Where Social Media Meets AAC

Abstract

You have accessThe ASHA LeaderGet Social1 Jul 2015Where Social Media Meets AACThe tech-heavy world of augmentative and alternative communication is well-suited for social media sharing. Vicki ClarkeMS, CCC-SLP Vicki Clarke Google Scholar More articles by this author , MS, CCC-SLP https://doi.org/10.1044/leader.GS.20072015.np SectionsAbout ToolsAdd to favorites ShareFacebookTwitterLinked In The families in our clinic pushed me into the world of social media several years ago. After a little investigation, we jumped wholeheartedly into online socializing with a Facebook page, Twitter and Tumblr accounts, Pinterest boards, an updated blog, secondary blog and, more recently, Instagram. Although social media has its share of selfies, dessert pictures and complaints about traffic, it’s also a wonderful source of information, resource sharing and connections for speech-language pathologists interested in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). As professionals and families enjoy better access to AAC through mobile technology, the need for support, advice and resource-sharing also increases. AAC specialists are in short supply and demand is growing. Social media allow specialists to quickly share information with parents, SLPs and teachers. Clients and pros can find information on AAC in a variety of social media formats. There are blogs, video/photo-sharing, link shares and chats. Each has its advantages, so let’s take a look! Blogs By far, blogs give the most detailed information about techniques, equipment, apps and concepts. Some of my favorite bloggers are parents of children using AAC. These writers bring us distinctive views into the realities of raising AAC users. We celebrate, empathize and learn with these parents as they discuss daily experiences. My favorites: Kreed’s World Uncommon Sense There are wonderful professional blogs as well—my top three: PrAACtical AAC Teaching Learners With Multiple Needs Speak For Yourself Twitter Twitter users typically share links, photos and brief tips. Look for resources from our sister specialties of assistive technology and special education, which often also are relevant to AAC. I follow people from a variety of these related specialties. People highlight posts through hashtags, so search #augcomm or #aac to find pertinent tweets. #WeSpeechies posts frequently about AAC as well. Here are some “peeps” I follow: Kate Munro @speechiekate. ISAAC @ISAAC_AAC. US Society for AAC @USSAAC. Bronwyn Hemsley @BronwynHemsley. Gail Bennell @gailbennell. Jeremy Legaspi @azspeechguy. Facebook Facebook users post prolifically about AAC. Families, companies, individuals and AAC users themselves post pictures, videos, links, articles and personal stories. There are also Facebook groups that support AAC users, families and professionals. Here are a few to look up: Augmentative Communication Resources & Help AAC Language Lab AAC for the SLP There are also specific groups for AAC users, including: AAC Users! AAC- Alternative Awesome Communicators Instagram and YouTube Instagram is a photo- and video-sharing site where AAC families and professionals post materials, ideas, successes and equipment. I just started dabbling on Instagram and find it a great place to share quick videos of techniques and materials or brag on my patients and their families. AAC doesn’t yet have a significant presence on Instagram, but I see value in expanding topical knowledge to a broader audience through Instagram, which also uses hashtags. Search for #augcomm, #aac and #ashaigers. YouTube offers a wide variety of videos about AAC. AAC users and their families share stories, professionals give technique tips, and manufacturers and application developers offer training on products. Type a topic of interest into the search field to find videos. Pinterest Pinterest allows users to organize images with captions and links according to customizable “boards” or topics. You can follow “pinners” or specific boards. It’s also easy to search for AAC pins, enthusiasts or topics. Some pinners I follow include: Lauren Enders PrAACtical AAC ASHA Community The ASHA community provides the opportunity for SLPs to ask and answer specialized questions about AAC-related subjects. In the platform’s discussion area for ASHA Special Interest Group 12, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, SLPs can collaborate, troubleshoot and share regarding AAC. Social media offer easy access to a lot of AAC knowledge from and for professionals and consumers. Various sites better serve different learning styles, so check them all out. Most professionals and families sharing on social media use several different sites. You can expand your resources by finding favorites on one site and seeking them out on other social media, exploring their followers and the people they follow, too! Author Notes Vicki Clarke, MS, CCC-SLP, owns Dynamic Therapy Associates, a private practice specializing in AAC in Kennesaw, Georgia. With more than 25 years in the AAC world, she also evaluates, treats, trains and consults at schools, conferences and hospitals. [email protected] Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Additional Resources FiguresSourcesRelatedDetails Volume 20Issue 7July 2015 Get Permissions Add to your Mendeley library History Published in print: Jul 1, 2015 Metrics Current downloads: 530 Topicsasha-topicsleader_do_tagasha-article-typesleader-topicsCopyright & Permissions© 2015 American Speech-Language-Hearing AssociationLoading ...