Gabriel Gibbons Prentke Romich Company

Goal of AAC Provide the tools which will enable the user the most effective communication possible at his highest level of achievement.

 The individual who uses AAC is viewed as more competent. ◦ Facilitates a more consistent response from the communication partner. ◦ Is understood by a wider audience. ◦ May have increased opportunity to experience robust language interaction.  Provides CONSISTENT auditory feedback, which may facilitate speech.

How do we help non-verbal students gain spoken language? Language Single Meaning IconsSpellingUNITY

What is Unity? Language

 Multi-meaning icons  Constant access to “core” vocabulary  Fringe vocabulary made available in activity row  Minimal use of pages

 Creates the ability for spontaneous communication  Let’s the user say what they want to say.

 Created by Bruce Baker of Semantic Compaction Systems  UNITY utilizes the Minspeak philosophy

Notice that Unity is still present.

Unity Review ============== ============== Pronoun phrase Primary verb noun Activity row Word in semantic category Interjection Determiner Conjunction Preposition Question Word Adverb ending in -ly Sentences Adjectives in 84/144 Adjectives in 60 Other Adverbs

SpringBoard SpringBoard ™ Vantage Vantage ™ Vanguard Vanguard ™ Pathfinder ™

Literacy Through Unity Available in 45, 84, and 128 Location Unity.

◦ The program emphasized generalization and the transfer of skills from unknown to known ◦ 25 lesson cycles are designed to support mastery of time rather than as introduced

 Word Study is appropriate for: ◦ School age students who have a basic understanding of print ◦ Learners who understand that letters are used to create words ◦ Learners who are just learning a new communication system with Unity 45, 84 or 128 ◦ Advanced device users who use the activity row and pages but do not use sequencing for face-to-face communication ◦ It is helpful if the students have knowledge of the alphabet but mastery of the alphabet is not a prerequisite

 Examples of possible learners ◦ School-age student who is adept at using Unity but is a beginning reader and writer. (Skip Making Words with Icons) ◦ School-age student who has just received the device but is able to read and write already. (Skip Making Words with Letters)

 Instructor led teaching approach ◦ Instructors follow the step-by-step directions to lead learners through the lesson cycles  Experienced educators and therapists will be able to move through lessons without the additional supports.  Parents, para-professionals, and others will find the directions and supports helpful in guiding the process. ◦ Instruction can be completed in 5 weeks with a minute session completed daily

 Each lesson cycle has 3 components ◦ 1. Word Wall: teaches a core set of high frequency words for reading, spelling and communicating.

 Each lesson cycle has 3 components ◦ 2. Making Words with Icons: teaches the rules that govern how icon sequences are used in Unity to generate words.

 Each lesson cycle has 3 components ◦ 3. Making Words with Letters: teaches an understanding of the systematic manner in which letters are combined and recombined to make words.

 The Word Wall component is taught over 5 separate lessons. Each lessons teach 5 words and alternates between reading, spelling and icon sequencing.

 Words to be taught and displayed on Word Wall are provided on the LTU disk of materials.

 Word Wall contains 5 lesson types ◦ 1. Introduce the words ◦ 2. Generate the words through spelling and icon sequences ◦ 3. Using words in sentences ◦ 4. Identify the word missing from the sentence ◦ 5. Identify the icon sequence to say the word

 Instructions tell the facilitator: ◦ What to say. ◦ What to do. ◦ Sequential order ◦ Word Wall Word Wall

 Go to ◦ Therapy Tools: ◦ Price: $99.95 each

PRC Application Support Software FREE!

 Key Features ◦ Writing with Symbols ◦ Look up Icons ◦ Program activities and pages for your student on the computer, leaving the student with their communication device. ◦ Available for free from the PRC website! FREE!

 Can be used to create manual boards for messy activities.

 Use Write with Icons within the PASS software to create scripts to teach vocabulary and learning new phrases in UNITY.

 Use writing with symbols to print out UNITY sequences and label a classroom easily and quickly.

 MITS offers free loaner PRC devices for 2 months to Michigan Schools.  PRC offers free 1 month loaners as well. FREE!

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