Chapter 5/7 - Team Building for AAC Assessment and Intervention

Question 1

Pioneering Phase:

Answer 1

• In this phase of AAC development, interventions often weren’t successful
• Most people who needed AAC services in this phase didn’t get it or received minimal services at best

Question 2

Public policy phase:

Answer 2

• In the U.S., legislation has moved AAC into the public policy arena and has sought to guarantee access for all who need AAC systems

Question 3

Some legislation (6):

Answer 3

1) Education of All Handicapped Children Act of 1975
2) IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1990)
3) Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1989
4) American with Disabilities Act of 1990
5) There were amendments to IDEA in 1997 which promises an individualized assessment process to determine the need for assistive technology.
6) Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1992 require state rehab agencies to give similar services for assistive technology to other individuals not just in education - adults, etc.

Question 4

Some legislation

1) Education of All Handicapped Children Act of 1975

(3)

Answer 4

• Declared that all children no matter how handicapped deserved a right to be educated
• This act mandated that all children must go to school
• Prior to this they could be excluded from school if they had a handicap considered too severe for the school to handle

Question 5

Some legislation

2) IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1990)

(2)

Answer 5

• is an updated version of the 1975 act and put some teeth into it so it could be backed up and implemented better.
• Another aspect of IDEA is that all handicapped children have to be educated in what is called the least restrictive environment. (as close to mainstream as possible)

Question 6

Some legislation

3) Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1989

(1)

Answer 6

• Provides grant money for states to provide assistive technology services in an equitable manner

Question 7

Some legislation

4) American with Disabilities Act of 1990

Answer 7

• Gave federal civil rights to protect people with disabilities from discrimination in the workplace and to provide them with equal access in other areas, such as stores, etc.
  e. g. wheelchair accessability

Question 8

Some legislation

5) There were amendments to IDEA in 1997 which….

Answer 8

… promises an individualized assessment process to determine the need for assistive technology

assistive tech / AAC is always to be considered (a box on the form for children with special needs, etc.)

Question 9

Some legislation

6) Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1992…

Answer 9

… require state rehab agencies to give similar services for assistive technology to other individuals not just in education - adults, etc.

Question 10

TEAM DEVELOPMENT

Answer 10

It is important to have a team that works together on AAC intervention and assessment.

Question 11

Team Development: gives a broad range of information regarding–> (7)

Answer 11

• language
• cognition
• sensory issues
• motor issues
• positioning
• social
• family issues

Question 12

Team Development:

2 types of issues affect the functioning of the AAC team

Answer 12

• structural issues

- relational issues

Question 13

STRUCTURAL ISSUES of the AAC team:

Answer 13

Structural issues

• includes such concerns as goals and purposes of the team
• who’s on the team
• how resources are managed (AAC device)
• how services are delivered
• who runs the team meetings

Question 14

Types of organization -

Answer 14

1) Multi-disciplinary team
2) Interdisciplinary team
3) Transdisciplinary Team

Question 15

Types of Organization:

1) Multi-disciplinary team

Answer 15

• is where each team member, OT, PT, etc assesses the client independently and develops intervention goals for their discipline
• Then a team a meeting is held and assessment results and intervention plans are discussed

Question 16

Types of Organization:

2) Interdisciplinary team

Answer 16

• specialists assess independently as in the other model, but then meet to discuss findings and together they determine an intervention plan

Question 17

Types of Organization:

3) Transdisciplinary Team

Answer 17

• Assessments are collaborative
• professionals work together to do the evaluation and this is followed by a meeting to discuss the results and plan the intervention strategy
• least common but works the best

Question 18

Who should be included in the AAC team?

Answer 18

1) Family members should be integral members of the team.
2) Also include key people in the users environment, such as the special ed teacher or regular teacher, SLP, etc.
3) All people who are involved in managing the communication environment of the person must be included and listened to.

Question 19

Issues in the structural category:

managing resources–>

Answer 19

This involves arranging rental or loan equipment.

The use of loaned equipment helps to reduce the abandonment of technology which is common.

Question 20

Issues in structural category:

Technology abandonment can be the result of several factors: (4)

Answer 20

1) Recommendations for high-tech devices that have bad speech or are too complex for the user or family
2) Using professional rather than family or consumer based decisions
3) Inadequate availability of AAC systems, lack of good communication partners, inadequate training of partners and user, poor vocabulary
4) Inappropriate services related to the mounting and portability of AAC systems

Question 21

RELATIONAL ISSUES

Conflicts can and do occur among team members when making decisions.

Research shows that these four factors are important in having truly collaborative teams.

(4)

Answer 21

(1) Regular face to face interactions are important
(2) positive interdependence
(3) practicing, monitoring, and processing interpersonal skills
(4) individual accountability