AAC are essentially
external representations of meaning
Providing picture-symbol books to an individual with __________ to help them request wants and needs may be ineffective.
Apraxia of speech. These individuals do not easily associate pictures or line drawings of common objects with their referent.
Working on ____________ skills (pointing, looking in direction to request)with an individual with apraxia of speech may be initially beneficial.
referential
Higher level than emerginc AAC comm. Spontaneously point, easily recognize referent by picture and symbol, aware of routines and schedules. But do not have linguistic skills to initiate or add to communication on their own.
Contextual choice AAC communicators
Primary communication technique to use with contextual choice AAC comm.
Written choice conversion = AAC facilitator writes the choices, AAC user points to or selects their choice from list.
Communicators with severe ____________ have trouble with yes/no questions.
aphasia - Individual may not understand the question, may have poor motor skills to nod or shake head yes or no.
4 Primary Purposes of AAC assessment
1. Determine functional communication needs
2. Increase or maintain individual's opportunity for participation in communication interactions by meeting communication needs
3. Monitor change within the individual
4. Measure and evaluate the effects of inte
4 Specific Components of AAC assessment
AAC User
Communication Partner
Communication Environment
AAC System
A commun partner can be a barrier to the user in these ways
Do not provide opportunities for use (speak for them)
Does not encourage the use of the device (or discourages it!)
10 Assessment Principles:
1. Everyone can and does communicate.
2. Assessment must be consumer responsive.
3. AAC assessment must involve a team with shared agendas and common goals.
4. Assessment must include information about typical routines, collected in natural settings and m
AAC Models of Service Delivery
Unidisciplinary Team Model
Multidisciplinary Team Model - team leader, but each member does their own thing, meet and discuss results of their own tests)
Interdisciplinary Team Model - team leader uses info from each member, uses info to make decisions
Tr
AAC Assessment Components
Etiology
Cognition and psychological functioning
Motor functioning
Sensory acuity and processing
Academic and literacy abilities
Communicative desire (do they want to communicate at all? can we increase desire?)
Parent communication abilities and needs
Procedures/Tools for AAC User Assessment
Standardized tests
Non-standardized test
Observations
Ecological inventories
Activities inventories
interviews
Assessment of Communication Partner
Identify the critical partner in the environments(s).
Measure the communication opportunities provided by the partner.
Compare communication opportunities provided by partners from different environment.
Determine the number of communication acts responde
Basic competencies to operate an AAC
Linguistic Comp - understand the language they are using
Operational Comp - how to operate the device, or to have strategies to operate the device, how to maintain the device
Social Comp - able to interact with the listener and the environment, able to te
Linguistic Comp (Basic competencies to operate an AAC)
Understand the language they are using
Operational Comp (Basic competencies to operate an AAC)
How to operate the device, or to have strategies to operate the device, how to maintain the device
Social Comp (Basic competencies to operate an AAC)
Able to interact with the listener and the environment, able to terminate and instigate conversation.
Strategic Comp (Basic competencies to operate an AAC)
Knows how to negotiate the break-downs in communication, ask for clarification, ask to repeat, say in a different way
What is the goal of AAC?
To enable the individual to efficiently and effectively engage in a variety of interactions and to participate in activities of their choice.
The first few letters of a word is used instead of the whole message. (rate enhancement code type)
Truncation code
Use the most salient letters of a word to abbreviate. example: meeting = mtg (Rate enhancement code type)
Contraction code
24 may mean "tomorrow", 1 may mean "in", 14 may mean "today" (rate enhancement code type)
Numeric codes
Multiple signals which work together to specify a desired message. Similar to abbreviation. (Rate enhancement technique)
Encoding
Key elements of general communication:
Sender
Message
Transmitter
Communication environment
Receiver
Feedback
transmission environment
Recognition of the communication environment is crucial for effective AAC intervention.