The Twin Powers Unite: AAC Core Words and Dolch Sight Words Project was conducted to increase the learning of sight words for reading for a group of kindergarten and first grade students who have been identified by their teachers as needing extra support as well as the learning of core words for communication by a nonverbal student who communicates using a speech generating device. The twenty targeted words are both core words as well as sight words. The students in the project were paired so we could use peer mediated modeling and scripts were created so that adults could also model using the AAC device. Comment sheets and expansion activities were created to extend communicative functions. At the end of the project, students were able to take home their personal library of books with the modeling paths so parents can read with their child at home. All students made growth and learned words receptively, expressively and in context. The mastery ranged from 0 to 20. This model worked well for SLPS in the school setting, as it allows us to work on both core and sight words simultaneously through literacy.
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