AAC in schools

organization framework of AAC

• special education (bigger umbrella- other services)

• department of AT (communication support, not every district will have this)

• speech and language department (will for sure have this)

• AAC specialist + SLPs

SELPA

Special Education Local Plan Agency

maintain/manages of IDEA, run differently depending on funding (can get sticky when families move states)

Guidelines from federal law that allows students to have services

IDEA

State law

Texas Education Agency (TEA)

Will be different representations of IDEA from each state

Assessment

• Referral

• Assessment Plan

• Conduct Assessment

• Report Results via IEP

• Device Recommendation

• Device Delivery

4 main parts of AAC treatment

1. Device awareness

2. Appropriate goals & implementation of goals

3. Team education & Collaboration

4. AAC Supports & Resources

assessment process

referral→ AP received→ complete assessment→ IEP meeting→ create/distribute AAC system

referral

• parent/guardian or school team referral

• assessment plan generated

AP recieved

• 60 day timeline starts

• AAC assessment begins

• IEP is scheduled

complete assessment

• team interviews

• direct assessments & indirect assessments

• AAC device trials & analysis (depends on what the district has available)

IEP meeting

• assessment report is reviewed

• recommendations are discussed

• parent/guardian consent or no consent

create/distribute AAC system

• if consent given, AAC system is built

• team trainings scheduled

• AAC system is distributed to student

AAC system awareness building

• student’s system and AAC history

• student’s awareness of their device

• teams awareness of student’s communication modality

kotter’s 8 step model is for…

cultivating credibility & change

1. Build coalition

2. Form a strategy to get device

3. Enlist your army

4. Enable action

5. Generate STG

6. Sustain acceleration

7. Institute change

8. Create a sense of urgency

our role: programming and trouble shooting

• personalizing (setting, classes)

• increasing motivation (restaurant they like, friend’s name)

goals and implementation

• appropriate academic goals

• SLP’s awareness & level of comfort with integration

• generalization

team education and collaboration

• IDT collab

• team meeting or 1:1 support with AAC integration

• coaching SLPs and other service providers

AAC supports and resources

• additional resources

• supplemental materials

• customized trainings

our role for training and collaboration with other stakeholders (aids)

• presuming competence

• aided language stimulation

• communication vs. compliance (we want them to do more than request, accept all forms communication)

• cueing/prompting

make sure the AAC device is…

• charged

• clean

• locked

• accessible

• consistent (routines)

common reminders

• Students should not work to “earn” their device

• Students should not get their device taken away as punishment

• Students should use their device for communication only

our role: treatment

• ensuring accessibility

• naturalistic opportunities (functional)

• routines

• push-ins

our role: IEPs

• IEP meetings

• goals

• supports

recent evolutions

1. accessibility (affordable)

2. advances in knowledge (research/awareness)

3. advances in technology

barriers

• SLP & team training (time to collaborate)

• Misconceptions (allow all forms of communication, AAC does not hinder language)

• Consistency (requirements to be a AAC specialist)

• Insurance/Accessibility

common apps

• PROLOQUE2GO

• LAMP

• TouchChat

• WordFinder

• GoTalk Lite (low-tech)

• communication board (low-tech)

Imitating the neurological processes associated with typical speech development

LAMP

Unity is very similar

Provides every state with federal funding to support efforts to increase access to, and acquisition of, AT devices and services.

Assistive Technology Act of 2004

who provides training and technical assistance for all AT Act Programs and provides the public with up-to-date information and resources related to assistive technology.

National Assistive Technology Act Technical Assistance and Training (AT3) Center

tips

• Download quick reference guides

• Join subscriptions & add vendors on social media

• Contact your local rep

• Connect families with state funded organizations