This post is part of an on-going blog series called, “Our Speech-Generating Devices: Up Close and Personal.” Each week we’re highlighting a new feature on our devices. Check out last week’s post here.
This post is part of an on-going blog series called, “Our Speech-Generating Devices: Up Close and Personal.” Each week we’re highlighting a new feature on our devices. Check out last month’s post here.
You may have heard that two of our smallest and most portable speech-generating devices (SGDs) got a makeover. It’s true! Now, the TouchTalk and MiniTalk SGDs have several new features that make our SGDs more compatible for users with a wider array of speech and language disorders. As such, we’re outlining exactly what these updates means for you and your clients.
Do you have a catch phrase? What about a joke you repeat often? How about a sports chant for your favorite team?
These phrases capture your personality and show your friends and family how you think about the world, life, and your friends. If they suddenly were gone or stuck on the tip-of-your-tongue, communicating would be incredibly frustrating and disappointing.
We're kicking off March as YappGuru's first featured developer for 2015! YappGuru is a unique platform managed by a team of dedicated speech-language pathologists who provide therapy services for patients during the day and run YappGuru by night. They're passionate about speech therapy and committed to sharing the latest apps with the community of speech-language pathologists (SLPs). To say they work hard is an understatement.
Our SmallTalk Communication and Practice Apps are an important part of your communication and speech practice! We realized software bugs are causing two issues: videos to freeze and content to disappear.
Our #saveSGDtech advocacy worked! Earlier in the month we received news that The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is rescinding the policies from the February Durable Medical Equipment (DME) contractors' "coverage reminder" that required speech-generating devices (SGDs) to undergo changes and reclassification. CMS also announced it is opening up the National Coverage Determination (NCD) for a 30-day comment period ending December 6, 2014. This decision comes after months of conversations with CMS and the other manufactures of SGDs about the features and functionality that SGD users need to communicate effectively in their daily lives.
Caution lots of Halloween puns ahead…
It’s no secret that Lingraphica loves augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices; however, we know many clinicians may find it daunting to introduce a high-tech solution into their client’s lifestyle. We’re here to squash those spooky fears.
The speech community is buzzing with information about changes to Medicare’s coverage for speech-generating devices (SGDs). Headlines indicate that Medicare wants to limit coverage for individuals with ALS, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, while other articles point to limits on functionality of SGDs. What the headlines miss are the stories of thousands of people with aphasia who rely on SGDs and their advanced technology to communicate.
