Rising to New Heights of Communication and Learning for Children with Autism

The Definitive Guide to Using Alternative-Augmentative Communication, Visual Strategies, and Learning Supports at Home and School

Vicki Turner, Carol Spears

• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
• Year: 2011
• ISBN:
  9780857003324
• Topic: Psicología
• Subtopic: Trastornos del espectro autista

Children with pervasive developmental disorders often do not learn from conventional methods, which can result in social isolation, behavior problems, limitations in communication, and slow academic growth. Greater integration into home and school activities, improved behavior and academic success can be achieved using alternative-augmentative communication (AAC), and this book explains exactly how to make it happen.

Exploring the various communication and intervention options available and offering straightforward techniques and strategies for using them effectively, this book clearly explains everything families, teachers, therapists and other professionals need to know in order to improve a child's communication, behavior, social and academic skills. Chapters follow a consistent, user-friendly format, answering the questions Who, What, Why, How, Where and When about every technique.

This book will be essential reading for anyone looking to improve social interaction between children with pervasive developmental disorders and those around them.

PART I Alternative-Augmentative Communication Methods

Imagine initiating an exchange with another individual, only to discover yourself suddenly silent…wordless…voiceless. A myriad of ideas swirl in your head. You might even hear them loud and clear; yet, the person with whom you seek to interact has no awareness of your meaning or your intent. In effect, you have experienced a communication breakdown, a commonplace occurrence for a child on the autism spectrum or with a pervasive developmental disability. We wrote Part I of Rising to New Heights because we recognized the frustration of children with disabilities who lack sufficient means to communicate effectively. Also, in Part I, we offer support to adults who deal with their own fears regarding how children with severe disorders communicate.

Communication is the ability to relay information and thoughts using a reliable method of expression that produces a mutually understood message intentionally exchanged between two or more people. Challenges arise when an educator or parent attempts to communicate with a child who has significant limitations in expressive communication abilities, resulting in inconsistencies in message production and poor intelligibility. Typically, verbalizations are not the only method of expression: gestures, intonation patterns, facial expressions, and posturing may also relay meaning to the listener. In Part I of Rising, we answer Who, What, Why, How, Where, and When questions about utilizing and expanding an individual’s methods of expression and application of alternative methods of communication to relay mutually understood messages. Instruction on Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC) techniques to compensate for the limitations in message generation, and to provide individualized methods that allow a child’s ability to engage and be successful in the communication process, is discussed.

Communication is a necessity when individuals attempt to transfer information, have wants and needs met, create social bonds, understand the environment, control their circumstances, and realize their self-worth. AAC strategies are implemented to assist in bridging the gap in social, educational, interpersonal, and professional settings for individuals with expressive communication limitations. When one takes on the task of working with individuals who must compensate for limited expressive abilities, there are many variables to consider, such as cognitive levels, physical abilities, typical communicative partners, and communicative needs. As detailed in Part I, these variables dictate the specific AAC strategies and communicative supports required to address the specific communicative needs of the students.

The chapters in Part I of Rising address topics of AAC highlighting our knowledge and experiences in effective, functional use of AAC. As authors, our goal for all readers of these chapters is to be able to:

•utilize alternative assessment procedures to identify the specific communicative needs of the student

•become familiar with various AAC options that compensate for significant expressive communication delays

•tailor AAC goals, strategies, materials, and equipment for each student addressed.

1	SPEECH GENERATING DEVICES

Who would benefit from the use of speech generating devices (SGDs)?

Individuals with severe expressive communication disorders benefit most from the use of SGDs. Included among these individuals are those who utilize gesture, speech and/or written communication methods that do not adequately address their expressive communication attempts or needs. In all these individuals, the primary cause for the limitations in expressive communication should not be due to hearing impairment. Many individuals are capable of some verbal output; however, their utterances are limited and inadequate to meet their varied communication needs (START 1996). Candidates for AAC vary in disabilities and may include individuals with autism, cognitive or developmental delay, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, specific language disabilities, developmental apraxia, muscular dystrophy, and sensory impairments.

What are SGDs?

SGDs are communication devices that offer speech output, have programming capabilities, and can provide the individual with a broader range of communication possibilities (although this is not necessarily the case) (START 1996).

There are two types of SGDs. Systems designed for the single use of speech output are called dedicated systems. An example of a dedicated system is the Vantage Lite (manufactured by Prentke Romich Company). The second type of SGD is a computer system that is used for a variety of functions including that of generating speech. Examples of this type of SGD system is the Mercury (manufactured by Assistive Technology Inc.) and a computer with Speaking Dynamically software installed (START 1996).

The dedicated systems range from the one message voice output device, such as the Big Mack (manufactured by Ablenet Inc.), to the mid-range devices, such as the Go Talk, Communication Builder, and Tech Talk, to the high-tech devices, such as the ECO-2 (manufactured by Prentke Romich Company), the V (manufactured by DynaVox Electronics Inc.), and ComLink (manufactured by Forbes Rehab Services Inc.).

Why are SGDs used in the classroom setting?

Over the years, new legislation addressing issues relating to special needs students has prompted change in the educational opportunities for such students. According to Hartsell and McIntosh (2005), federal and state mandates dictate that students with cognitive or developmental delay, cerebral palsy, autism, specific language disabilities, multiple disabilities, sensory impairments, developmental apraxia, muscular dystrophy, and traumatic brain injury, receive free and appropriate education in the least restricted environment. Included in the mandates is the necessity for public school systems to provide each student with the specific materials or equipment needed for them to successfully access the curriculum. Students with significant communication difficulties are faced with the daily challenge of functioning effectively in the educational environment with the inability to relay even the simplest of messages. SGDs are therefore used to bridge the gap that poor expressive communication abilities create in the academic setting. When SGDs are effectively integrated into the classroom curriculum, students have the tools that they need to be productive, independent, and successful learners. Technology provides the students with the tools that they need to participate and achieve within these educational activities.

How should SGDs be integrated in the classroom?

No SGD is a “cure” for an ineffective or inadequate expressive communication system. Rather, an SGD should be considered one component of a communication system that allows a student to effectively relay messages. There will certainly be occasions when the use of just one SGD will not be appropriate in a communication setting. It is therefore incumbent upon the educators to develop and teach the student an arsenal of communication strategies. Once equipped with multiple options for expressive communication, the student can in turn pair ...