No Aid, an Etran, a Minspeak: a comparison of efficiency and effectiveness during structured use

Over the last two decades it has been recognized that spoken language and communication skills continue to develop during adolescence. It seems likely that, for people who use aided AAC, language learning similarly continues into adolescence. Despite its importance, this developmental period has been largely ignored in research. In this paper, the significance assigned to adolescence as a developmental period is reviewed. The language and communication changes that typify adolescence and the consequences of difficulties in these areas are considered. Potential challenges to aided communication systems and the implications of the linguistic and socio-communicative attributes of such systems are explored. Finally, an agenda for research is proposed in order to further the understanding among AAC professionals of this important developmental period.

Section: The Current Knowledge Basementioning

confidence: 96%

The Dual Challenges of Aided Communication and Adolescence

Smith

2005

“…Although this individual could communicate lengthy and sophisticated messages by spelling letter-by-letter on his high-tech device, he could not utilize alpha encoding despite extensive training and practice. Hence, although a variety of message formulation and message encoding techniques -such as alpha encoding, Blisssymbols, word-prediction, Morsecode and semantic compaction -are described in the AAC literature, they are more frequently utilized by individuals with cerebral palsy than TBI (Bruno, 1989;Hsieh & Luo, 1999;Light, Lindsay, Siegel, & Parnes, 1990;Murphy, Markova, Moodie, Scott, & Boa, 1995;Trefler & Crislip, 1985).…”

Section: High-and Low-tech Aac Usementioning

confidence: 99%

Augmentative and Alternative Communication use and acceptance by adults with Traumatic Brain Injury

Fager

Hux

Beukelman

et al. 2006

The purpose of this study was to document augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) acceptance and use patterns of 25 adults with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) who used either high- or low-tech AAC devices or strategies at some point during their recovery. Specifically, the purposes were to (a) document acceptance of AAC system recommendations, (b) identify AAC use patterns by persons who accepted the recommendation and for whom AAC intervention was implemented, (c) identify AAC access patterns for message formulation and encoding, and (d) document the kind of communicative functions that different AAC strategies supported. Information was gathered via a questionnaire from speech-language pathologists who provided AAC assessments and interventions at six different sites. The speech-language pathologists provided information about individuals with TBI from their clinics for whom they had recommended AAC. Results revealed that these adults generally accepted both high- and low-tech AAC recommendations and used their AAC systems for extended periods of time. Most utilized letter-by-letter message formulation strategies. When AAC technology was abandoned, it was usually a reflection of a loss of facilitator support rather than a rejection of the technology.

“…Typically, individuals with relatively high cognitive and receptive communication skills have learned to select symbols using a minimal physical response, with the help of sophisticated electronic communication devices (see Goossens' & Kraat, 1985, for a description of the wide variety of devices available). A number of authors have investigated various aspects of symbolic communication using electronic assistive devices (e.g., Foulds, Soede, & van Balkom, 1987;Light, Lindsay, Siegel, & Parnes, 1990;Trefler & Crislip, 1985). However, no established continuum has been available to suggest a logical instructional sequence that would bridge the large gap between the establishment of social contingency awareness through microtechnology and the use of high technology devices for symbolic communication.…”

Section: Background and Rationale For The Instructional Sequencementioning

confidence: 98%

Early communication and microtechnology: Instructional sequence and case studies of children with severe multiple disabilities

Schweigert

Rowland

1992

Teachers and speech-language pathologists serving children who have dual sensory impairments combined with severe orthopedic impairments are often at a loss as to how to provide effective communication instruction. No systematic approach has been available to guide teachers through the intricacies of what is necessarily a difficult process. This paper describes the results of a 3-year investigation of the use of microtechnology to enable children with dual sensory impairments and severe orthopedic impairments to communicate. We present here an instructional sequence that applies across the wide variety of children who participated in the investigation. Some of these children initially appeared to have no voluntary behavior at all: others were able to produce some intentional motor behaviors, but these were not under any clear stimulus control; while others had some primitive but unreliable means of signalling, such as gross vocalizations. By the end of the project, all of these children had shown an ability to learn and had acquired new communication skills, ranging from signalling for attention to indicating a choice. Three case studies are provided to illustrate the use of the instructional sequence. KEY WORDS: aided communication, dual sensory impairment, instructional techniques, multiple disabilities, physical impairment, single subject design, technologyThis paper summarizes the major findings of a 3-year investigation into the use of microtechnology to allow children with severe and multiple disabilities to communicate. The population targeted by the investigation was children who had dual sensory impairments as well as severe orthopedic impairments and nonexistent or extremely limited intentional communication skills. Communication in children with such severe and multiple disabilities is an area of the utmost concern for educators. However, clear and comprehensive procedures have not been available to date at either the preservice or inservice level to address the communication needs of this population. This problem becomes even more acute in light of the progress that has been made recently in integrating low-incidence populations into general education settings. A teacher may not have the specialized instructional skills (e.g., how to collect unambiguous data, how to design an alternating treatment approach) necessary to probe and analyze the behavior of the target population, leaving the teacher uncertain whether a child has succeeded at an instructional objective. Once success has been achieved, the teacher may not know what to do next in order to bring the child closer to functional communication. The instructional sequence presented in this paper was designed to provide clear guidance for teachers. It is based on the establishment of social contingency awareness as a stepping stone to intentional communicative behavior. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL SEQUENCE