By:  Caroline Musselwhite                                 

This letter to parents is about writing - with some extra time over the holidays (and opportunities to write lists, thank you's, etc.) we're hoping this will be timely.

There is 'white space' at the beginning and end of the letter so that you can add your return address, the date, and your closing.  Please personalize this and sent it out.  Let us know if this is helpful for you!

Thanks for visiting our site!
Caroline & Julie

Parent Letter - Writing.pdf File

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By:  Caroline Musselwhite 

This approach was developed by Deanna Wagner.  It involves partner-assisted auditory scanning.  For complete make-it/take-it instructions, open the Alphabet Scroller pdf file.

Alphabet Scroller.pdf File

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Clam Shell Mounting Bracket

By:  Caroline Musselwhite

This helpful tip provides information on low cost mounting accessories for switches etc.

Clam Shell Mounting Bracket Tip.pdf

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September 2002 - Poetry Websites & Handout 

By:  Caroline Musselwhite 

Poetry for Beginning Writers.pdf File

This month we are featuring Poetry links.  We will begin with four favorites.  There are many more - we just didn't want to overwhelm you!

http://www.poetryalive.com/
Presents information about Poetry Alive, a wonderful group that supports poetry through products, performances, and teacher trainings.  Go to their student pages or listen to poetry readings on their CD pages.

http://www.poetry4kids.com/
This website is hosted by Kenn Nesbitt.  It includes many sample poems, a kids section, and great ideas for supporting poetry writing.  Many of his poetry writing ideas are great for AAC users or beginning writers.

http://www.poetryzone.ndirect.co.uk/
Roger Stevens is the host for this website.  It includes:  Top Ten, Interviews with famous poets, Reviews of poetry books, and a place to send student poetry.

http://gigglepoetry.com/
This is a very fun website!  Students can:  rate poems, submit poems, download poems to read, turn poems into simple plays;  teachers can find tons of ideas for helping students write their own poems!

Poetry Products by Caroline:

Book:  Poetry Power!  Jump-Starting Language, Literacy, & Life!
by:  Musselwhite & Wagner (21 pp)
This book covers poetry immersion, poetry, performance, and poetry production with sample overlays.  It offers scores of ideas for struggling writers and AAC users.
Cost:  $6.00 + $2.00 p & h
Order from Caroline Musselwhite:  carmussel@mindspring.com

CD:  Poetry Power CD
Platform:  Mac/PC Setups:  IntelliPics, BuildAbility, Overlay Maker, IntelliTalk, Discover, Write OutLoud, Speaking Dynamically (Print your own overlays)
This software set presents hundreds of setups for students to listen to poems (BuildAbility, IntelliPics, Scan 'n Read) and to create their own poems (Boardmaker, BuildAbility, Discover, DynaVox, IntelliTalk II, Overlay Maker, Speaking Dynamically Pro, Switch Clicker 4).  Many poem forms are provided, including:  list, actrostics, poetry construction, poetry parody, 3 x 3 poems, poetry starters, and more.
Note:  BuildAbility & Speaking Dynamicallly Pro are available only on the Macintosh version of this CD.
Cost:  $35 + $2 p + h
Order from Caroline Musselwhite:  carmussel@mindspring.com

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By:  Caroline Musselwhite

Facilitating Communication.pdf

Here is a great tip sheet that Caroline has used at various AAC camps and events to help those who communicate with AAC users.

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By:  Caroline Musselwhite

By:  Caroline Musselwhite 

Supporting Language With Music.pdf File

Resource List.pdf File - This file contains a short list of materials for augmentative music.

I've been 'revisiting' my music workshops, as I'm teaching a music class online (see COURSES).  It made me decide to devote this issue of the Tip of the Month to music! 

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By:  Julie Maro

Converting Boardmaker Windows Files to pdf handout

Play Trucks Boardmaker overlay for Attainments Go Talk - pdf file
Labeling Categories.pdf - by Lori Tufte

Want to share Boardmaker files with families and colleagues over the internet?  This month's tip will allow you to do just that.  This handout assumes you are using Boardmaker for Windows and that you own a copy of Adobe Acrobat.  Please note that this is the full version of Adobe Acrobat - not just the free Acrobat Reader.
 

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By:  Julie Maro

For the tip this month, my plan was to create a tutorial on making a "flip book" communication board with Boardmaker.  "Flip books" are communication books which have multiple pages.  Tabs are created along the sides of each page that index the information found there.  These tabs can then be used to "flip" through the pages of the communication book.

Flip books can be purchased through Mayer-Johnson or made using Boardmaker.  During a recent site visit to a school, I had shown a teacher how to use Boardmaker to make a flip book for one of her students.  This flip book would then be attached to the top portion of the students electronic communication device.  Thus, the student would have access to more 'supplemental' vocabulary than what could be stored in his simple voice output system.  Feeling that more people could benefit from knowing how to do this, my intent was to create a tutorial. 

One of the things I've learned from years of surfing the Internet is to check to see if someone else has already done what you intend to do.  Sure enough, on the Mayer-Johnson website I found an excellent handout for creating flipbooks.  In addition to the Flip-book handout highlighted below, the also have the following resources in the Tutorials Section of the Mayer-Johnson website at:  http://mayer-johnson.com/downloads/index.html
 

   1.Getting Started with Boardmaker 
   2.Using Digital Images to Enhance Your Communication Aids 
   3.Saving Screen Shots to Boardmaker 
   4.BM-Win5-Wksheet-tutorial.pdf 
   5.BM-Win5-Begin-tutorial.pdf 
   6.BM-Mac-Wksheet-tutorial.pdf 
   7.BM-Mac-Storybook-tutorial.pdf 
   8.BM-Mac-Schedule-tutorial.pdf 
   9.BM-Mac-IEP-goals-tutorial.pdf 
  10.BM-Mac-Home-Info-tutorial.pdf 
  11.BM-Mac-Flip-book.pdf 
  12.BM-Mac-Digital-Photos.pdf 
  13.BM-Mac-Comb-Symbol.pdf 

Have a great month!

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By:  Julie Maro 

Vocabulary Selection pdf File

Do you struggle with selecting appropriate vocabulary for simple augmentative communication systems?  Do you have a lending library containing these systems and need a way to share strategies for trying out these devices?  Is so, this month's tip is for you.  It contains an 2 page article on vocabulary selection plus a single sheet that is sent out with the Tech-Four when it leaves our lending library.

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By:  Caroline Musselwhite 

Parent Letter pdf File

Okay, this is for all of you who asked me to *please* do another light-tech tip!  Thanks to Ann Walker from Chicago, who sent me a reminder after a workshop in Houston, as I've been promising to do this parent letter for . . . longer than I care to admit!

Here's the background information on this letter.  When I do workshops, I typically talk about the need for adults who children respect to model reading and writing.  I also point out that children with disabilities may have fewer models of reading and writing, especially if they are not mobile.  Then I say that we need to support parents, and let them know how important it is to let their children see them reading and writing for real purposes.  So, this letter is available for you to add your name & address & sign at the bottom - and if you're a SLP it's just in time for May (Better Speech & Hearing Month in the states).  Please sign our message board to let us know if this is helpful.  If so, we'll try to do more stuff to share with parents!

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By:  Caroline Musselwhite & Carol Goossens'

Pointer Glove pdf File

We are starting the new year with an old idea.  The January 2002 AAC Tip of the Month is an index finger pointer glove.  Caroline showed it at the recent AAC in the Desert Conference and Carol Goossens' - who initially designed the glove - 'remembered' it from years ago.  When Caroline mentioned that this would be the AAC Tip of the Month at their local AT Interest Group, one of the members said "Great - I needed it again and couldn't find my old pattern!'.  Liks so many things we use - storage and retrieval can be a problem.  We all have a bag of tricks (which gets bigger every year) and sometimes need a place to store those tricks.  Hopefully, this website can serve as a 'closet' for light-tech and high-tech tips and tricks for you!
 

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OPENING ADOBE ACROBAT FILES:
1) Drag the document into a folder on your desktop
2) Plan A:  Double-click the document and see if it opens in Adobe Acrobat

    Plan B:

• Go to Find (under File menu when you're in the Finder) and type Acrobat - see if Acrobat Reader is on your computer.
• If so, open it
• Then go to File/Open and open the desired file from within

    Plan C:  If you don't have Acrobat Reader on your computer, go to their website and download it:  http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html

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