Community

Are you heading to sunny Orlando this week for ATIA?  If so, you are very lucky.  Not only will you have warm and sunny weather (hopefully), but you'll also get the chance to see some awesome presentations.  See below for descriptions, dates and times.

Friday, January 31^st

Different Kids, Different Systems: Core Vocabulary with Saltillo and PRC

Presenters: Lisa Timm and Sarah Wilds

Time: 2:20pm – 3:20pm, Room: Curacao 7/8

There are many different AAC systems on the market, and an increasing awareness of the importance of teaching core vocabulary. This session will explore why core vocabulary is important for children using AAC, and the differences in core representation between PRC and Saltillo devices. Implementation ideas using basic and extended core vocabulary will be presented, and differences in how to teach core across different devices (e.g., NovaChat, Accent, iPad) will be highlighted.

Saturday, February 1st

Developing Relationships and Leadership Skills for People Who Use AAC

Presenters: Chris Klein and Lisa Timm

Time: 8am – 9am, Room: Curacao 1

The majority of leaders in the AAC field are mostly clinicians, manufacturers, and university faculty. People who use AAC have a difficult time getting into a leadership role and functioning effectively in those roles because of time-based communication limitations and lack of education. The majority of this session will be spent on addressing the following 4 questions: (1) “What kinds of relationships are critical for people who use AAC and why?” (2) “How can clinicians, support teams, and teachers promote the building of these critical relationships?” (3) “What resources are available to help support teams, teachers, and clinicians support relationship building with PWUAAC?” and (4) “What resources and tools are available to help PWUAAC develop their own leadership skills? “ During this presentation, specific details will be provided regarding: 1) the role of clinicians and teachers in promoting AAC awareness and education within their professional settings; 2) the organization of local parent, teacher, and PWUAAC support groups; and 3) implementation of AAC mentoring programs to build relationships and promote leadership skills among PWUAAC.

Meet Barbara Weber from El Paso, IL.  About one and half years ago, she started losing the ability to use her voice.  Currently, she has a possible diagnosis of Bulbar ALS.  She is retired now, but remains a very active member in her community and in her church.  She received her NOVA Chat 10 in May of 2013. Her NOVA Chat 10 has changed her life!  Barb’s vocabulary system is called Essence.  It has been modified to meet her needs best.

Barb was a stay at home mom for several years, then went to work in an insurance and real estate office for 25 years.  She has two grown children.  Over the years she volunteered to provide meals on wheels to elderly individual with disabilities that are sometimes homebound.  She also became a helper for her neighbor who had a disability and has now moved to a nursing home.  The NOVA Chat has been a lifesaver, as she can still communicate with her neighbor and everyone else!

Last year, her method of communication was writing everything she wanted to say.  Barb is also part of a mentoring program for students needing help after school. She mentors two sophomore girls in a local high school.  The girls struggled to get the message because they couldn’t read Barb’s writing. Today she can communicate everything and is excited to share information with her new method of communication.  The NOVA Chat is also a “cool” tool in the high school!

Barb uses her NOVA Chat everywhere. She uses it to do her banking, talk with her doctors, at the library, shopping and with her church groups, etc.  Barb commented that the NOVA Chat has opened up a whole new world for her.   In addition to communicating with her NOVA Chat, she is using her device for email.  She is the treasurer for her ladies group at church.  She is able to give her reports using her NOVA Chat now.  People ask her where she got this wonderful machine-and that they wouldn’t mind having one!  She enjoyed a recent visit with a friend from Minnesota with her new means of communication. When she goes to the mall, people will remember her by her machine and are fascinated!  Barb said this is “priceless”!  She also joked that her husband doesn’t hear well when she had limited ability to communicate.  NOW, she has a machine that works wonders!  It is her lifeline!

Welcome back everyone! Hope you all had a nice break. In case you didn't have time to update before the holidays, be sure to do the Nova Chat 1.11.0 update soon. This update addresses miscellaneous issues caused by Android 4.4 update.

To download the NOVA Chat 1.11.0 Software Update, go to Downloads, choose your language and download the NOVA Chat Software Update version 1.10.0 to 1.11.0.  Instructions for updating are included with the downloaded files.