AAC Components Flashcards
FOUR COMPONENTS OF AAC
Symbols, Aids, Techniques, Strategies (SATS)
Representation of the idea through unaided and/or aided means
Symbols
Assistive devices or means to transmit and/or receive messages
Aids (Device)
Productivity and efficiency of message transmission
Strategies
Access and choices of messages
Techniques
represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention
Symbols
something else is termed the ____ and might include vocabulary concepts such as people, actions, objects, places, descriptors, questions, social words, and so on.
Referent
Symbols that the human body can produce (i.e, gestures, signs, finger spelling, etc.)
Unaided Symbols
Symbols that needs external tools to produce messages
Aided Symbols
Symbols that needs external tools to produce messages
Aided Symbols
What are the Unaided Symbols?
Gestures, Eye-gaze related symbols or messages, Manual Sign, Natural speech and vocalization
What are the aided symbols
Object and object symbols, Graphic Symbols
Perceptual Characteristics of Aided Symbols
Complexity, Perceptual Distinctness, Degree of Ambiguity, Size
referred to the number of semantic elements or sophistication of the graphic symbol
Complexity
Degree to which a symbol seems obviously different and distinct from others within a given symbol corpus
Perceptual Distinctness
Number of concepts a single symbol can represent
Degree of Ambiguity
Vocabulary size refers to the size of the original lexicon the symbol corpus represents
Size
Refers to the degree to which an individual perceives the relationship between a symbol and its referent
Iconicity
refers to the continuum that describes symbols by ease of recognition
Iconicity
○ Highly guessable symbols given that it is visually representable to its referent
○ meanings are readily available
Transparent Icons
○ Less apparent
○ Needs more information for decoding
Translucent
symbol that is not readily obvious to the user even when the additional information is provided
Opaque
3 attributes of Aided Symbols
Linguistic Capacity, Physical, and Design Attribute
What are the linguistic capacity of Aided symbols
Nonlinguistic
Prelinguistic Transitionary
Prelinguistic Symbolic
Linguistic
What are the Physical Attributes if Aided Symbols
Acoustic, Two-dimensional, Animated, Three-dimensional
What are the Designs attribute of Aided Symbols
Object, Picture, Line Drawing
Symbols that do not possess any inherent linguistic characteristics
Nonlinguistic
More defined but unsophisticated linguistic characteristic in the form of internal logic
(Prelinguistic) Transitionary Symbol System
Inherent Linguistic characteristics with limitation in the form of internal logic
Prelinguistic Symbol Set
Unlimited communication is possible
Linguistic
Symbols produced a synthetic speech through speech-generating devices (SGDs)
Acoustic
Object-based symbols
3 dimensional
Object-based symbols
3 dimensional
Symbols that require movement to assist in conveying meaning
Animated
Symbols categorized as static (i.e., those that do not include movement) and kinetic (i.e., those in which movement or animation is one their key elements)
Two Dimensional
Also referred as symbol groups due to its little to no inherent characteristics
Aided Symbols: Nonlinguistic Symbols
● Limited expansion capabilities
● Limited internal logic
Aided Symbols: Nonlinguistic Symbols
First aided AAC approach used with infants and older beginning communicators who have developmental disabilities
(1) Real Objects: First aided AAC approach used with infants and older beginning communicators who have developmental disabilities
Careful selection to the potential communicator’s impairments and abilities (i.e., size and tactile similarity)
(2) Miniature Objects:
part of the referent that share the same features
Partial
related to the referent
associated
uses concrete or “tangible” symbols
Tangible
2 dimensional
Photograph
Emoji
Generic Line
Drawing Clipart
Lower-level pre-linguistic symbols with rudimentary internal logic
Aided Symbols: Prelinguistic Symbol Sets
a visual language system organized semantically with strategies for picturing concepts with categories having common shapes and colors
Dynasms
learned by people with cognitive and/or other disabilities.
Imagine Symbols
flexibly customizable, interactive, and highly stimulating, allowing for a range of human computer user interactions available by design in association with each icon
Lingraphica Concept-Images:
aim was to develop a symbol corpus that was free of cost, and in fact, these symbols are free to use based on the creative commons license terms.
Mulberry Symbols
initially created focusing on helping people with aphasia
Participics
● Not as comprehensive in allowing symbol users to communicate freely
● More defined and more structured but unsophisticated linguistic characteristic in the form of internal logic
● Design attributes are almost always line drawings
Aided Symbols: Prelinguistic Transitionary Symbol Sets
Aided Symbols: Prelinguistic Transitionary Symbol Sets
black line drawing easy to interpret as they look like that they represent and can be easily drawn on white boards with
Makaton
one of the most commonly used aided symbol sets in the world, as the developers have kept up with the latest technology over the decades.
Picture Communication Symbols
the user learns the rules that govern the symbols so knowledge can be applied to understanding novel symbols.
Widgit
sophisticated level of aided symbols due to their sophisticated and comprehensive internal logic that allows virtually unlimited expansion capability, that is, there are no limitations in terms of creating new symbols
Aided Symbols: Linguistic Symbols
Example of Linguistic Aided Symbols
Alphabet Based Boards, Phonetic Based Boards, Line Drawing
POTENTIAL ISSUES WITH AIDED SYMBOLS
Polysemy, Sequentiality , Intrinsic Factors, Iconicity
Symbols that the human can produce
Symbols that requires does NOT need aid or assistive communication device to display and transmit message
Unaided
Symbolization of Unaided
Nonsymbolic, Transitional, Symbolic
Design Attribute of Unaided
Phonetic/Phonemic based, Alphabet based, Gestural , Sign Language, Vocalization
- Idiosyncratic gestures/ vocalizations
- Responsibility for communicative interaction rests with the partner
- May demonstrate little overt behavior
- needs more context
Non-symbolic
- Conventional gestures/ vocalizations
- Concrete symbolic
- Three-dimensional objects
- No context, More conventional
Transitional
- Conventional verbalizations
- Abstract Symbolic
- Traditional orthographics
Symbolic
T or F Importance of CONTEXT diminishes as you move from non-symbolic to symbolic
True
T or F Magnitude of PARTNER’S role diminishes as you move from non-symbolic to symbolic
True
T or F CONVENTIONALITY increases as you move from non-symbolic to symbolic
True
● Also referred as presymbolic symbols
● Symbols: Hold less meaning
● Idiosyncratic actions, movements, actions, movements,and/or sound
Unaided Symbols: Nonlinguistic Symbols
any behavior that another person interprets as meaningful and may include a range of behaviors, such as changes in respiration, body movement, vocalization, eye gaze, facial expression, and/or problem behavior
Potential Communicative Acts
Actions produced primarily with the fingers, hands, and arms but can include facial features and full body movements
Gestures
McNeill’s Gesture Development (1992)
Beats, Iconics, Methaphorics, Cohesive, Deictics
hands move along with the rhythm of speech
Beats
hands depict some visual aspect of what the speaker talks about
Iconics
hands depict an abstract idea (e.g., spreading the arms to indicate the concept of “large”
Metaphorics
hands move to indicate a repetition or continuity, e.g., half-circular movements to indicate “AND THEN”.
Cohesive
familiar pointing
Diectics
Involves the representational thinking skill—the ability to hold an image of something in mind when the person, place, object, or activity is removed in space and/or time
Unaided Symbols: Linguistic Symbols
manual sign and speech was intended to make spoken language structures more visually transparent, and hence, easier for deaf children to understand and acquire
Simultaneous Communication
○ Key word sign is mostly design as a telegraphic manual signing
○ Example: “Mama is drinking water” ⇒ sign “mama drink water”
Key Word Sign
to develop a person’s spoken output in combination with other AAC support
Used in multimodal communication
Makaton
same with key word signing, mas simplified lang
Manual Simplified Sign
Cued Speech
Phonemic or Phonetic Based Symbols
POTENTIAL ISSUES WITH UNAIDED SYMBOLS
Motor Ability and Control, Visual Access to gesture/manual signs, Cultural considerations, Iconcity
how to categorize aids?
low tech or high tech
unaided communication system
Communication modality that does not require any external equipment (DAFonte, 2019, p. 129)
Considered as the most sophisticated AAC technology
AIDED COMMUNICATION: Speech Generating Devices
An AAC device or piece of equipment that is designed specifically to operate as a communication aid
Dedicated devices
allows for use as a traditional computer complete with internet access and software apps that perform tasks unrelated to the production of speech
Integrated Devices
Access and choices of messages
Techniques
Types of Vocabularies
Content Words
Function Words
Personalized Vocabulary
Words that carry the main meaning of the utterance
Content Words
Words that provide structure to our sentences
Function Words
Vocabulary words and messages that are specific or unique to the individual
Personalized Vocabulary
Words that are relatively common and relatively frequently used by a variety of individuals in different situations
Core Vocabulary
There are words that will occur only in relation to specific activities, contexts, places, topics, and demographic groups
Function Words
How are you planning to get vocabularies for nonliterate?
Primarily aims to meet their daily, ongoing, functional communication needs in a variety of environments.
Vocabulary selection for preliterate individuals
get coverage and developmental vocabulary
Vocabulary that is needed to communicate essential messages as coverage vocabulary because it contains words and messages that are necessary to cover an individual’s essential communication needs
Coverage Vocabulary
Vocabulary to support their language development
Developmental Vocabulary
Vocabulary Selection for Literate Individuals
Timing Enhancement, Message Acceleration, Fatigue Reduction, Social Media
Messages that have important timing equipments (time-sensitive messages) are usually stored and retrieved in their entirety
Timing Enhancement
words or messages that occur so frequently and are so lengthy that the use of an encoding strategy is used for retrieval
Message Acceleration
VOCABULARY SELECTION RESOURCES AND TOOLS
Case history taking
Academic-related materials
Interests and Activities
Blank sheet method
Autobiographical Materials
Environmental or Ecological Inventories
Vocabulary checklist
HOW ARE WE GOING TO ORGANIZE THE AAC VOCABULARIES?
Setting Priorities
Language Models in AAC Technology
Communication Diaries
these symbols are then organized in rows and columns in a grid pattern
Grid Displays
When we have a picture na hindi gumagalaw ang grid display it
Static Grid Display
feature na may categories (e.g. people, activities, feelings)
Dynamic Grid Display
Semantic-syntactic grid displays organize symbols based on the parts of speech
Fitzgerald Key
Why is it important to organize the grid display?
Easier to locate the words they need to use
Not only does it help the patient identify the icon itself, it can also facilitate grammar and syntax
referred as activity grid display
ORGANIZATION OF VOCABULARY SCHEMATIC
Arrangement of symbols on separate pages by events, activities, or routines (Drager et al., 2003; Gevarter et al., 2014)
organization of vocabulary schematic
Organization of symbols through generic categories (called taxonomic arrangement)
Organization of vocabulary taxnomic
Organization of symbols through chronological sequence of event
Organization of Vocabulary Chronological
Organization of vocabulary with the intended focus of increasing functional communication
Organization of vocabulary pragmatic organization dynamic displays
Can be combination of taxonomic and activity play grid
Organization of vocabulary pragmatic organization dynamic displays
Display is based on the internal color of the symbol
Clustered Display
Symbols are dispersed without specific format and sequence
distributed display
Combination of visual scenes along with one of the various grid layout
Hybrid Display
Alphabetically arranged
Alphabetical Display
Vocabulary concepts are organized according to the activities, routines, and events with which these concepts are learned and used.
VIsual Scene Display
When do you think it is applicable to use Visual Scene Displays?
not yet literate, low cognitive load
Message Formulation can be
pre stored messages, letter by letter, word by word
Access techniques
Scanning, Direct Selection
would require multiple steps for activation.
Scanning
INDIRECT SELECTION METHOD
Circular, Linear Scanning, Group-Item Scanning
INDIRECT SELECTION CONTROL TECHNIQUES
Directed (Inverse) Scanning, Step Scanning, Automatic (Regular or Interrupted) Scanning
Also known as linear method
Can be automated (lilipat every 2-3 secs) or manual
Linear Scanning
Identify group of representations and eliminate options
Group-Item Scanning
Cursor moves when the user activates the device; selection will happen when the device (i.e. switch) is released
Directed (inverse) scanning
One to one correspondence of cursor movement and switch movement and switch activation; selection happens when you stop activating the device
Step scanning
Cursor moves automatically; selection happens when you press the device (i.e. switch)
Automatic (Regular or Interrupted) Scanning
A time-sampled replication of actual human speech
Digitized voice output
Translate the user’s input (choosing letters, words, or symbols) into computer-generated speech generated speech
Synthesized Voice output
User has direct control over and access to the communication that is used
Direct Selection
DIRECT SELECTION METHOD:
Physical Contact, Physical Pressure or Depression, Pointing (No Contact), Speech Recognition
DIRECT SELECTION ACTIVATION STRATEGIES:
Timed activation, Release activation, Filtered or Averaged Activation
Identification of the item on display and sustain contact with a predetermined time for activation
Timed Activitation
Identification of an item on display, sustain contact with a predetermined time for activation, and selection happens after you release the symbol
Release activation
Activation through selection of the general area of the item, instead of the item itself
Filtered or Averaged Activation
three primary purposes of strategies:
To enhance message timing
To assist grammatical formulation of messages
To enhance communication rates
A strategy that is often used to increase access to vocabulary and to improve communication rate
Encoding
Abbreviation of words according to the first few letters
Truncation
Inclusion of the most salient letters
Contraction Codes
ENCODING OF SENTENCES AND PHRASES
Salient letter and Letter category codes
Initial letters of the salient words are used for encoding
Salient Letter Codes
First letter refers to the category folder
Second letter refers to the specific messages
Letter Category
A popular encoding technique that utilizes iconic codes, specifically combinations of symbols (line drawings)
MINSPEAK OR SEMANTIC COMPACTION
involves a dynamic retrieval process in which options are offered to an individual with complex communication needs according to the portion of a word or message that has already been formulated.
Prediction
Message construction can be supported using statistical and syntactic knowledge of written language to predict (anticipate) the next character/word/phrase
Language Prediction
Predicted words can be listed below the cursor, or can be displayed in a window above the keyboards
Word Prediction
Storing whole phrases, sentences, and paragraphs in AAC systems, which can be made available to the person using prediction based on the context-appropriate prediction and rules of pragmatics or by structuring the content appropriately.
Message Prediction
ENCODING OF SINGLE WORDS
Truncation and Contraction
3 types of prediction
Language, word, and message
