker basics pdf file
Boardmaker 3.0 Tutorial http://aac.unl.edu/AACTU/AACTU3.html
Beginning Boardmaker http://tech.eaton.k12.mi.us/at/basic_boardmaker.htm
Boardmaker Tutorial - Macintosh http://www.comdis.wisc.edu/fac_dirs/jmiller/AAC/tutorials.htm#bm
General Instructions for Boardmaker Version 3.3.3 http://www.serbc.org/res/equip/boardmaker/files.html
Getting Started with Boardmaker http://www.mayer-johnson.com/tipstuts/

 
Instructions for more Advanced Uses of Boardmaker Link
Advanced Boardmaker http://tech.eaton.k12.mi.us/at/advanced_info.htm
Beyond Boardmaker Basics Beyond Boardmaker basics pdf file
The Mayer-Johnson website contains a Tips/Tutorials section.  The  "Old Tips" section includes instructions for:
  • Deleting symbols from cells without deleting cells
  • Combining Boardmaker symbols for use in Speaking Dynamically Buttons
  • Creating your own Libraries in Boardmaker
  • Establishing a link between Speaking Dynamically Pro and Boardmaker
  • Saving screen shots to Boardmaker
  • Does your Boardmaker for Windows open up without the symbols
  • Boardmaker for Windows - Where are my colors in the color palette
  • Boardmaker for Mac on a G3 - Where are my symbols in the Draw Window
  • Creating floating text in your boards with Boardmaker
  • Importing images from the web into Boardmaker
 http://www.mayer-johnson.com/tipstuts/oldtips.html
Boardmaker Frequently Asked Questions Including:
  • Installing the Australian Boardmaker updater files
  • How do I add and replace text?
  • How do I import graphics?
  • How do I use black & white and colour PCS in Boardmaker?
 http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/spectronics/faqs.asp?cat=3249
Boardmaker Training Materials http://www.coalitionconnection.org/library/library-first.cfm
Create and open 6 Boardmaker boards at once http://aacintervention.com/sixboard.pdf
Creating Libraries - Boardmaker for Windows http://misd.net/AssistiveTech/inside_bmkrtut.html
Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows http://www.ovec.org/ride/Activities/Boardhints.htm
Using Boardmaker pictures with other software  http://projectparticipate.org/handouts/usingBoardmaker.pdf

Additional Boardmaker Libraries and Pre-Made Grids
 
 
The Mayer-Johnson website contains numerous libraries and pre-made grids which can be added to your Boardmaker program for free.  There are files for both Mac and Windows. http://www.mayer-johnson.com/downloads/index.html

Ready Made Resources on the Web
 
 
Description Link
Activities and Games (Boardmaker Communication Overlays) http://ipserv2.aea14.k12.ia.us/atteam/at/act.ga.htm
Aided Language Stimulation Overlays for Books  http://lserver.aea14.k12.ia.us/atteam/at/al.html
Boardmaker Boards Online sharing of Mac/PC boards http://groups.yahoo.com/group/boardmaker/
Burnaby Teachers Resources - Boardmaker files for:
  • Farm Animals
  • Math
  • Daily Schedule
  • Feelings
  • Pets
  • Jungle Animals
  • Field Trip
  • Weather
 http://schou.sd41.bc.ca/district/boardmaker.htm
Early Childhood Thematic Units http://www.sbcss.k12.ca.us/sbcss/specialeducation/ecthematic/software.htm
News-4-You - Weekly Boardmaker Newspaper http://www.news-4-you.com
SET-BC:  Special Education Technology British Columbia
Files for Both Mac & PC
  • Communication Book Display
  • Fun Activities by Yvonne Green, SLP
  • Simon Says - for AlphaTalker 32
  • PCS-The Many Ways to Use Them by Julie Schwass
    • Bathroom Routine
    • Changing (P.E.)
    • Health Routine
    • Holidays
    • Home Routine
    • Lunch Routine
    • Morning Routine
    • Self Care
    • Shelf Labels
    • Silent Reading - AlphaTalker 8
    • Songs - AlphaTalker 8
    • Weather - AlphaTalker 8
 http://www.setbc.org/res/equip/boardmaker/files.html
Speaking of Speech Materials Exchange http://speakingofspeech.com/generic.html?pid=26
Visual Suppports - a wide variety of materials http://trainland.tripod.com/pecs.htm
Simon Says for an AlphaTalker 32 made with Boardmaker http://www.setbc.org/res/equip/boardmaker/files.html
Teaching Ideas for Early Childhood Special Educators 
 
  • Teacher Created Resources - A wide variety of communication boards & worksheets, adapted books and Songs
  • Other Boardmaker Resources for:
    • Zoo:  Adapted Books: Dear Zoo, Goodnight Gorilla, What Happened to my Dog?
    • Water:  Jump Frog Jump
    • Pets:  Bingo Song
    • Bugs
 http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/curriculum/pep/teachercreate.html
 
 

http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/curriculum/pep/teachingideas/anim.htm
TechTalk 8 & TechSpeak 36 Overlays http://www.stcharles.k12.la.us/SpEdWEB/AT.htm

Vocabulary Selection Resources
The following sites may assist you in the process of selecting vocabulary to be placed on your communication boards.
 
Word Frequency Lists http://aac.unl.edu/vocabulary.html
Word frequency counts - This site allows you to paste in text of your own and it will do word frequency counts for you! Use this as a guide to prioritizing vocabulary for placement on communication/activity boards. http://georgetown.edu/cball/webtools/web_freqs.html

 

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