Week 2 - AAC Considerations Flashcards
Aim of AAC Intervention
For the individual to meet their specific communication requirements:
- Effectively
- Specifically
- Lots of movement may cause fatigue
- Independently
- Make it portable - promotes inclusion
AAC needs to offer:
The ability to:
* Interact using a range of communicative functions
* Combine ideas into sentences
* Be relevant and useful within a range of activities
Growth - address communicative needs now and into the future
Accessibility - physically using and accessing the system
Acceptability
Unaided Communication Systems
Rely on the user’s body to convey messages
eg. gestures, body language, and/or sign language
Aided Communication Systems
Require the use of tools or equipment in addition to the user’s body
- Range from paper and pencil, communication books/boards, devices that produce speech output
Language Representation Considerations
- Language representation methods
- Vocabulary
- Methods of utterance generation
- Display
- Access/input
- Output
Commonly Used Representations
Alphabet-based methods
Single message systems
Semantic compation
Alphabet-Based Language Representations
Uses traditional orthography and rate enhancement techniques such as word/phrase prediction
- Requires literacy
- Vocab isn’t limited by program’s software
- May require larger amount of input (ie. multiple key strokes for one word to be produced)
- Small symbol set
- Rate enhancement features may be avaliable
Single Message System Language Representations
Use graphic systems - each represent one word or message
- Doesn’t require literacy
- Requires explicit teaching of pictures that cannot be concretely presented as picture (eg. want, go)
- May require large number of pictures to represent a large vocabulary
Semantic Compaction Language Representations
Combines picture symbols in various prescribed sequences to form words/phrases
Single icon may be associated with multiple meanings
Relatively small set of icons can be used to create many words and phrases
* Doesn’t require literacy
* Vocabulary is rule driven to support language development
* Requires training and practice to learn system
* Small set of symbols/icons required for a large vocab
* Potential for development of motor programs for practiced access patterns
Message Generation
Spontaneously Novel Utterance Generation (SNUG)
Pre-Stored Sentences
Message Generation - Spontaneously Novel Utterance Generation
Users access to individual word and commonly used phrases
* users are able to spontaneously say exactly what they want to say
Message Generation - Pre-Stored Sentences
Allow short phrases/messages to be accessed on a single buttons
* Often faster than SNUG
Factors Influencing Vocab Use
Oral vs written communication
- Oral - typically shorter, less lexical diversity, more personally orientated
- Personal pronoun use - depends on individual and context
Context dependent
- School talk vs home talk
- Work talk vs home talk
Personal factors
* Age, gender and culture variables
Considerations for Non-Literate Users
Vocabulary selections primarily focus on functional perspective
Single words or whole messages
Symbol system
Age, gender and personality appropriate
Some developmental/new message sets as contexts change
Considerations for Pre-Literate Users
Vocab selections include:
- Functional vocabulary (everyday communication)
- Developmental vocabulary (fosters language and literacy learning, build understanding and expression)
Single words
* To enable sequencing of words or ideas
Symbol system
* Building to literacy
Age, gender and personality appropriate
* yes vs yeah/sure
Organised by context
* PODD
Developmental vocabulary should include:
Substantive words Relational words and descriptors Generic verbs Specific verbs Emotional state words Affirmation and negation words (no, ok) Recurrance, discontinuation words (more, gone, finish) Proper nouns (and personal pronouns) Adjectives (and antonyms ) Colours, quantifiers Prepositions
Considerations for Literate Users
Use primarily text-based strategies
Focus on:
* Timing enhancement “quick talk” - whole messages
* Message acceleration - other strategies to provide quicker responses for frequently used phrases
* Fatigue reduction
Core Vocabulary
Commonly used, messages that are used by a variety of individuals
* Around 250 words
* Used for majority of communication
*Often not easily represented in pictures
3 sources:
* Vocab use patterns of AAC users of a similar age/development
*Use pattern of specific individuals
*Patterns of similar non-AAC communicators
Fringe Vocabulary
Words or messages that tend to be specific to the individual
- Large set of activity/topic related words
- Less frequent than core words
- Continually adding new words as life changes
- Reflects interests and contexts of the individual
- Often more easily represented in images
- Not easily interchangeable
Gathered using:
- Informants
- Environmental inventories
- Communication diaries
Referent
Object/concept represented by that symbol (eg. :( = sad)
Symbol Iconicity
The degree to which a visual symbol relates to its referent
(how much the symbol resembles the intended message)
3 levels
Symbol Iconicity - Transparent
Level 1
* Visually resemble their referents and are easily ‘guessable’
Symbol Inconicity - Translucent
Level 2
* Additional information may be needed for these types of symbols to be guessable
Eg. cup = drink
Symbol Iconicity - Opaque
Level 3
Symbols don’t visually resemble their referents and may be abstract
AAC Display Types
Static/Fixed
Dynamic
Hybrid
Static Displays
Symbols remained in a fixed location
Most common in communication board or low-tech
Finite number of symbols/messages
User may have multiple fixed displays
Dynamic Displays
Electronic - selection of one symbol automatically activities changes in symbol set
Arranged by large category first, then broken down into more specific vocab items
Use multiple-meaning icons - selection of one icon may prompt display of other related icons
Hybrid Displays
Static/fixed display with dynamic component
(eg. alphabet board or keyboard with word prediction; grid display that opens new page following user selection of a symbol)
Direct Selection Techniques
Use selected the desired symbol from a selection set
- Direct physical touch (body part)
- Generated activation (joystick, eye gaze, trackball, traditional or head mouse etc)
Indirect Selection Techniques
Each item from a selection is presented sequentially until the desired item appears and is selected by using a previously agreed upon motor movement or by using a speech
Partner-Assisted Scanning
Communication partner presents message/letter choices sequentially
User makes selection using specific motor act (blinking, grunting, raising a hand etc)
Used with those with severe motor, visual, and/or communication impairments
Have not established means of alternative access
Used as an alternative when primary system is unavaliable/not functioning
Synthesized Speech Output
Less natural-sounding speech
Requires less memory storage vs digitized
Allows for generation of speech in multiple languages
Allows for novel message generation via text-to-speech
Digitized Speech Output
More closely resembles natural speech
Requires more memory vs. syntesized speech
Allows for recording of messages in a given language/dialect and in the individual’s own voice
Number of possible utterances is limited to recorded items
Hybrid Speech Output
Voice banking
Synthetically combines elements of recorded speech together to produce a more natural form of synthesized speech
Only possible with degenerative conditions, or using a voice volunteer
