ABERDEEN, S.D. – Last week, May Overby Elementary students played an inclusive game of Thanksgiving bingo using an assistive communication device.
May Overby fifth graders have been reading the book “Out of My Mind” by Sharon M. Draper, which is about a girl with cerebral palsy who uses an AAC device to communicate.
“AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication and is a way for individuals with limited verbal speech to communicate,” said May Overby Student Teacher Taylor Barbato.
A couple of weeks ago, Barbato worked with the fifth graders to make low-tech communication boards, which students used to communicate for the majority of the day.
“They loved the activity and did great with it,” she said.
Then last week, Barbato introduced them to a website that has a high-tech AAC board.
“The students were able to select a voice and then hit buttons to have the iPad speak out loud for them,” she said.
Then, they invited May Overby special education students who use high-tech AAC devices to play Thanksgiving Bingo with them—and the fifth graders used their AAC devices while playing. Also, Barbato and May Overby Educational Assistant Suzie Walth both have daughters who use AAC and attend the nearby South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
“They only had a half-day, so they were able to join us as well,” Barbato said. “The fifth graders did a great job, and I was very proud of them!”
To learn more about the many types of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), visit the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association website.
About the Aberdeen Public School District
The Aberdeen Public School District provides a comprehensive educational program to approximately 4,200 students in grades K-12, with a mission of empowering all students to succeed in a changing world. Our students receive the knowledge and skills necessary to reach their potential in a global community through high expectations of academic achievement; diverse educational opportunities; and community involvement in a safe, supportive environment. Learn more at aberdeen.k12.sd.us.