Technically Speaking

11/12/2025

10/31/2025

My friend and Podcast cohost!

10/30/2025

📢 NEW EPISODE: AI & The Classroom — Practical Tools & Teacher Tips! 💻

Join us as we talk with Coordinator of Technology and Innovation Tracy Dabbs!

If you're a teacher, SLP, OT, PT or AT specialist, you'll want to grab your notebook. Tracy shares actionable advice and resources on how to effectively support students using AI.

We dive into:

🔑 Tips for teaching teachers how to integrate AI support.

🗣️ How to gather crucial student feedback about AI tools.

💡 Hands-on Resources like Google Read Along for student reading feedback and Adobe Firefly for teaching descriptive text.

🖼️ Using AI to generate personalized images (way better than clip art!).

📖 An upcoming book study opportunity "The Shift To Student Led". Register: https://specialedtechcenter.com/bookstudies/

Tracy provides a direct link to her resource website filled with AI tools for educators. https://sites.google.com/be.wednet.edu/b-ehs-udl-resource-bank/ai-tools-and-instruction

Don't miss this essential session on using AI to overcome barriers and achieve better student outcomes!

Watch or listen here: https://specialedtechcenter.com/awe-and-wonder-s8/

Clock hours available.

10/23/2025

S8 E4: AI Possibilities featuring Samuel Sennott

Join us as we speak with Dr. Samuel Sennott, professor of special education at Portland State University and co-creator of the original Proloquo2Go AAC app.

Dr. Sennott shares the inspiring story behind creating one of the most widely used Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) tools.

He also dives into the future, discussing how AI could shift deeply ingrained attitude barriers toward AAC users, how it can support literacy and talks about specific apps and how they harness AI to support communication.

Most profoundly, Dr. Sennott opens up about his personal journey with cancer and how becoming a patient dramatically reshaped his views on life, healthcare, and the participatory model of AAC.

Listen or watch it here: https://specialedtechcenter.com/awe-and-wonder-s8/
Clock hours available.

10/15/2025

🎧 New Podcast Episode Alert!

Ready to integrate AI into your classroom but feel lost on where to begin? We've got you!

On this new episode, educator Sharon Redmon offers a practical, real-world guide to using artificial intelligence. You'll learn:

⚡️How Sharon uses ChatGPT to break down a research article for easier comprehension.

⚡️Her brilliant "4 C's" system for prompt creation—a game-changer for getting better AI results.

⚡️Tips for using AI to streamline the creation of educational materials.

⚡️Crucial guiding principles, like putting the human first and prioritizing accessibility, especially for AAC users.

Don't miss out on transforming your teaching with AI!

➡️ Listen/watch now: https://specialedtechcenter.com/awe-and-wonder-s8/

Clock hours available (STEM specialty)

10/09/2025

🎙️ NEW EPISODE ALERT!

Tune in as we sit down with Chris Gibbons, SVP of Clinical Education at Smartbox, for a fascinating look into the future of Assistive Technology and AI!

We dive deep into:

🧠 How AI can be an accelerant for learning and communication in AAC.

🛠️ The incredible potential of new tools like Smartbox's "fixit."

⚖️ The critical importance of user control, privacy, and ethics in the age of AI.

Find out how to harness AI's power to enhance communication while always protecting the user's voice.

🎧 Listen/watch now: https://specialedtechcenter.com/awe-and-wonder-s8/

Clock hours available (STEM)

10/08/2025

WooHoo! It’s almost October 🎉 …which means it’s almost time for AMAZING deals on AAC apps and special education supports for AAC Awareness Month!

A huge THANK YOU 🙏 to the vendors and developers who make these important supports accessible to more people in our AAC community.

💡 I’ve put together two downloadable versions:
• Graphic (clickable PDF with all the deals)
• Screenreader-friendly, simplified text version

👉 Download them here: https://bit.ly/AACAwarenessDeals2025

Let’s spread the word so families, educators, and professionals can take advantage of these savings all month long!

08/20/2025

Analyzing data from over 5,000 children in an autism cohort study, researchers at Princeton University and the Simons Foundation have identified four clinically and biologically distinct subtypes of autism: https://bit.ly/4nORcfI

08/06/2025

Check this out!!!

A classic reimagined, say hello to Unity® AAC on iOS!

It's the BIG news you’ve been waiting for!

Unity® AAC let's you say all that you want to say with the least amount of button hits!

The Unity AAC app reimagines Unity, the original core word vocabulary system with 1-Hit and Sequenced English files available in 28, 36, 60, and 84 button locations. Now with Unity available on iOS, even more people can achieve independent communication!

Check out all the details and spread the news!
https://www.prc-saltillo.com/articles/unity-aac-app?mode=view

08/04/2025

Melanie Thompson and I are doing communication device evaluations for families living in the state of Arizona through Therapy One now! If you have always wondered if your child could use a device or you are up for reevaluation, you can private message us or call Danielle at Therapy One at 480-668-1917; ext 5!!

03/24/2025

Thank you Lauren Enders Gonzales, MA, CCC - SLP!!! You did it again!!