professional development

This website is from the School of Public Health and Health Professions. It explains how to select vocabulary for early literacy activities. It also provides information on assistive technology applications to help children with disabilities, as well as "how to" tutorials on using specific devices and software programs (e.g. reading and writing tools).

Clinical article describing how to support normative language development using AAC (core vocabulary). From Gail VanTatenhove.

This parent-friendly website is from the Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL). It contains information that addresses how to promote early literacy and communication while using adaptations. Pictures and descriptions of specific activities and techniques are provided, as well as video demonstrations. Some information is provided in Spanish as well as English.

This parent-friendly website is from The Family Center on Technology and Disability. This website provides support for programs that work with children with disabilities and for families of children with disabilities. This website provides information about AT, including an AT glossary and a database of over 1000 different AT items. Information is available in English and Spanish.

This parent-friendly website is from the Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL). It contains information that addresses how to promote early literacy and communication while using adaptations. Pictures and descriptions of specific activities and techniques are provided, as well as video demonstrations. Some information is provided in Spanish as well as English.

This is a teaching tools kit for young children with challenging behavior. It includes a "User's Manual" containing an overview on how to use the teaching tools kit. Folder 1 contains tips on using positive reinforcing strategies and routine based support to elicit desirable behavior. Folder 2 contains information on using a buddy system. Folder 4 contains information on using the "turtle technique" to help young children handle anger and disappointment in a positive way. Folder 5 includes several ideas using AT supports and visual cueing.

This is an article titled "You Got It! Teaching Social and Emotional Skills," published in Young Children, November 2006. This article emphasizes planned instruction on specific social and emotional skills for children at risk for developing more challenging behavior. It describes using the teaching pyramid model, which encourages use of preventive practices to promote positive social and emotional development in young children and individualized interventions to target specific problem behaviors. It also highlights specific classroom teaching strategies.

Chapter 2 of Assessing Students' Needs for Assistive Technology, a guide by the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative provides an overview of Assitive Technology for Seating, Positioning and Mobility for professional. This chapter provides background information, a decision making guide, continuums for positioning, seating and mobility, in addition to a list of resources and recommended products.

This website is from the Pass It On Center, a nation-wide organization that assists with the reuse and reutilization of AT devices. Webinars on a variety of topics including how to refurbish AT, funding information, and disaster recovery plans.

This website is from the Augmentative and Alternative Communication-Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (AAC-RERC). The site includes webcasts on topics such as AAC and Children, as well as educational and funding resources.