AACAugmentative and Alternative CommunicationGwendolyn Meier, SLP, MT

Sunday, February 9, 14

What is AAC?

A set of tools and strategies that an individual uses to solve everyday communication challenges

Anything we add to our speech in order to communicate.

Sunday, February 9, 14

Who is AAC for?People with severe speech or language problems rely on AAC to supplement existing speech or replace speech that is not functional (www.asha.org).

- Loss of speech following a disease or injury (stroke, cancer, brain injury, ALS)- Conditions present since birth (cerebral palsy, autism, learning disability)

Sunday, February 9, 14

Just because a person cannot speak, does not mean they have

nothing to say

!!!Sunday, February 9, 14

Types of AAC SystemsUnaided AAC systems rely on the user’s body and require no special equipment and are more immediate (gestures, sign language)Aided AAC systems add an aid outside of the body in order to enhance the message

• Pencil and paper• Picture cards and PECS• Drawings, photos, symbols• Communication boards or books• Speech-generating devices

(pictures, letters, words, phrases)• Typing

Sunday, February 9, 14

What does an AAC system do?

Increase participation: in classroom, work, community, home

Support efficient mode for expression

Provide language for interactive communication

Provide the user with meaningful language

Sunday, February 9, 14

What does an AAC system do?

Address goals: IEP, work, personal

Support language and literacy learning

Sunday, February 9, 14

Moving to Budapest!

Sunday, February 9, 14

Moving to Budapest!

Sunday, February 9, 14

So, how do we go from this...

...to this?

Sunday, February 9, 14

Providing AAC vs. Teaching AAC

Just tools...

Sunday, February 9, 14

What does an AAC system do?

Be age-respectful

Provide a positive support to behavior

Communication

Behavior

Sunday, February 9, 14

Myth: AAC hinders or stops further speech development

Reality: Studies show improvement in speech development after AAC intervention experience. AAC should be provided early and often in order to prevent communication failure and promote language development in the absence of speech

Sunday, February 9, 14

Myth: Clients must have a certain set of skills to be able to benefit of AAC

Reality: Clients do not need to be able to “point to ___”, “give me ___”, follow directions, gesture, communicate intentionally, etc. in order to get started with AAC. Teaching AAC should start immediately, no matter their current skills.

Sunday, February 9, 14

Myth: Clients must have a certain set of skills to be able to benefit of AAC

There is no prerequisite for AAC. Failure to provide AAC options cannot be excused!

Sunday, February 9, 14

SpeechPictures

Pictureshelp

help

Sunday, February 9, 14

Model and Expand Language

In typical development

Sunday, February 9, 14

Model and Expand Language

In typical development

In AAC development

Sunday, February 9, 14

Picture-Supported Input

Input with Pictures

Output with Pictures

Sunday, February 9, 14

Let’s look at some AAC systems...

Sunday, February 9, 14

Sunday, February 9, 14

I looklook like want what

you it turn good bad

help open different more uh oh

YES go stop all done no

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Sunday, February 9, 14

Sunday, February 9, 14

Sunday, February 9, 14

What do we do with AAC Monday morning?

1.! Provide motivating reasons and topics for communication.

2.! Make your language visible by adding writing, drawing, or

gathering pictures from the web.

3.! “Speak AAC” when you talk to nonverbal clients today using

a system they might learn to use expressively “tomorrow” (aka.

Augmented Input, Aided Language Stimulation).

4.! Presume competence despite a lack of speech (it is the least

dangerous assumption).

Sunday, February 9, 14

AAC News & Infowww.scaacn.blogspot.com

Sunday, February 9, 14