#lingraphica

I just wrote my AAC device company to see what support they can give me, but I thought I'd take my struggles to the community for advice, too. I struggle to be concise and to organize my thoughts, to bear with me.

I have Level 2 Autism (I find diagnostic levels helpful, it's okay if they're not for you, and I'll never use them for anyone else unless asked to by the person with the diagnosis. I also support self-diagnosis/-identification), and expressive-receptive communication disorder, and self-diagnosed selective mutism. I consider myself an unreliable communicator. I am a part-time AAC user, but I want to use it to support myself more than I currently do; I often just don't communicate in situations where I have needs or thoughts. I was able to get AAC after not having support due to childhood circumstances that don't reflect on my support needs about 5 years ago, but I'm really struggling to make it work for me. I struggle to build sentences from individual words. I also struggle to respond in real-time, and people aren't very patient. I have a big struggle with phone calls with a captioning service; I get constantly hung up on because of the computer voice and my response speed. I've been laboriously typing out/scripting what I want to say in appointments in my AAC as whole paragraphs and just playing those paragraphs in appointments so far, or just continuing to have support staff speak for me because I'm too slow on AAC to do things like the check-in process and people yell at me for not talking. And typing everything out as paragraphs ahead-of-time only works for appointments and severely limits how much I can react to what happens in the moment or even make simple, real-time requests. I used to write out what I wanted to say at appointments and just hand it to the doctor before I had AAC. Surely, there should be a way to make AAC help me do things like chat with my friends or ask for things from my aide. I can talk some. But it's very difficult, not possible most of the time, and leads to some pretty volatile meltdowns from overload. I also have some trouble understanding speech, which is a while different question.

Open to any advice.

Oh, I also keep breaking my wheelchair AAC mounts because I'm not a very good driver. I'll tag wheelchair users, too, in case there's a better mount option than what's pictured.

Hello, everyone! So today, I want to talk with you all about a particular program Lingraphica has and how it is an excellent opportunity for speech-language pathologists out there.

Dubbed the Lingraphica Certification Program, it boasts some great benefits including earning up to 3.4 CEUs at no cost, acquiring a loaner iPad and/or TouchTalk device (while active in the program), and learning how to better utilize Lingraphica’s apps and tools.

Personally, I wanted to talk about this program because I’ve just recently completed it and have been an avid user of Lingraphica’s technologies for some time, even before I ever heard about this certification program.

So...what are Lingraphica’s technologies?

TalkPath Therapy:

This free online and app-based therapy tool provides stroke survivors with ongoing learning opportunities and means for improvement, especially as it relates to cognitive-communication skills. It’s great for daily practice and offers a variety of activities to keep it engaging. TalkPath Therapy is also HIPAA-compliant and can be used to foster a home exercise plan. I’ve personally used this tool for some time and have greatly enjoyed using it. I typically recommend it to fellow clinicians and patients wherever possible.

TalkPath News:

I also frequently recommend Lingraphica’s news platform to patients and fellow SLPs. TalkPath News, which is accessible online and via app, is another excellent tool for individuals seeking bite-sized news and increased overall accessibility. Additionally, it functions well as a reading comprehension tool and can even help with reading therapy post-stroke.

QuickAccess Device Evaluation Tool:

Also known as the Lingraphica Device Assessment Tool, the QuickAccess app helps SLPs to quickly assess a patient’s potential benefit and capability with an AAC device. The assessment tool includes 6 evaluation measures and opportunity to conduct a device simulation. It also helps to streamline the process for obtaining a device through Lingraphica.

TouchTalk AAC device:

This light, portable speech-generating device is geared specifically for adults with aphasia. As someone that has used it personally to facilitate therapy sessions and has trialed it with potential users, I appreciate the form and function of the device. Also, it is worth noting that devices are typically customized for actual users to meet their individual communication needs.

So….what are the steps of the program?

Step 1: First, you take a 1 hour online course entitled “Lingraphica Technologies for Your Plan of Care,” which essentially provides you important information relative to what Lingraphica has to offer including: AAC devices, TalkPath Therapy, TalkPath News, and QuickAssess Device Evaluation Tool. This initial online course also discusses the key components of the Lingraphica Certification Program.

Step 2: Next, you will be tasked with completing 2 additional modules that involve you becoming more familiar with the loaner devices provided to you. You will navigate the key aspects of Lingraphica’s technologies mentioned above. Now, don’t worry because these courses are actually beneficial and informative. Due to the interactive nature of the courses, they are also engaging for the learner.

Step 3: The previous steps have built up to this. You will now trial your provided speech-generating device and TalkPath Therapy with actual patients when and where appropriate. The time requirements and commitments here vary a bit relative to how many CEUs you are trying to earn, but this is all discussed in greater depth once you are in the program.

Step 4:                                                                                                            Lastly and most importantly (I think), you need to maintain your certification through regular use and participation in Lingraphica technologies and activities (this is the step that I am at). This includes participating in monthly clinical rounds calls and participating in at least 2 device trials per year. Simply put, I think it’s important to actively use the tools you’re now trained on because if you don’t use them, then what is the point of all your training. 

Just a brief take on my individual experience…                  

It took me about 3 months to make it through the entirety of the program, but know you can take less or more time to complete it. Either way, it is a good idea to stay in touch as you progress through it. I was and am in relatively consistent contact with Lingraphica and especially with Caitlin Mueller, the Clinical Program Manager at Lingraphica. 

Although I conducted no formal device trials, I was able to implement use of both TalkPath Therapy and the TouchTalk AAC device actively into therapy sessions with patients of varying ages and across disorders. I’ve also used the QuickAccess Device Evaluation Tool on multiple occasions to determine a patient’s appropriateness for AAC device use. The overall certification program process went smoothly. The most time consuming aspect of the program is the self-study portion where you are actually using the technologies with patients, but this is also the best part because you’re able to actually see the benefit of using these tools with patients. 

Many patients have reported benefit from using cognitive activities available on TalkPath Therapy and it has become an even greater staple for me relative to facilitating home exercise programs. Patients have also used TalkPath therapy to work on improving oromotor function, articulation, language, reading, and spelling. I have received only positive feedback about TalkPath Therapy. To my knowledge, my fellow clinicians are more actively using TalkPath Therapy with their patients as well.

Overall, I’m proud to be a Certified Lingraphica Technology Specialist and feel that the program is definitely worth the time and effort.

So this thought may have popped up in your mind as it did for me…’How does this process work during COVID-19?’ 

Well, thankfully it still works quite well thanks to the flexibility of Caitlin Mueller and Lingraphica as a whole. Due to changes in your caseloads,  you may think that this is not the best time to work on improving your AAC and/or other Lingraphica technology skills. However just as ASHA had temporarily opened up their doors for free learning through ASHA’s Learning Pass, the Lingraphica Certification Program is offering you an excellent free (that isn’t temporary) learning opportunity that can help you to improve your services, while also improving outcomes for your patients.

Please realize you don’t have to do it alone. Lingraphica offers you various support systems to help you during the process and even supports you when you have become a Certified Lingraphica Technology Specialist. Caitlin Mueller is a great resource and has been particularly responsive to all my questions and concerns along the way. In many ways, it feels like you’re joining the Lingraphica family, not just going through some program. The monthly rounds calls where various topics are discussed and an active Facebook group allow you to interact with fellow clinicians in the program and offer you an opportunity to gain insights relative to what is and isn’t working for them when it comes to therapy. Don’t get hung up on the requirements for earning and keeping this certification and what comes along with it. Just, go for it.

I hope you are feeling excited about this program and wondering what the next actionable step may be. Go ahead and schedule an introductory meeting and get started today with the Lingraphica Certification Program!

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, check out the other posts on my blog. I’m also currently working on developing my own website and blog, which will be available at speakupthinkup.com.