Sophia Goes to Starbuck’s SPED 743: Operational/Functional Competence Training
Meet Sophia 10 years old Fine and gross motor limitations Cortical visual impairment Attends The Avalon Academy Context-dependent communicator Vanguard (high-tech SGD) Personal communication book Yes/no facial expressions Vocalizations (emotional expression)
Communication Interaction Goals 1. Sophia will initiate novel conversation using her speech generating device to ask questions, make comments or request items. 2. Sophia will practice communicative turn-taking with familiar partners.
The Big Day Acceptance/Rejection Comment Listening Comprehension Expressive vocabulary Make choices Multisymbol messages Request Respond contingently Communicative turn- taking
Vocabulary Selection “The philosophy of a language-based organization is that the child HAS unique thoughts to express and is capable of doing so and that those unique thoughts are valuable.” ~Robin Hurd
Intervention Strategies 1. Expectant delay: provides silent cue to AAC user that it is their turn to communicate and time to process and formulate their own message. 2. Blocked response/Interrupted behavior chain: prevents AAC user from completing activity and requires communicative response. 3. Ask open-ended / wh-questions: prompts higher content responses and requires use of expressive vocabulary.