1 of 25

My AAC life story

2 of 25

INTRO KRISTA

  • I am a big supporter of A A C.
  • I am a self advocate, tutor, ambassador, and para.
  • I am working on myself every day to make myself better.
  • I do believe that we need to use our communication devices to talk to our friends and everyone
  • I am so happy about being here.

​

3 of 25

WORKING AT GOMPERS

  • I had a paid job 35 hours a week on the assistive technology team.

​

  • I helped the adult members with assistive technology.

​

  • I loved it!

​

  • Then came Covid.

www.gompers.org

4 of 25

KRISTA THE PRESENTER

• Closing the Gap (x3)

• ATIA (x3)

• ISAAC

• Keynote at Gompers

• AAC in the Desert (x3)

• Asha AAC Conference

• Many other local conferences!

• Workshop for Columbia Regional (Portland)

• Many Facebook Live events

​

5 of 25

WHAT I’M DOING NOW

  • I work with Kate Ahern’s Social Groups.

​

  • I work with Caroline Musselwhite’s Literacy Group. We go ‘All around the World.’

​

  • I also help with the Readtopia groups. I model AAC and we play games.

  • I helped teach a university AAC class.
  • ​
  • I am a provider to young lady, I help her with her device

6 of 25

KRISTA THE JUGGLER

• I use 4 program’s apps

​

• I have my phone, iPad and an Accent.

​

​

​

7 of 25

KRISTA THE MODELER

• I use 4 program’s apps

​

• I model for my students using these apps:

  • Unity (on an Accent)
  • LAMP Words for Life
  • Touch Chat
  • Proloquo2Go

​

​

​

​

8 of 25

LIFE JUGGLER . . .

  • I go to the gym.

9 of 25

LIFE JUGGLER . . .

  • I go to the gym

​

  • Oh, and I am also a single Mom!

10 of 25

KRISTA THE MOM

11 of 25

WHY AM I HERE?

  • I have experience with A A C. I am still having a bad time with my spelling and grammar because I was in life skills in 9th grade, then finally put in resource classes in 10th grade.
  • They taught me hygiene over and over and over again.
  • That is supposed to be parents and home services job, not teachers.
  • I needed only help in reading and writing better.

​

​

12 of 25

I didn’t use my device right away!

  • I had my device for 5 years before I was really interested in using it
  • Don’t give up on the child or the device
  • Sometimes, it just takes longer than you think
  • If it isn’t working, get more help! Hire me!

13 of 25

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

  • There is a problem with teachers and speech language pathologists that don't know how to use communication devices.

​

  • Everybody needs know how to model!

  • I was the only A A C user at my school and I needed Communication Circles and it might be helpful to have other A A C users groups.

14 of 25

HERE ARE THINGS PEOPLE DID THAT HELPED ME: MODELING

  • Caroline and friends modeled more with me. It made a difference.

​

  • It made me see that I can do it!

15 of 25

GRAMMAR AND MAKING WORDS

  • Caroline and others helped me with Making Words and grammar fun.

​

  • That was helpful with grammar and making sense.

16 of 25

MODELING

  • I was a model for others who use AAC. I was 15 years old. I helped start an Out and About group.

​

  • That made me become better and faster.

​

​

​

17 of 25

OUT AND ABOUT

  • There are groups of AAC users, families, and their support people.

​

  • We meet once a month each group. We do activities like Tic-Tac-Toe and Treasure Hunts.

  • Here is a FREE book that tells how you can do it.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Caroline-Musselwhite

18 of 25

LET’S PLAY A GAME!!

19 of 25

THINGS PEOPLE DID THAT WERE �NOT HELPFUL! NOT FRIENDLY!

  • They didn’t want to be friends with me. I think it was because of my disability and because I didn’t use my device at school.

​

I think that you should make sure your students use their devices. It is very important.

​

20 of 25

TEACHERS AND THERAPISTS . . .

  • They didn’t learn my device!
  • ​

It matters if staff learn their device so they can model for them.

​

​

21 of 25

BOOKS TO HELP YOU PRACTICE

  • Caroline and I wrote books for Tarheel Reader. They are all FREE!

​

  • You can get them for modeling with your students.

​

  • Just search for Krista H!

​

22 of 25

LAST ADVICE . . .

  • Don’t take their devices away!

It is like taking their voices away

​

23 of 25

I CAN DO IT ALL

  • I feel that I can do anything I want to do. 

​

  • I have different ways and different times. pending my anxiety, who, and where I am at. 
  • What we are able to communicate is about the tools we have to communicate with.
  •  
  • Do you agree with me?

​

​

​

24 of 25

Questions?

25 of 25

Connect With Krista!

Krista

Howard

https://www.wespeakaac.com/

​

TPT Krista

Howard

@kmhcprocks

Krista@wespeakaac.com

​

ATIA 2023 Conference | 25