RE: Digest for aacparents@googlegroups.com - 6 Messages in 1 Topic

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Crislip, Deb

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Oct 3, 2013, 2:04:31 PM10/3/13
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I would also suggest Kennedy Krieger at Johns Hopkins - -and would also suggest that support after evaluation is very important, so sometimes it is a little frustrating to see a child from outside the area and have limited ability to support long term.  So an evaluation from outside the area may not have the knowledge of state specific issues in schools, therapy and /or funding options.  Good Luck!

Deb Crislip

 

From: aacpa...@googlegroups.com [mailto:aacpa...@googlegroups.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2013 1:41 PM
To: Digest Recipients
Subject: Digest for aacpa...@googlegroups.com - 6 Messages in 1 Topic

 

Group: http://groups.google.com/group/aacparents/topics

§  AAC Assessment Question [6 Updates]

Dawn Caldwell <dcaldw...@comcast.net> Oct 03 05:52AM  

If you could go anywhere in the world to get an AAC assessment for a non-verbal, mobile child who needs seating, vision and OT involved in the assessment, where would you go and why?  While it is a hypothetical question, I am asking because we are evaluating where to go to get such an assessment and are open to all ideas/locations.  (We have a device but we have not done a full blown assessment in 6 years and my DS has changed quite a bit in those years.)

 

Christine Kramlich <tvi...@gmail.com> Oct 03 07:23AM -0400  

Well, I don't know about in the whole world, but I've been pretty happy
with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta down here in the southeast. They
have two ladies who do AT all day everyday and they are the best of the
best in the area as far as I'm concerned. They also have a seating clinic
that is top notch.
 
 

 

"Hill, Katharine Joan" <kh...@pitt.edu> Oct 03 07:48AM -0400  

AAC Institute’s ICAN™ Talk Clinic provides comprehensive, evidence-based AAC evaluations that involve children with their families traveling to Pittsburgh from around the world. Typical families traveling to Pittsburgh are seen over the course of 3 -5 very full days that include assessment sessions taylored to a child in the clinic and surrounding community venues, e.g. the mall, museums, restaurants, toy store, etc. (selected by families). Evaluations include family interviews and training so that parents are fully informed of all AAC options and a comparison of the performance difference that exist with different AAC interventions. In addition, multiple clinicians specializing in AAC and headed by Dr. Katya Hill see a child over the course of the evaluation sessions to contribute to the final recommendations. Recently, arrangements have been made with a convenient local hotel for special rates for families being served by AAC Institute’s clinic too.
 
Families are encouraged to join or like AAC Institute on Facebook and to take the AAC Institute’s Self-Study Program courses on an “introduction to AAC” and “AAC Language Representation Methods” when considering a comprehensive evaluation and to learn more about the AAC Institute's efforts to build AAC capacity and the standard of care ICAN™ Talk Clinic promotes.
 
________________________________
From: aacpa...@googlegroups.com [aacpa...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Christine Kramlich [tvi...@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2013 7:23 AM
To: aacpa...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: AAC Assessment Question
 
Well, I don't know about in the whole world, but I've been pretty happy with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta down here in the southeast. They have two ladies who do AT all day everyday and they are the best of the best in the area as far as I'm concerned. They also have a seating clinic that is top notch.
 
 
On Thu, Oct 3, 2013 at 1:52 AM, Dawn Caldwell <dcaldw...@comcast.net<mailto:dcaldw...@comcast.net>> wrote:
 
If you could go anywhere in the world to get an AAC assessment for a non-verbal, mobile child who needs seating, vision and OT involved in the assessment, where would you go and why? While it is a hypothetical question, I am asking because we are evaluating where to go to get such an assessment and are open to all ideas/locations. (We have a device but we have not done a full blown assessment in 6 years and my DS has changed quite a bit in those years.)
 
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Chistinebaudin <christi...@yahoo.com> Oct 03 08:18AM -0400  

Does the AAC institute take into equal consideration all language organization systems in addition to Unity? I know they are a big proponent of Unity.
 
I heard the Augmentative Communication Program at Children's Hospital of Boston is the best around but I do not personally know anyone who has been assessed there. They also have a Facebook page.
 
Christine
 
Sent from my iPhone
 

 

"Hill, Katharine Joan" <kh...@pitt.edu> Oct 03 09:36AM -0400  

Christine,
 
Yes, we discuss and demonstrate all language representation methods. Our first hour or so with families is typically reviewing all the options, discussing how language can be represented and generated using AAC technology, identifying the advantages and disadvantages of each methods, and reviewing performance and outcomes evidence. We believe that we fully inform parents of the options before making any decisions about AAC technolgoy and intervention.
 
Since ICAN Talk clinicians are well-trained on language representation methods and linguistic development, we may have more referrals from people seeking an untried method such as Unity. Unfortunately, most of our parents indicate that no one ever discussed or demonstrated the difference between single-meaning and multi-meaning symbols or the features of the various levels of Unity. Also, parents have never been shown quantitative data on their child's use of an AAC device such as language activity monitoring (LAM) evidence. Although we have a large number of clients using Unity, we also have clients selecting and using other language programs on a variety of AAC devices. Many of other clients on Unity have tried other (several) interventions with minimal success prior to asking to see Unity - "this thing they just heard about."
 
Finally, regardless of the language software being considered, the child's clinician needs to be able to talk with the program too, e.g. model the vocabulary and utterance types/complexity expected for the child's ability and growth. Evaluating and making decisions about AAC interventions are two-fold: 1) manipulating the primary, secondary and tertiary features of a speech generating device or SGD; 2) manipulating instructional/educational strategies and interventions. An AAC evaluation is more than looking at different devices, but gathering the data to support the interventions that will result in the most effective communication. The process of selecting the strategies that match a child's current abilities and learning styles is equally important for success and takes time across a variety of activities, environments and communication partners.
 
Katya
 
 
________________________________
From: aacpa...@googlegroups.com [aacpa...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Chistinebaudin [christi...@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2013 8:18 AM
To: aacpa...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: AAC Assessment Question
 
Does the AAC institute take into equal consideration all language organization systems in addition to Unity? I know they are a big proponent of Unity.
 
I heard the Augmentative Communication Program at Children's Hospital of Boston is the best around but I do not personally know anyone who has been assessed there. They also have a Facebook page.
 
Christine
 
Sent from my iPhone
 
On Oct 3, 2013, at 7:48 AM, "Hill, Katharine Joan" <kh...@pitt.edu<mailto:kh...@pitt.edu>> wrote:
 
AAC Institute’s ICAN™ Talk Clinic provides comprehensive, evidence-based AAC evaluations that involve children with their families traveling to Pittsburgh from around the world. Typical families traveling to Pittsburgh are seen over the course of 3 -5 very full days that include assessment sessions taylored to a child in the clinic and surrounding community venues, e.g. the mall, museums, restaurants, toy store, etc. (selected by families). Evaluations include family interviews and training so that parents are fully informed of all AAC options and a comparison of the performance difference that exist with different AAC interventions. In addition, multiple clinicians specializing in AAC and headed by Dr. Katya Hill see a child over the course of the evaluation sessions to contribute to the final recommendations. Recently, arrangements have been made with a convenient local hotel for special rates for families being served by AAC Institute’s clinic too.
 
Families are encouraged to join or like AAC Institute on Facebook and to take the AAC Institute’s Self-Study Program courses on an “introduction to AAC” and “AAC Language Representation Methods” when considering a comprehensive evaluation and to learn more about the AAC Institute's efforts to build AAC capacity and the standard of care ICAN™ Talk Clinic promotes.
 
________________________________
From: aacpa...@googlegroups.com<mailto:aacpa...@googlegroups.com> [aacpa...@googlegroups.com<mailto:aacpa...@googlegroups.com>] On Behalf Of Christine Kramlich [tvi...@gmail.com<mailto:tvi...@gmail.com>]
Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2013 7:23 AM
To: aacpa...@googlegroups.com<mailto:aacpa...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: AAC Assessment Question
 
Well, I don't know about in the whole world, but I've been pretty happy with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta down here in the southeast. They have two ladies who do AT all day everyday and they are the best of the best in the area as far as I'm concerned. They also have a seating clinic that is top notch.
 
 
On Thu, Oct 3, 2013 at 1:52 AM, Dawn Caldwell <dcaldw...@comcast.net<mailto:dcaldw...@comcast.net>> wrote:
 
If you could go anywhere in the world to get an AAC assessment for a non-verbal, mobile child who needs seating, vision and OT involved in the assessment, where would you go and why? While it is a hypothetical question, I am asking because we are evaluating where to go to get such an assessment and are open to all ideas/locations. (We have a device but we have not done a full blown assessment in 6 years and my DS has changed quite a bit in those years.)
 
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Pam Harris <pam_h...@comcast.net> Oct 03 01:44PM  

Hi -
 
 
Easter Seals DuPage/Fox Valley (west suburban Chicago)
 
 
 
The staff is highly skilled and knowledgeable and while the assessment is done by a SLP and OT, other professionals like PT and vision are brought it, if needed.
 
 
Our son's last assessment was done there and it was comprehensive and most of all took his preferences into account.
 
 
Kindly,
Pam Harris
mom to Josh (Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, Eosinophilic Esophagitis and severe anxiety and OCD)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
----- Original Message -----
 
Does the AAC institute take into equal consideration all language organization systems in addition to Unity? I know they are a big proponent of Unity.
 
 
I heard the Augmentative Communication Program at Children's Hospital of Boston is the best around but I do not personally know anyone who has been assessed there. They also have a Facebook page.
 
 
Christine
 
Sent from my iPhone
 
On Oct 3, 2013, at 7:48 AM, "Hill, Katharine Joan" < kh...@pitt.edu > wrote:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AAC Institute’s ICAN™ Talk Clinic provides comprehensive, evidence-based AAC evaluations that involve children with their families traveling to Pittsburgh from around the world. Typical families traveling to Pittsburgh are seen over the course of 3 -5 very full days that include assessment sessions taylored to a child in the clinic and surrounding community venues, e.g. the mall, museums, restaurants, toy store, etc. (selected by families). Evaluations include family interviews and training so that parents are fully informed of all AAC options and a comparison of the performance difference that exist with different AAC interventions. In addition, multiple clinicians specializing in AAC and headed by Dr. Katya Hill see a child over the course of the evaluation sessions to contribute to the final recommendations. Recently, arrangements have been made with a convenient local hotel for special rates for families being served by AAC Institute’s clinic too.
 
 
 
Families are encouraged to join or like AAC Institute on Facebook and to take the AAC Institute’s Self-Study Program courses on an “introduction to AAC” and “AAC Language Representation Methods” when considering a comprehensive evaluation and to learn more about the AAC Institute's efforts to build AAC capacity and the standard of care ICAN™ Talk Clinic promotes.
 
 
From: aacpa...@googlegroups.com [ aacpa...@googlegroups.com ] On Behalf Of Christine Kramlich [ tvi...@gmail.com ]
Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2013 7:23 AM
To: aacpa...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: AAC Assessment Question
 
 
 
 
Well, I don't know about in the whole world, but I've been pretty happy with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta down here in the southeast. They have two ladies who do AT all day everyday and they are the best of the best in the area as far as I'm concerned. They also have a seating clinic that is top notch.
 
 
 
 
On Thu, Oct 3, 2013 at 1:52 AM, Dawn Caldwell < dcaldw...@comcast.net > wrote:
 
<blockquote>
 
 
 
If you could go anywhere in the world to get an AAC assessment for a non-verbal, mobile child who needs seating, vision and OT involved in the assessment, where would you go and why? While it is a hypothetical question, I am asking because we are evaluating where to go to get such an assessment and are open to all ideas/locations. (We have a device but we have not done a full blown assessment in 6 years and my DS has changed quite a bit in those years.)
 
 
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</blockquote>
 
 
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