Whitney Van Klinken is a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) at Yakima Children’s Village-Multicare. She talks about her experiences working with children and adults doing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) evaluations, including for those with vision impairments. She and Brenda discuss considerations when evaluating communication systems for students who are blind or have low vision or CVI. Together they share stories of using switches with students, observing vision behaviors and examples of the power of presuming competence.
Lynn and her daughter Emma struggled to find a way for Emma, who has Cortical Vision Impairment (CVI), to have access to a robust vocabulary. Together, working through page setup, navigation methods and symbol representation, they figured out what worked for Emma and called it See CVI, Speak AAC.
Kathee Scoggin and Emma Packard both work with students who have combined vision and hearing loss including deaf-blindness and support the Washington DeafBlind Program.
In this episode of the podcast Kathee and Emma share stories from their numerous experiences working with students who have combined vision and hearing loss. These stories call out important tips for working with this population, including: considerations for starting tactile symbols, what a good relationship between adults and students can do to improve communication skills, and what adults can learn when they provide adequate wait time for students with combined vision and hearing loss.
Amy is a special education teacher from WA State, who was the 2020 Teacher of the Year award recipient and is also involved in the Professional Educator Standards Board and the WA Inclusionary Practice Technical Network. In this episode, Amy discusses her roles and experiences in special education, with a focus on the importance of collaboration, inclusion, and individualization. The potential of technology is also explored, such as artificial intelligence in education. Listen in to hear Amy express her passion for her work and her commitment to continuous learning and innovation with a focus on positive presuppositions.
Throughout her career spanning more than 40 years, Gail Van Tatenhove has dedicated herself to working with AAC users although her connection to people with disabilities began in her youth, when she helped at her father’s business. In this episode she emphasizes several core beliefs that guide her work including: using your intuition, making the most of available resources, avoiding excuses, and it’s all about the words- robust, frequently used words. Listen in to hear more!
Rachel Madel wears multiple hats as a speech therapist, parent coach and podcast host with a passion for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Together with Chris Bugej, she co-hosts “Talking with Tech,” where they explore topics in assistive technology and communication. Known for creating and generously distributing educational resources, Rachel advocates for an open approach to sharing knowledge. In this episode she shares her philosophy that centers on the belief that leaning in and leading with sharing will enable a mindset that leads to great things.
As an Occupational Therapist specializing in seating, positioning, mobility, and assistive technology, Karen brings her expertise to both clinical practice and education. Her approach emphasizes that supporting people with disabilities requires building strong relationships and considering each person’s complete circumstances. Rather than viewing assistive technology as a solution in itself, Karen sees it as one tool within the broader context of daily living and learning. She emphasizes that our fundamental role is to create learning opportunities through meaningful activities, not through technology alone.
Glenna Wright-Gallo serves as the Assistant Secretary in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) at the U.S. Department of Education. She played a key role in developing two influential resources: the Myths and Facts document and the National Education Technology Plan (NETP), which clarify available support systems and their intended purposes. Drawing from her diverse experiences as someone who uses assistive technology, a parent, and an educational leader, Glenna advocates passionately for assistive technology and believes that all students can learn.