Literacy and AAC
AAC Awareness website: Literacy and AAC. Information and resources for teaching literacy to individuals who use AAC. ISAAC International AAC Awareness Month website http://www.aacawareness.org/
Adapting Books by Pam Harris. Instructions with photo illustrations for adapting books for use by a person who uses AAC. http://www.aacinstitute.org/Resources/ParentsCorner/SharingAndIdeaAlbum/Reading/070101AdaptingBooks.pdf
Advancing Literacy for AAC Users by Rose Marie Gallagher. "'How can I know how a child is reading when I can't hear what's going on inside his or her head?' Unfortunately, the lack of an answer may contribute to the alarming statistic that fewer than ten percent of AAC users read beyond the second grade level (Erickson, 2003). I’ve been searching for answers to this question in hope of improving the literacy outcomes for children using AAC. I’d like to share some of the things I’ve found with you here." http://www.aacinstitute.org/Resources/ParentsCorner/2008January.html
Bookshare. Online collection of over 45,000 accessible books, textbooks, and periodicals; free membership for qualifying individuals with print disabilities. Funded by US Dept. of Education, Office of Special Education Programs; annual fee for all others and organizations; access technology for reading digital books. http://www.bookshare.org
Center for Literacy and Disability Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "The Center’s mission is to promote literacy learning and use for individuals of all ages with disabilities. It is the belief of the CLDS that disabilities are only one of many factors that influence an individual's ability to learn to read and write and to use print throughout their life and across their living environments. All individuals, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, have the right to an opportunity to learn to read and write in order to increase and enhance their educational opportunities, vocational success, communicative competence, self-empowerment capabilities, and independence." Projects, Events (Literacy in AAC training), Resources (articles, training videos, Writing with Alternative Pencils CD), Links, http://www.med.unc.edu/ahs/clds/
Emergent Literacy for Individuals with Severe/Profound Multiple Disabilities, Presenter: Elizabeth S. Rush, MA, CCC-SLP, CPM, Director, Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Services Murdoch Center Butner, NC 27509. Proceedings of Center On Disabilities Technology And Persons With Disabilities Conference 2005. http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf/2005/proceedings/2164.htm
"He's Not Really a Reader": Perspectives on Supporting Literacy Development in Individuals with Autism by Pat Mirenda, Ph.D. Topics in Language Disorders, Vol. 23, No. 4, pp. 271-282. http://educ.ubc.ca/faculty/pmirenda/MIRENDA.PDF
Literacy and Developmental Disabilities by Alan Kurtz http://www.ccids.umaine.edu/resources/fcmaine/litdd.html
Literacy Instruction for Individuals with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome and Other Disabilities by Janice Light and David McNaughton, Pennsylvania State University. What skills to teach, how to teach these skills, videotaped examples of instruction with learners; includes adaptations for learner responding through augmentative communication methods rather than speech. http://aacliteracy.psu.edu/
Maximizing the Literacy Skills of Individuals who Require AAC by Janice Light, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Penn State University. Webcast with downloadable transcript and PowerPoint slides. http://aac-rerc.psu.edu/index-10925.php.html
Meeting the Literacy Needs of Students with Severe Speech and Physical Impairments by Arlene Jurewicz http://www.ccids.umaine.edu/resources/facts/FACTS_2_2/litneeds.html
Reading Comprehension and AAC by Karen Erickson. "Learning to read silently with comprehension is typically a daunting process for persons who use AAC." This article provides specific information regarding reading and listening comprehension instruction for school-aged students with complex communication needs. http://www.asha.org/about/publications/leader-online/archives/2003/q2/ftr030624b.htm
Tell Me About the Story: Comprehension Strategies for Students with Autism "Many a teacher has asked a student to 'tell about the story' only to be met with a blank stare. This may be particularly true for students with autism. Some students with autism simply do not have the communication skills to be able to answer the question, others don't know how to communicate the information they do have, and still others don't understand enough about the story to respond." http://www.paulakluth.com/articles/comprehension.html
Supporting the Literacy Development of Students with Autism by Paula Kluth, 2005. Adapted from: P. Kluth (2003). "You're going to love this kid": Teaching students with autism in the inclusive classroom. Baltimore: Brookes Publishing. "Too often students who do not follow a typical developmental sequence of literacy are seen as being unable to profit from academic instruction related to reading, writing, speaking, and listening. When teachers expand their understanding of literacy, however, they can facilitate the development of a range of abilities, build on the skills that students do have, and craft learning experiences that meet students' unique needs and capitalize on their strengths." http://www.paulakluth.com/articles/litdevautism.html
Toward Positive Literacy Outcomes for Students with Significant Developmental Disabilities This research article is published by the Assistive Technology Industry Association in its peer-reviewed journal, Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits. The article reports on an investigation of the impact of the MEville to WEville Early Literacy and Communication Instructional Program. http://www.atia.org/files/public/atobv2n1articleFIVE.pdf
Reading, Writing, and Literacy for Children and Adults With Severe Disabilties http://www.asha.org/NJC/faqs-literacy.htm#44
University of Nebraska at Lincoln Computer Supported Literacy Home Page. References, Hardware and Software, Literacy Links across the age span, Literacy Software Tutorials, Intervention, Vendor Sites, http://aac.unl.edu/csl/literacy.html
Links to further resources on literacy and AAC from ISAAC: http://www.isaac-online.org/ie/articles/123/1/Literacy-websites/Page1.html/print/123