-
What is communication?
- The transmission of meaning from one individual to another
- Exchange of messages, info, or ideas
- Intentional or Unintentional
- Conventional or Unconventional signals
- Linguistic or Non-linguistic forms
- Used by all humans and animals
-
Non-speech Communication
- Facial expressions
- Gestures
- Written lang
- Sign
- Picture
Used by infants, children, adults, and animals
-
AAC
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication
- A system of multiple modes or components for communication using symbols, aids, and techniques
-
Augmentative Communication
- An addition to natural speech and/or handwriting
- Used by people who cannot communicate optimally through speech
-
Alternative Communication
A substitute for natural speech and/or handwriting
-
AAC System
Integrated network of symbols, aids, skills, and strategies that a person uses to communicate
-
Dedicated Communication Device
An assistive communication device that has be specifically designed for communication
-
Voice Output Communication Aid (VOCA)
An assistive communication device that features electronically produced voice or speech
-
Speech Generating Device
New medicare term for AAC tech
-
Aided Communication
- Involves the use of any aid external to the body
- can't take it in the shower with you
- This is assistive technology
-
Unaided Communication
- Involves use of the body only
- May be unconventional; hitting, screaming, etc.
-
Assistive Technology
- Any tech used to enable people to perform tasks that are difficult to impossible due to disabilities
- ex) wheelchairs, crutches, VOCA
-
Concerns of AAC
- Expense
- **doesn't always have to be, funding available
- User won't develop speech
- **does not inhibit speech, may facilitate development
-
AAC Facilitates Speech
- Builds communication circles
- Increases communication success
- Reduce frustration
- Elicit caregiver response
- Increase control
- Makes Lang visible
-
Goal of AAC
Enable individual to efficiently and effectively engage in a variety of communication interactions
-
Purpose of Communication Interactions
- Communicate needs/wants
- Transfer info (tell people what happened)
- Social Closeness (joke, sympathy, feelings, etc)
- Social etiquette (greetings, manners)
-
3 Factors of Display Set-Up
- Number of items: think of cognitive ability
- Size of symbols: think of vision and motor skills
- Spacing and arrangement: think of ease of access of board and symbols, try to support literacy
-
Fixed Displays
- Cannot be moved
- Limited Space
- Multitude of displays
-
Dynamic Displays
- a) uses computer screens and folders open new boards
- b) tells user what is available
- activates what could go with what you chose
- ex) 1st person pronouns →I →am were
- **only things that make sense in the sequence will be available for selection
-
-
Scanning
- Facilitator or device reads through all possible choices and the AAC user indicates which one they want; eyeblink, vocalization, etc.
- Circle
- Linear
- Group (eventually goes to linear)
-
Synthesized Speech
- 1980s
- Stored digital data
- Text to Speech
- ex) Steven Hawking
-
Digitized Speech
- Natural speech recorded, stored, and replayed
- **make sure it fits the user. No grown man voice for a child
-
Precommunication Skills
Skills of communication prior to using words with intent
-
3 Goals of Assessment
- Document communication needs
- Determine # of needs met through current communication techniques
- Reduce # of unmet communication need through AAC intervention
-
Assessment Phase I
- Initial Assessment for Today
- Assess physical, cognitive, lang, and sensory abilities and needs
- goal: gather info to develop an intervention to meet the needs
-
Assessment Phase II
- Detailed Assessment for Tomorrow
- Determine needs across environment, including future participation
- goal: create communication system that can be used in multiple environments
-
Assessment Phase III
- Follow-Up Assessment
- goal: maintain AAC system to meet the changing needs and capabilities of the user
-
When to Conduct an Assessment
- Speech and Lang is not developing at a typical rate
- Lang is not meeting communication needs
-
Assessment Tools
- Standardized Tests
- Interviews
- Observations
- Diagnostic Intervention
-
Policy Barrier
- **Imposed by other people that are not the AAC user
- Govern the agency where the user participates
-
Segregation Policies
- **Imposed by other people that are not the AAC user
- Seperate students with disabilities from peers
- **illegal in US to ban students with disabilities from reg ED classrooms
-
Limited Use Policies
- **Imposed by other people that are not the AAC user
- School limit the use of system because it was purchased by them with limited funds
-
Knowledge Barriers
Person assisting the AAC user doesn't know/understand how to use the system
|
|