I find that I get more requests to do consults in the area of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) than anywhere else. This has forced me to put together a process to help ensure I am making the best possible recommendations. Contrary to popular belief, AAC is not rocket science, so I figured I would share my process here in hopes that it will help others needing to learn more. This post will focus on determining the type of communicator you are working with. Future posts will go into more detail about particular devices.
While in Orlando at ATIA this year I stopped by the Dyna Vox booth. They gave me a laminated sheet labeled the interAACT framework helps determine what type of communicator a potential AAC user may be. The framework is adapted from Patricia Dowden’s work at the University of Washington.
The point of this framework is to help you know whether the potential user is an emergent, context-dependent, or independent communicator. You should visit the site or download the document to learn more, but the basic things to look for in an emergent communicator include things like having limited purposeful communication, little or no social interactions, etc… The more able a communicator, the further up the continuum he or she would be.
So why does this help? First, going through the characteristics forces you to ask important questions that you may not otherwise ask. Second, although we’re not at this stage yet, knowing the answers to some of these questions will help you to immediately rule out several types of devices. For example, if you have an emergent communicator, and they have not yet grasped the concept of pictures representing actual objects, it’s probably a little early to be going out and purchasing a the latest and greatest $10,000 dynamic display device. However, if a communicator is at the independent/creative stage, that may very well be what you need.
Once I have a clear understanding of the type of communicator I am dealing with, I am able to start researching the most appropriate supports. I have several books, websites, magazines, etc… that keep me up to date on what type of AAC devices are out there. If you are new to the AAC field, I recommend going to the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative’s website and downloading their AT assessment guide . There is a complete chapter on AAC, which includes an AAC device continuum with examples. Although this isn’t an exhaustive list, it will give you the general idea of what’s out there. Then you just need to do your research.
After determining the type of communicator you are dealing with and getting some ideas from the WATI or other resources, you are ready to start trials. AAC, and AT in general, is really a trial and error field. You gather the most information you can, find what you think the most appropriate device at this time will be, and try it out. Collect data and if it works great, if not, it’s back to the drawing board. Hopefully your school system or university will have AT you can borrow for trials. If not, most regions have some type of lending library (in Central KY we have the Bluegrass Technology Center and Special Education Cooperatives). As a last resort, most companies will let you lease (or even borrow) a device for a short amount of time just to try.
Hopefully this post will be beneficial to some of you. I will make future posts on more concrete AAC ideas and examples. The point that I want to get across for now is that the person who knows the most about a student is the person who works with him or her on a daily basis. Pulling in an “AAC Expert” may be helpful because of their knowledge, but remember that this person will have limited experience with the potential user. By using the process I’ve tried to outline here, you may be more qualified to make suggestions than what you originally thought.
Please send feedback on this process. I just wanted to get something in writing and am sure there are many areas for improvement.
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