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Empower through Visual Strengths — VAST-Autism: A Pioneering Approach to Speech Therapy.

Breaking through barriers, VAST-Autism revolutionizes spoken language support for autism and apraxia by fusing evidence-based best practices, advanced technology, and an understanding of individual strengths. Harnessing video modeling, written cues, and auditory prompts, VAST-Autism guides users to verbal expression.

At its core, the app ingeniously combines the potency of video modeling with the clarity of written words and auditory cues, offering users a roadmap to acquire meaningful words, phrases, and sentences — unlocking their ability to express verbally.

JOIN FAMILIES & THERAPISTS WHO:
• Adopt the powerful blend of video modeling, written words, and auditory cues.
• Progress from syllables to sentences with a structured hierarchy.
• Use the mirror feature to improve oral motor sequencing and self-monitoring.
• Benefit from an approach validated by speech-language pathologists worldwide.

[ A FOCUS ON VISUAL STRENGTHS ]

• For those with potent visual skills, VAST-Autism becomes an indispensable tool. Using visual aids not just as a crutch, but as a foundation, leverages this strength to foster speech development.

[ PROGRESSIVE SPEECH ACQUISITION ]

• Videos span a range from syllable repetition to full sentences. Ensure clarity and prevent misconceptions with written word cues, eliminating misunderstandings like confusing a frog jumping for "go."

[ EVIDENCE-BASED VIDEO MODELING ]

• Research confirms that video modeling is not just rapid but also highly effective in instilling new behaviors and ensuring their generalization and maintenance. With VAST-Autism, users get a method that's scientifically backed.

[ LITERACY & COMMUNICATION ]

• Beyond just speech, VAST-Autism recognizes the importance of reading and spelling. By facilitating literacy, it amplifies functional communication, ensuring that users don't just speak, but also understand and engage.

[ REFLECTIVE PRACTICE ]

• The unique mirror function aids in providing visual feedback, which is pivotal in conditions like developmental apraxia of speech. This self-monitoring tool enhances muscle coordination and sequence learning for speech.

[ COMMUNITY & RESEARCH ]

• This groundbreaking tool is the result of extensive collaboration and research. Initial studies reveal the app's efficacy, with many previously non-speaking individuals beginning word approximations after just a few short weeks.

[ COMMITTED TO GROWTH ]

• As the "Core" app, VAST-Autism is just the beginning. With plans for expansion and ongoing research, it's a dynamic toolset to revolutionize speech therapy for autism and apraxia.

For more information, guidance, and research updates, visit our official sites:
www.vastspeech.com and www.itherapyllc.com

VAST-Autism provides unprecedented support for spoken language, combining evidence-based best practices and technology to deliver remarkable results.

"Extremely brilliant for all speech motor planning challenges." Kelly, speech-language pathologist

VAST-Autism is a groundbreaking tool that provides state-of-the-art therapy to students with autism and motor speech programming disorders such as apraxia. VAST-Autism combines the highly effective concept of video modeling with written words and auditory cues to help individuals acquire relevant words, phrases, and sentences so that they can speak for themselves. For children and individuals with strong visual skills, this can be a key to developing speech.

"I am a PreK Speech-Language Pathologist and have had tremendous success with students who will not attend to and/or imitate a verbal model." Early intervention speech pathologist

The mirror feature promotes oral motor sequencing and self-monitoring. Using a mirror while practicing speech sounds can provide visual feedback to help individuals improve their muscle coordination and sequencing for speech production. Visual input can be an important source of feedback in developmental apraxia of speech.

“My students showed immediate results. To my surprise, after the FIRST trial, they started to vocalize some sounds.” Harumi, speech-language pathologist

Videos are organized into a hierarchy of 5 categories, beginning with syllables and ending with sentences. Each video gives a spoken target utterance that is preceded by the written word(s). Each word, phrase and sentence is concrete and has meaning that can be generalized and practiced throughout the day. Providing the written word will prevent a student from incorrectly assigning meaning to a picture: such as a frog jumping as "go." The ability to recognize the written target word(s) will increase functional communication and enhance acquisition of spoken language. The progression of VAST-Autism Videos is as follows:

1. Syllable Repetition
2. Single Syllable Words
3. Multi-Syllabic Words
4. Phrases
5. Sentences

This “Core” app represents the first release of the VAST-Autism program. We intend to expand upon this offering through future applications and via the iTherapy platform.

As it becomes available, we will provide more extensive information about the application, research and professional guidance surrounding its use on the web at:

www.vastspeech.com and www.itherapyllc.com

RESEARCH

Early current research into the effectiveness of using VAST in combination with Virtual Reality Goggles to increase attention to relevant motor planning information for speech has shown to be effective. Ongoing research and initial pilot studies indicate that students are highly interested in VAST videos and will almost immediately attempt lip movements or touch their mouths in response to the models. After a few short weeks, many students who were essentially nonverbal, began word approximations and word attempts. Perhaps, the best and most unexpected therapeutic improvements have been in the students’ ability to generalize skills. Individuals may begin attending to the speaker’s oral motor movements during daily communication and continue learning speech in a traditional, naturalistic manner.

Video Modeling -- A significant amount of research has shown video modeling to be rapid and highly effective not only in teaching new behaviors, but also in generalizing and maintaining these behaviors as well.

Visual Language and Literacy -- Children and adults on the spectrum who have difficulty with speaking and writing can learn to read and spell. The ability to read increases functional communication. Information that is not understood auditorily may be easily processed visually. Providing written word(s) to individuals with autism also prevents mislabeling concepts: for example, a car should not be labeled "beep beep," but rather as "CAR," in order to teach words for functional use.