Access Methods/Assessment

What are the two access methods?

1. Direct Selection

2. Scanning

3 components of access

1. methods

2. strategies

3. techniques

Access definition

How the individual who relies on an AAC system interacts with or selects words/symbols/representations from their system.

Types of Direct Selection

• Physical Touch/Contact

• Physical Pressure (pressing/depressing)

• No contact

• Speech Recognition (spinal cord injury)

  • text, email, surf the web

• Brain Computer Interfaces (BCI)

  • electrodes attach to head to train computer

Physical Touch/Contact

(pointing to/touching the target)

• Physical contact with non-electronic or touchscreen systems

Physical Pressure/Depression

(keyboard, touchpad)

• body part

• body part extension (headstick used to point)

No contact

Pointing-without touching the surface

• eye gaze

• head tracking (reflective dot, iOS technology)

• laser pointer

other considerations for direct selection

• Timed activation/Dwell time

• Release Activation

• Filtered/Average Activation

release activation

say it when you touch it, or not until you let it go

for those who may have motor control issues

Timed activation/Dwell time reduces what?

inadvertent activations and motor control demands

If they look at a lot of icons, that doesn’t mean they are selecting all of them, need to add a wait time for a formal selection

why is scanning also considered indirect selection?

The AAC user is not directly interacting but instead they are using an external tool

scanning types

• Partner Assisted Scanning

• Switch Scanning

• Scan/Scroll Sequentially Patterns

• Scanning Modes

how are options presented for partner assisted scanning?

either visually or auditorily or both

they need the cognitive ability to accurately say yes/no (eye gaze or a head nod)

ABC

access before communication

you need to decide how they access first

Switch Scanning

• Size, shape, manner

• Manner: mechanical, electronic, EMG switches

Scan/Scroll Sequentially Patterns

• Circular

• Linear (columns)

• Group-Item (columns/rows-quadrants)

Scanning Modes

• Automatic- always going

• Inverse

• Step or 2-step- one button to scan icon, one button to select or the same one hold it down

Is there a standard assessment for AAC?

NO

primarily- informal (play, observations)

information gathering

dynamic assessment

can you use Formal Language Tests for assessment?

yes, but you can’t use the standard scores and you use adaptations

what should you consider during an assessment?

1. both low-tech and high-tech, there is no hierarchy

2. access methods & fine/gross motor & positioning→(OT/PT/Rehab engineer/ATP)

3. hearing/vision

4. language systems

5. feature matching

6. needs for today and tomorrow (5 year plan)

what type of approach is assessment?

team approach