AAC- augmentative and alternative communication

Ppl benefiting from aac

Children with learning disabilities
Children with sever fluency disability
Children with developmental verbal dyspraxia
Children with whole body disabilities- cerebral palsy
Children with language disorder- dld
Adults with learning disability
Adults with lifelong body physical disability
Adult with acquired communication disability- dysphasia
Children and adults with progressive communication disability- motor neurone
Adults with voice disorders

AAC definition

Use of communication tool to aid interaction with communication partner to meet their communication needs
When ppl cant use speech, gesture, facial expressions, vocalisations

Needed for using tech:

Eyegaze
Good head and neck control

Non speech systems role

Augment process of communication
Promoting Lagan development through aiding understanding and expressive skills

TOBI

Object based icons

Alternative language groups

Little understanding of speech and language
Individuals with significant learning disabilities. Autism

Unaided communication

Techniques that doesn't require use of an external object

Aided communication

Use of physical objects such as aides or devices used to communicate messages

The language representation system incudes

Symbols
Pictures
Photos
Objects
Written words

Lo tech communication mode

Book
Folder
Chart
Diary
Eye transfer frame
Shoebox/object bag

Light tech communication mode

Big Mack switch
Proxtalker
Listentome
Quicktalker
- anything with regular batteries

Hi tech communication modes

Dedicated aid : liberator rugged 7
Pc based aid: tell us 5, MOBI 3
Eyegaze
Mouth access technologies

Transparent symbols

End of iconicity continuum
Symbols visually resemble their refer to
High in guess ability

Translucent symbols

Middle of iconicity continuum
Symbols described in terms of learn ability
Add it all info is needed to be guessable

Opaque symbols

The other end of continuum
Visual relationships to their referents
Not obvious

Symbol type

Degree of iconicity - from most iconic to least
Objects
Colour photographs
B and white photographs
Miniature objects black and white line drawings
Stylised symbols system- blissymbolics
Traditional orthography

Degree of iconicity- least iconic

Least guessable

Sensory/Perceptual assessment

Goal is to determine size, type, placement of icons and identify language input and output options

Positioning/Access assessment

Goal is to identify optimal seating & positioning and motor technique for access

Linguistic competence

Typical language development vs the language of thr system
Experiential learning of language form, content, use
Language skills
Concepts

operational competence

Physical skills - signing, access
Navigation

Linguistic assessment

Goal is to identify AAC techniques & strategies & select types of symbols, language skills

Pragmatic organisation dynamic display podD

Aim\= provide vocabulary
Way of organising whole words and symbol vocabulary in an AAC device to Create modelling for learning

Strategic competence

Strategies to over cod linguistic, operational, and social constraints

AAC stratergies

Aided language displays
Podd
Communication passports
PECS
Social scripts

Social scripts

Support students in learning to claim, start, and maintain turns in a conversation.
Attention getters - hey, how're you
Starters - you'll never guess
Maintainers, holders and injections - I'm just thinking, give me a sec
Turn transfers - turn taking, I'm fine how're you
Closings - lovely to speak to you
Aka participation scripts

Picture exchange immunisation system PECS

A behavioural modification approach
Give a picture of a desired item to communication partner - immediately get what they asked for
Develops into picture discrimination
Putting symbols together in sentences
Answering questions
Commenting
Prompting and reinforcement

Types of assessments used in AAC

Case history
Screening
Comprehensive assessment
Topic specific assessment

Tools for collecting case history inf

Communication passport
Referral form
AAC log
Communication matters case study form