Is “Just Model” Enough? Rethinking AAC with M.O.D.E.L. (+ Free AAC Toolkit)

Is “Just Model” Enough? Rethinking AAC with M.O.D.E.L.

🎁 FREE AAC TOOLKIT: Take the survey before November 1 👉https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1NvKjuuNyAfMHRQ

I’ve reopened my AAC survey for one final week. I already have the numbers. What I need now is your voice. If you support even one child who uses a high-tech AAC device, I want to hear from you. ⏱ 15 minutes 🔒 100% anonymous: no name, no email tied to your answers 📅 Closes November 1 at midnight ET YOUR FREE TOOLKIT (delivered the moment you finish):

✅ AAC Goal Bank: 25 pages, 70+ goals, each with 2 objectives, from emergent to independent

✅ Parent Handout: 13 common AAC myths, answered with research

✅ Video Training: 17 minutes on using M.O.D.E.L. with storybooks

✅ Goal bank and handout in English, Spanish, and Arabic

✅ Ready to share with colleagues, parents, and caregivers

IN THIS EPISODE

Is “just model” enough?

We learn language through interaction

Speak their language

Slide the device, take turns

THE M.O.D.E.L. APPROACH

M: Model. Speak their language; touch while talking.

O: Offer. Pause and wait, with no pressure.

D: Demonstrate. Use gestures, objects, and song.

E: Expand. Add a word; vary your vocabulary.

L: Like? Comment, comment, comment.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Speech is always free

Wait times vary (3–10 seconds)

Diverse words beat repetition

Commenting predicts better outcomes

AAC devices aren’t requesting machines

Challenge: a session of only comments

SEE ME AT ASHA 2026 IN INDIANAPOLIS

Clinical session: AAC with storybooks

Research session: findings from this survey

Grounded research poster

ASHA Clinical Session Bonus: my favorite AAC storybooks list

⏰ LAST CALL: The survey closes November 1 at midnight ET. Give me 15 minutes, and get back hours of goal writing, parent training, and IEP prep. Share your back-porch story anonymously, and the toolkit is yours. 👉 Take the survey now: https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1NvKjuuNyAfMHRQ

00:00 Is Modeling Enough

01:07 Survey Reopens Call

04:11 Free AAC Goal Bank

06:39 Parent Handout Training

08:24 Confidential Survey How

09:48 ASHA Presentations Preview

13:48 MODEL Approach Intro

16:15 M Speak Their Language

19:09 O Offer A Turn

20:12 D Demonstrate Multimodal

21:46 E Expand Vocabulary

22:49 L Love Commenting

26:04 Final Reminder And Close