literacy
Part 3 of 5
Providing Emergent Literacy Instruction for Students with Significant Disabilities, Including Cortical Vision Impairment: Setting the Stage for Augmentative Communication Article Series Summary - When and how to make literacy adaptations for students who have complex communication needs combined with Cortical Vision Impairment can be a difficult task that requires systematic inter-professional collaboration. This article series will focus on the daily emergent literacy routines recommended by Erickson (2017): shared reading, Predictable Chart Writing, alphabet/phonological awareness activities, indepen- dent writing and independent reading. To build confidence and meaningful engagement, augmentative and alternative communication is integrated throughout. The following article describes how to create the necessary supports for setting the stage for augmentative communication (AAC). This article does not focus on the features of AAC systems, but rather discusses the necessary supports that adults must put in place in order for students to successfully communicate. DEANNA K. WAGNER, MS/CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist with over 30 years experience providing consultations and training in the area of assistive technology with an emphasis on augmentative commu- nication. She works with educators and families to achieve goals in the area of AAC selection and implementation through a contract with TherapyOne (nominated two years in a row for the McLean-Yoder Award for Professional Excellence). She has been recognized for volunteer efforts and AAC support services to adults at the non-profit organization VALLEYLIFE, including various Stories of Ourselves literacy projects. She is co-director of Out and About: AAC in the Community. She has presented at local, national, and international conferences. GRETCHEN HANSER, Gretchen has worked in the field of assistive technology and literacy for students with significant disabilities for over 20 years. She is an educator and an occupational therapist. She has worked in a variety of educational settings developing model classrooms, developing school based assistive technology centers, providing teacher and related service provider trainings, participating in assistive technology assessment teams and working directly with students and staff in the classroom. Her primary focus has been on augmentative and alternative communication and literacy for students with the most significant disabilities. Gretchen has a masters in occupational therapy from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and received her doctorate in education from the University of New Hampshire. She presents at local, national, and international conferences. Gretchen works at the International Academy of Hope in New York City. CAROLINE MUSSELWHITE, Dr. Caroline Musselwhite is an assistive technology specialist with more than 40 years of experience working with children and adolescents with significant disabilities in a variety of settings, including Head Start, clinics, developmental day programs, homes, and the public schools. Dr. Musselwhite has written a number of textbooks and “how-to” books on a range of topics, and has also authored many books and software programs for youth with disabilities. She has presented thousands of workshops throughout North and South America, Australia, Europe, and Africa, and is a founding member and Fellow of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Honors include: Foundation Fellowship (West Virginia University), Educator of the Year (Association for Retarded Citizens, North Carolina), Honors of the Association, (North Carolina Augmentative Communication Association), and DiCarlo Outstanding Clinician Award (North Carolina Speech- Language-Hearing Association), and ISAAC Fellow.
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