Class 9: Augmentative and Alternative Communication

This week's class was about Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). I worked with a partner (Amy Murnaghan,) and had to research what communication is, different types of communication and find and explain ten AAC devices.

What is Communication?
Communication is a way of sending and receiving information through verbal and non-verbal expression as well as other mediums. You cannot NOT communicate, even silence is communication.

Communication interactions involve:

1) communication of wants and/or needs

2) information transfer
3) social closeness
4) social etiquette


Twenty Different Ways We Communicate:

 1) Verbal: we communicate verbally using words we understand.

2)  Non-Verbal: this is through body language; facial expressions, body language and gestures.
3)  Para-Verbal: tone, pitch and volume of voice.
4) Sign Language
5) Text message
6) Email
7) Writing
8) Eye contact
9) Touch
10) Drawing pictures
11) Telephone
12) Face time
13) Skype
14) Fax
15) Through Apps on mobile devices
16) PowerPoint
17) Emotion - aggressiveness/crying
18) Television
19) Playing an instrument
20) Dance

What is Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) ?

Augmentative and alternative communication, also known as AAC, is a term that is used to describe a magnitude of methods of communication headlong people who are unable to use verbal speech to communicate. AAC includes both unaided and aided systems. Unaided systems, like signing and gestures, do not require special materials or equipment. Aided systems use picture charts, books, and technology. Many forms of AAC include an assistive technology component which range from high- to low-tech strategies.

Who is a typical user of AAC?
AAC can benefit a wide range of individuals, from a beginning communicator to a more sophisticated communicator who formulates his own messages.

Any person with a disability that makes it difficult for them to communicate may benefit from AAC.  AAC allows an individual to express their needs and wants, and more fully participate in decisions that affect their lives.

AAC also benefits family members and other significant others, providing a way for them to more fully communicate with their loved ones.

What are 3 Criteria for EFFECTIVE communication?

1) a communication partner
2) a common language
3) joint attention

 

10 Different Types of AAC

 

 

 

Name of AAC	Description	Level  of Tech
Cool Speech	CoolSpeech is the text-to-speech player for Windows! It empowers users to experience the wonderful text-to-speech technologies in many ways.	High
MyVoiceX	MyVoiceX is a simple and user-friendly software utility designed specifically for individuals who are temporarily or permanently unable to speak.	High
My Choice Board	The My Choice Board app enables users to increase independence and communicate needs and wants by presenting a visual display of choices.	High
I Can Speak	I Can Speak is an easy-to-use AAC app designed to meet most of the communications needs of those unable to speak.	High
Boardmaker	This software aid in creating visuals. In particular, excellent for creating visual schedules.	Low
Tech/Speak	This augmentative speech device provides users with speech playback. You can record many messages. This device can be used for students who are non-verbal and/or have difficulty with communicating their wants and needs.	Low
Nova Chat 5	This is a speech generating device. It is portable which makes it very convenient. It allows student with significant communication difficulties to be able to communicate. It’s easy to use and it can be customized.	Low
MACAW	MACAW is a communication device for people who do not have functional speech. Pictures or words are used to represent messages stored in each key. The student using the device presses the button to communicate their message.	Medium
Proloquo2go	This AAC App uses text to speech, has a huge vocabulary and is able to predict words. This App can be used by students who are unable to communicate verbally.  You can customize it for your specific needs. It is user friendly	High
Predictable	This AAC App is another text to speech application. You can incorporate social media with this App which makes it very inclusive. It allows the users to hand write on the screen, includes emoticons, convenient folders to store phrases and you can select from a variety of voices. Predictable is commonly used by people who have cerebral palsy and those who have suffered from a stroke or brain injury and have difficulties with communicating.	High

 

The following is a video of an individual using AAC devices. He demonstrates his ability to use low, medium and high tech devices. It is very inspiring to see how high tech assistive technology drastically improves his ability to EFFECTIVELY communicate. 

 

Class 8

This class really made me reflect on how frustrating writing tasks can be. Most of my students use a lap top to type because the idea of writing can and will frustrate them to a point of losing control. If they do any writing when they are with me, it is minimal. When analyzing what goes in to the act of writing, I can see why it can be frustrating. Even before the pencil connects with the paper there is a lot of planning that goes into place. One of the two videos we viewed was about the different kinds of low tech assistive technology that we can offer students to help with their writing skills.

There were AT devices that I have used and seen before, but there were also some that I haven't seen. The plumbing insulation is a great idea and cheap! I also liked the writing bird and the tool that looked like a pair of pliers. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for some of the tools mentioned in the video.

The second video we watched delivered excellent insight about what goes into writing. I did not know that your core would be essential when it comes to writing. Students would benefit from sitting on an exercise ball or Hokkie stool to improve trunk control.




It was also noted in class that rich language experiences are essential before attending to the writing task.
This is especially important for our students who are English Language Learners.

 

Class 7

We started the evening off with a great video from Apple that demonstrated all the amazing things that society can do with an iPad. This was followed by a treasure hunt for reading software and reading websites. This was a fun task; I enjoyed listening and seeing what the other groups found.

The following are the five websites and software products for reading remediation that we chose.

Reading Remediation Websites:

ABC Mouse

This website focuses on phonics, recognizing sounds, rhyming words and word families. It is an interactive website that is highly engaging and motivating. Students can create their own avatar and earn points to buy things to decorate their room, buy a pet etc. This website is free to teachers as long as you enter your work email address in when signing up. There is an iPad app for this website too. This website is limited to kindergarten-grade one students.


Starfall

Starfall is a great website that is designed for pre-school- grade two. Starfall focuses on reading with phonics and phonemic awareness. This website is also great for students who are English Language Learners. The website is engaging and has great pictures and games that go along with learning letter sounds for example. I use this quite a bit in my classroom, students really enjoy the letter sounds and the interactive calendar.




Tumblebooks

Tumblebooks is a great addition to the classroom! It focuses on reading skills such as vocabulary building. The stories are enriched with animation, sound, music and narration. The narration piece is great, because students have the choice of turning it on or off to practice their reading. There is a great selection of fiction and non-fiction material on Tumblebooks which is great for student choice. This website is designed for students from kindergarten to grade six.


Bookflix

Bookflix is an interactive website that gives readers the choice of fiction and non-fiction books. The books are categorized by theme; Animals and Nature, Earth and Sky etc. Bookflix reinforces early reading skills while catering to most students interests through their selection of themes. This website is for students from pre-k to grade three. Students in my classroom enjoy the selection of non-fiction books, it helps to develop their real-world knowledge.


Game Goo by Earobics

This fun website covers a variety of skills such as letter sounds, phonetics, decoding skills and sentence structure. All of this is through fun interactive games that are silly and engaging. This website is for students from pre-K to grade three. I introduced this to my students last week and they keep asking me to have some free time to play it again, they love it!






Reading Remediation Software:


Wordmaker


Wordmaker is a software program that builds on phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
Wordmaker offers auditory support with verbal instructions and prompting throughout. This software program would be suitable for students from kindergarten-grade six.

                                                                                                       Merit Software

Merit software reading program is designed for students from elementary school all the way up to college level. The Merit software program offers exercises in reading comprehension, vocabulary, process writing and grammar.



Simon Sounds It Out

This program delivers individualized multi phonics program to students. It focuses on letter sounds and word families. Students also can practice spelling words. This program would be used more at the elementary level.

Reading Horizons

Reading Horizons is a reading intervention program that can be used for students from kindergarten-grade twelve. It focuses on letter sounds, phonetic skills and decoding skills. The program uses a multi-sensory approach so that students can grasp the concepts easier.






Lexia

Lexia provides students with a focus on foundational reading skills. Students are given a series of tasks that focus on phonological awareness, decoding skills, vocabulary development and comprehension activities. This program is great for students from grade one-grade twelve. Students use this program at my school and they really enjoy the reading activities, they are highly motivated and are excited when then get to use the program.

 

Reading Remediation Apps:

 

 

                                                                                    Word Wonderland

Word Wonderland is an App that students at the elementary level can use. It incorporates grammar, matching letters to letter sounds and phonetics.

IXL Reading

 This is an engaging App that focuses on phonetics. There are fun games like word bingo and sentence games that students can play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABC Magic Reading
Students engage in phonological, blending and letter sound activities.

 

 

 

Read me stories
Is in an interactive App that teaches students letter sounds, phonetics and sentence formation.










Little Reader
Little reader is an App that helps students recognize and read words. Students are given a series of pictures and they have to match the picture to the correct word. You can customize this app and incorporate your own voice and pictures.