Augmentative Communication for the Classroom, Home, and Community

All of my previous blogs discuss how technology can assist students in the classroom; however, this post is going to focus on how technology can support communication needs of students in the classroom as well as in their home and community.

AAC = Augmentative and Alternative Communication 

The information provide in this blog is from Assistive Technology in the Classroom: enhancing the school experience of students with disabilities by Amy G. Dell, Deborah A. Newton and Jerry G. Petroff

Strategies teachers can use to overcome student "learned helplessness" when using AAC devices...

> Schedule specific activity of the student's choosing to participate in active communication
> Provide parents with a daily report
> Allow natural consequences to occur (i.e. child using wrong word and naturally his/her peer questions the child) and demonstrate to the student who fix mistake for the future. 
> Allow as many opportunities as possible for the child to make independent choices
> Provide words and phrases on ACC for the child to make powerful comments (dislikes and likes)

page 290

Augmentative communication can be integrated in the IEP by...

Including the device or system in the student's goals, objectives and specially designed instruction plan.  The augmentative communication device/system is not an educational goal; however, the device/system is essential for the student to achieve his or her highest level of learning. The IEP goals should identify how the student will use and continue the development of communication through the use of the device/system.  The IEP team needs to specify when the student will use the device/system, which should be throughout the day during both instructional and non-instructional periods. The IEP must specifically describe how the AAC device/system and its features will support the student communication needs throughout a variety of environments.  Remember the device is not a goal independently but an avenue for the student to meet functional or academic goals, which includes communication, instruction/academic and social interactions goals.  Finally, when any technology is included in an IEP it must be listed under related services (i.e. Augmentative communication services) and a person/party needs be responsible for device maintenance and operations.  Also, it would be a good idea to anticipate device malfunction and determine the type of device/system the child will use until preferred device is fixed.

page 291-292

It is important to support the use of augmentative communication systems at home and in the community because...

Such practice will reinforce communication skills acquired at school and generalize these skills to other settings.  Sheltering a student and preventing him/her from using the system outside of the school will only cause barriers in the future.  During the implementation process, the IEP team needs to consider family functioning and cultural diversity.  The student needs to feel comfortable and have the ability to communicate with his/her family.  In addition, the student needs to experience communicating with individuals that are unfamiliar with augmentative communication systems, this will help the student become independent and successful in all environments.

page 293-294

A student's augmentative communication system can be designed to meet the communication demands of home and the community by...

Considering the family's cultural and function.  Family members (parents, siblings, grandparents and etc.) should be included in the design, selection, and implementation of the AAC system.  Teachers can add phrases or words to the system that will allow the child to communicate effectively at home and in the community.  Ask parents on what are their communication expectations at home and include those expectations in the student's AAC system.  Finally, teachers can plan non-instructional communication experiences outside of the classroom by having the students use their AAC systems to communicate with school speakers, planned field trips, assemblies, and special activities.

pages 293-294

When implementing AAC systems in a student's school, home and community, educators should include student peers and family members in the development and implementation process.  The ultimate goal is for the student to effectively communicate with these people; therefore, it is important include their input on communication expectations.

References:

Dell, A. G., Newton, D., & Petroff, J. (2011). Assistive technology in the classroom, enhancing the school experiences of students with disabilities. Allyn & Bacon.