Build Your Own AAC Story

Who doesn't love a great story?

Pirates, heroes, magical creatures -- there are so many fun things to find in a book.

Sometimes it is really fun to be the one who chooses the path the story will take. Did you grow up reading adventures like this one?

I did. I always loved being able to craft my own tale and decide how the characters would move forward.

These books were some of the first that lead me into a lifelong love affair with reading. They were also favorites of students that I worked with as a reading specialist in an elementary school. Often, even students who put up a tough front and were unwilling to admit their interest in a book could be pulled into the experience when they got to choose the course of the story.

So why not let story building be a learning opportunity or incentive for AAC communicators as well.

We all know that amazing things can be done with augmentative communication. And here is one more.

By creating some simple stories that allow an AAC reader to make selections on their device to fill in plot gaps and preferences, we give them one more chance to practice communication, express themselves, and make decisions based on what they think and feel.

This CoughDrop speech board holds simple instructions and then seven basic stories that can be composed by hitting buttons and making choices on a board set.

Check it out and give it a try with your communicator. If you feel up to it, design your own tale and maybe consider making it public so others can benefit from it as well.

You can also find a collection of online books you can share with your AAC communicator at CoughDrop's Core Communication Workshop -- and if you log in with your CoughDrop account you can compose and share books of your own as well.

Reading is wonderful. Stories are great -- and being able to put your own spin on them makes it all that much better.

Happy reading!

P.S. Thank to a great online AAC group which reminded me of this project that I'd started months ago but never finished. I LOVE seeing the way AAC supporters and users encourage and inspire each other. This community is incredible!!