1. AAC and Literacy
April 2, 2018

2. 90%
Individuals who rely on AAC enter adulthood without acquiring functional literacy skills
(Foley & Wolter, 2010)

3. My Experience
Working in a middle school, receiving students (at a similar cognitive and language level) from 3 different elementary schools:
School 1: Students came in with functional literacy skills, knew sound-letter correspondence, could spell their names and CVC words, sought out books
School 2: Students came in able to recite or point to the alphabet, knew some letter sounds, could write their names, recognized some common words/symbols
School 3: Students could recognize their names, some letters

4. “Reading Wars” Sight words vs Phonics
Frequently come up against the assumption that students who do not use speech for the majority of their communication are unable to learn phonics, or how to sound out words
Consequently, if they are taught to read at all, they are taught with a sight word approach
This approach has not resulted in great outcomes for their literacy (90%)

5. Factors that Affect Literacy
Visual Impairments
Hearing Impairments
Motor Impairments
Cognitive Impairments
Language Impairments
Speech Impairments
Lack of experiences and World Knowledge
Limited participation and general lack of success

6. Literacy Principles Pictures for communication; Words for literacy
Don’t symbolize every word when adapting a book
Mix words they know with words that are new
May insert symbols over new vocabulary
Repetition with variety
Typical kids will happily read the same book over and over
When you read it again and again, try emphasizing a different aspect each time
Separate reading with eyes vs reading with ears
Read with your eyes when the point is decoding/encoding
Read with your ears when the point is comprehension or enjoyment
Respect Interests and Provide Choices
More engagement = more learning
Don’t forget Literacy also means Writing

7. Adapting Books Adapt to compensate for physical impairments
Adapt to compensate for visual impairments
Adapt to compensate for language/cognitive impairments
See Book Adaptations for AAC Users presentation on eCourseware site for ideas
Story Boxes designed for children with visual impairments but very useful for children with multiple disabilities as well

8. Adapting Books
Sometimes providing text in a different format is sufficient:
Bookshare/Learning Ally (students need to qualify)
Tumblebooks (subscription, often through library)
iPad apps like BookCreator, Pictello (creation)
TarHeel Reader (can create your own or read available)
MeVille to WeVille Books & Literacy Starters/Start to Finish books from Don Johnston are simplified and available in alternate formats (+ Readtopia?)
Center for Literacy and Disability Students at UNC Chapel Hill

9. Adapting Writing
Talk to your friendly OTs and PTs- they have great ideas
Alternate Keyboards (bigger/smaller) for computer and scanning on screen keyboards
Alternate Keyboards on the iPad (word banks)- Clicker Suite of Apps
Alternate Pencils, developed by Gretchen Hanser
First Author by Don Johnston

10. Literacy Curriculums 1 Penn State Literacy Program
(Now available as ALL [Accessible Literacy Learning] from Mayer Johnson for $500 & as an app for $80 )
Sound blending
Phoneme segmentation
Letter-Sound Correspondence
Decoding
Shared Reading
Sight Word Recognition
Reading Sentences and Simple Stories
Reading Comprehension

11. Literacy Curriculums 2
Four Blocks Literacy Framework (Cunningham, Hall, and Defee, 1989)
Erickson & Koppenhaver have adapted this for children with disabilities (2007)
Guided Reading
Self-Selected Reading
Working with Words
Structured Writing

12. Preschool Literacy
Tell Me- AAC in the Preschool Classroom by Carole Zangari & Lori Wise
Language and Literacy learning happen all day long
Children with CCN need high-quality instruction to learn and use basic vocab
Tell Me focuses on core words infused into all learning activities
Tell Me based on repeated readings of carefully chosen storybooks and focuses on a new book every 2 weeks.
Children with CCN need dozens of carefully planned opportunities to use their new words each day.
Continuity is important- core words are reviewed and practiced throughout.
Children learn best with a consistent and visible representation of core vocabulary.

13. Class Assignment Finish by 3:15
Explore the website and/or book, watch the videos
Ask me questions if you need clarification
Think about the role of an SLP in literacy
Come up with a 10 minute presentation touching on the basics of the program, what you think are strengths/weaknesses, and how an SLP could/should be involved in carrying it out with children/teenagers/adults
Class Assignment
Finish by 3:15