1. (adapted from Keri Huddleston, 2016)
ABC’s of AAC
Hot Topics 2017
Elizabeth Echeberria
Robbin Dunn
(adapted from Keri Huddleston, 2016)

2. AAC Basics – “why” Why use AAC?
“Just because I can’t talk doesn’t mean I have nothing to say!”
Misperception:
Lack of communication = lack of intellect
Invisible people – fade into background without communication
Supports receptive and expressive communication/language development
Can facilitate speech
Motivation
Participation – interactive learning
Makes language visible and concrete
Reduce frustration and problem behaviors
Supports cognitive processing
Supports literacy

3. AAC Basics – “when” When is a student ready for AAC?
“The only prerequisite to communication is being alive”
When should you use AAC at school?
All the time!

4. AAC Basics – “how” Some tips for making AAC work
Systematic training and modeling, in context, throughout the day is essential
AAC must be efficient and effective
Why 20 minutes 2x per week doesn’t work

6. Common mistakes and misperceptions
Limited opportunity (i.e.; Communication is limited to snack time)
Focuses on yes/no
Low motivation in subject matter (i.e.: colors)
Materials are left in a closet or on the shelf
System is not taught (osmosis training doesn’t work)
Communication attempts are not acknowledged

7. Which type should you teach?
Everyone communicates with a variety of modes
One system does not exclude another

8. Communicating with pictures
Symbol Transparency
Relying on text for meaning
Some pictures are easily understood – other are not!
Can’t assume student understands the receptive meaning of picture symbols – must be taught
Teach symbols in context
Picture Aided Language Stimulation

9. Beyond Requests… Other options
Consider the goals when choosing what systems to implement and how
Andy and I might see some things differently
Back in the day…one board for everything!
Standard three

10. Communicative Function
What are some communicative functions students need to have at school?

11. Functions Request – items or information Comment Direct Question Tease
Greet
Accept
Protest
Answer
Gain Attention
Express feelings/opinion
Share information
Assert self
Bargain
Show manners
Relate or share events and information

12. Activity Specific Vocabulary
Provided needed vocabulary for context/situation
Different boards for different situations
Not kid specific – situation specific
Visual support for new vocabulary
Allows students to interact communicatively – just like speaking students

13. Teaching AAC
How do most children learn language?

14. Key concepts
Testing vs. communicating (drill is not effective method of learning commnication)
Receptive support
Input before Output (Linda Burkhart)
Modeling, Modeling, Modeling
Immersion in language and system
Repetition
Active Participation
Motivation

15. Checklist for good overlay/picture display
Vocabulary appropriate to the context or activity
Allows for comments variety of communicative functions
Allows for interaction with a communicative partner
Other considerations
May not need to include what student can readily express (yes, no, bathroom)
May be important/primary means of teaching icons and use of symbols for communication
Input is important before output
Model, demonstrate, teach, expand language

16. Analyze the overlay

17. Good examples

18. Take home Point
“Language is not learned by straight imitation, it is learned through broad experiences that provide multiple repetitions of concepts, vocabulary and conventions. This provides a scaffold from which children can construct language.”
Linda Burkhart

19. Aided Language Stimulation
Also known as Picture Aided Language, Natural Aided Language
Using activity specific language boards to enhance communication
No test to pass (picture ID)
Supports receptive and expressive language development (visual representation)
Modeling
Allows for repetition and expansion
Scaffolds communication development
Requires partners to participate

20. Teaching Strategy Partner Augmented Input
Point to pictures while you are talking
No expectation for the AAC user to point to pictures
Provide repeated modeling
Recognize all communicative intents as errorless

21. What are the benefits? AAC User
Observes others communicating in the same way they are expected to
See’s AAC as an acceptable way to communicate
Increases comprehension by providing visual representation of language
Receptive and Expressive language skills improve
Familiarity with icon location
Use of AAC increases with more communication partners and in various environments
Communication Partner
Learns vocabulary location and current supports in place
Increases awareness to what may need to be modified, changed, or added
Increases processing time/comprehension by decreasing speech rate and sentence length
Allows emphasis on key words and ideas
Provides opportunities to scaffold
Interactions become more natural by using a wide variety of communicative functions
Can be implemented IMMEDIATELY

22. Factors that impact responses
Working memory
Cognitive attention needed for non-automatic responses
Physical challenges
Reaction time
We must:
respond to any attempts to communicate
Reinforce communication
Build and scaffold on attempts rather than focus on trials and accuracy
“Meaningless repetition produces boredom and habituation” Burkhart

23. How do you do it? Create a board for the activity
Appropriate vocabulary that supports functional communication
Use pictures to support your communication to the child (receptive needs)
Cue child to respond (point or other cue)
Build on child’s responses by using board
Use conversational language
Avoid asking too many questions
Scripts may help in the beginning

24. Group activity Use an activity specific overlay
One verbal/one non verbal
Use the activity specific display or Step by Step to interact with each other
Model language, offer opportunities, honor communication and scaffold on it