Angela Standridge, M.A.,CCC-SLP,ATP
Region 4 ESC
713.744.6831
amstand@esc4.net
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
1












ASHA
AAC 101 Wiki
Vocabulary Issues and core vocabulary research
Evaluation and implementation
Implementation ideas
AAC and the curriculum
Don’t forget the Low Tech
Core vocabulary in high end AAC devices
Guided hands-on exploration of high-tech
speech generating device vocabulary
Data collection
Resources
Open Forum
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
2




.5 CEUS
Please sign in
Stay the entire session
At conclusion of training:
◦ Complete Evaluation
◦ Complete the “bubble” form- make sure to put your
ASHA number

Learner Outcomes
◦ Define core and fringe vocabulary
◦ Identify three language representation methods
◦ Discuss the similarities and differences of core
vocabulary programs
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
3
http://aac101.wikispaces.com/
 Overview of AAC
 Resources
 Links
 Documents
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
4
One voice
June 2010
Region 4 ESC
5


Saying exactly what they want to say
Saying it as fast as they can
Source: http://www.aacinstitute.org
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
6




Language development
Cognitive development/learning
Literacy development
Social participation
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
7




Linguistic- receptive and expressive skills
Operational- “button pushing”
Social- pragmatics
◦ Minimally: Initiating, commenting, repairing,
terminating
Strategic – knowing when to use what tool
for what purpose
Janice Light - Toward a Definition of Communicative
Competence for Individuals Using Augmentative
and Alternative Communication Systems
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
8




The use of AAC requires a set of
prerequisite skills, beginning with
communicative intent
The primary purpose of AAC is to express
wants and needs
All AAC systems must be 100%
personalized
An AAC system is only effective when
everyone requires the student to use the
system
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
9






Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?
Which?
http://aac.unl.edu
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
10

Core vocabulary
◦ 100-500 most commonly
spoken words
◦ Best to use single wordsnot phrases and
sentences
◦ Gateway
◦ Unity
◦ Sono Lexis
◦ Word Power and Picture
Word Power
Must have



User specific
vocabulary
Content Specific
vocabulary
Academic vocabulary
◦ Varying levels
◦ Content area specific
◦ Cognitively and Linguistic
proficiency

Fringe vocabulary
Good to have
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
11


From Gail VanTatenhove:
AAC Angels
12
June 2010
Region 4 ESC



Alphabetic/alphanumeric- spelling and
word/phrase prediction
Single-meaning symbols
Semantic Compaction/Minspeak®
◦ Multi-meaning symbols
◦ Small symbol set
◦ Sequencing of symbols
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
13







Receptive language
Expressive language
Symbolic associations
Motor skills, access, positioning
Sensory abilities
Memory, cognition
Device trials
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
14



Determine if an AAC system is appropriate
Student isn’t using his/her current system
Student’s needs have changed
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
15




Student
Environment
Task
Tool
Joy Zabala
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
16




Training and support
Goals and objectives
Documentation
Student and other AT team members
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
17






Language Development
Literacy development
Computer access
Curriculum goals (TEKS/IEP)
Leisure
Social Communication
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
18





Designate programmer(s)
Utilize pre-existing architecture
Document changes, additions, etc.
Obtain input/feedback from the system
operator and other team members
Consider selection techniques
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
19

Language

AAC
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
20







Start early
Keep the activities authentic and in the natural
environment
Focus on sustained turn taking activities that
are more than just need/want based
Model (make a cheat sheet/word & pix wall)
Utilize a total communication approach
Incorporate activities, routines and scripting
Try sabotage and interrupted behavior chains
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
21





Use cues and prompts (environmental,
visual, auditory, physical)
Teach symbol representation skills for
objects/pictures (linguistic)
Teach locations of symbols (visual); hide
icons and reveal gradually
Develop pragmatic language/social skills
Facilitate expressive language development
commensurate with language comprehension
skills
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
22






Use established language intervention
techniques
Practice imitation, extension and parallel
language techniques
Use peers and siblings as communication
partners
Play games and music to teach language
Engage in communication partner training
Ask questions in such a way they can be
answered with CORE vocabulary
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
23

Social Networks: A Communication Inventory
for Individuals with Complex Communication
Needs and their Communication Partners
◦ S. Blackstone and M. Hunt Berg
*http://www.augcominc.com
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
24

Written language activities and experiences
should not be withheld while speech,
language, motor, or other skills develop to
arbitrary, prerequisite levels.
* Erickson and Koppenhaver
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
25





TEKS
When- every possible opportunity
How- the same way non-challenged peers are
taught...almost
Karen Erickson focuses on trying to find the
right “pencil”
Access to computer technology as a literacy
tool/support
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
26




Find the appropriate “pencil”
Write for a real purpose
Content, use, and form
See others do it
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
27





Language comprehension
Phonics, phonemic awareness, phonological
processing
Word identification/working with words
Reading comprehension
Reading fluency
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
28



Teach letters and vocabulary along with
device use
Use Minspeak icons to illustrate and icon
names as labels
Use dynamic display pages as books to
illustrate alphabet and language concepts
along with device use
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
29

Waves of Words: Augmented Communicators
Read and Write
◦ Edited by K. Erickson, D. Koppenhaver, and D.
Yoder
*http://www.augcominc.com
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
30





Every Move Counts
Environmental Communication Teaching
Tangible Symbol System
Picture Exchange Communication Systems
Language Acquisition through Motor
Planning (LAMP)
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
31




Always have an accompanying low-tech
system
Picture books, eye gaze (see PATTAN
handout), wallets, wall based systems,
wearable systems
CORE vocabulary
Low tech is great way to address ACADEMIC
vocabulary needs
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
32
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
33




Vantage/Vanguard/Vantage Lite
Pathfinder
ECO 14, EcoPoint
Core:
◦ Unity Vocabularies
◦ WordPower
◦ Picture WordPower

www.prentrom.com
◦ Teaching Materials
◦ AAC Language Lab
◦ Center for AAC and Autism
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
34







Unity® 84 One Hit, Sequenced, Scan
Unity® 60 One Hit, Sequenced, Basic
Unity® 45 One Hit, Sequenced
Unity® 45 Basic, Transition
WordCore 45, Word Core 84
Word Core 84 Scan
MinTalk™
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
35






84-WordPower®
84-Picture WordPower®
84-Picture WordPower® w/o Keyboard
45-WordPower®
45-Picture WordPower®
45-Picture WordPower® Phrases & Categories
*additional fee for this software
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
36






Unity® 84 One Hit, Sequenced
Unity® 45 One Hit, Two Hit, Full
WordCore 45, Word Core 84
MinTalk™
84-WordPower® & Picture WordPower®
45-WordPower® & Picture WordPower®
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
37






Unity® 144 Single Hit, Sequenced
Unity® 84 Single Hit, Sequenced
Unity® 60 Single Hit, Sequenced
Unity® 45 One Hit, Two Hit, Full
WordCore 144, 84, 45
MinTalk™
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
38




WordPower®
Picture WordPower®
Scanning WordPower®
Scanning Picture Word Power®
*additional fee for this software
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
39






Unity® 128 Single Hit
Unity® 128 Sequenced
Unity® 32 Single Hit
Unity® 32 Sequenced
Adult Quick Learning System (AQLS)
WordPower®, Picture WordPower®, Scanning
WordPower®
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
40


V, Vmax, EyeMax
Core:
◦ Gateway Vocabularies
◦ WordPower
◦ Picture WordPower




InterAACT
Xpress (word based)
Tango (Core.First, Phrase.First)
www.dynavoxtech.com/default.aspx
◦ Tips and Advice
◦ Implementation tool Kit
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
41






Gateway©
Gateway©
Gateway©
Gateway©
Gateway©
Gateway©
12
20
30
40
60
Pro
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
42









WordPower® 60-Location
WordPower® 150-Location
*Additional fee for
Picture WordPower®
this software
Picture WordPower® No Keyboard
Picture WordPower® 60-Location
Picture WordPower® Phrases & Categories
Scanning WordPower®
Scanning Picture Word Power®
Scanning Picture WordPower® Phrases & Categories
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
43

InterAACT ®
◦ Age
◦ Communication
Ability
◦ Context
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
44

UpTempo Core First
◦ Tango for Children
◦ Tango for Teens
◦ Tango for Adults
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
45





C8
C12
Ceye Module
Tobii Communicator 4
Core:
◦
◦
◦
◦


Sono Lexis
Functionally Speaking
WordPower
Picture WordPower
www.assistivetech.com/corporate/home.aspx
www.tobii.com/corporate/start.aspx
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
46

PalmChat™©
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
47

PalmChat™©
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
48



For iPhone™ & iPod™ touch, or iPad
VocaSpace™ vocabulary set
Word Spaces™ core vocabulary
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
49



Words Pronto
Expressive board
WordPower, Scanning WordPower, Picture
WordPower & Scanning Picture WordPower for
VS Communicator
*VS Communicator Pro & Speaking Dynamically Pro
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
50


The Grid™
WordPower®, Picture WordPower®, Scanning
WordPower® for the Grid2
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
51





Rubric
Language sample recording (video, audio,
LAM™)
Interview
Checklist/sheet
Portfolio
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
52




LAM™ (Language Activity Monitor)
U-LAM
PeRT (AAC Performance Report)
SSPT (Single Switch Performance Test)
*AAC Institute
http://www.aacinstitute.org
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
53




Go to You Tube and search for AT or AAC
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_quer
y=assistive+technology&search_type=&aq=f
PRC : http://www.prentrom.com/success/ ,
http://www.youtube.com/prcaccess
Dynavox:
http://www.dynavoxtech.com/success/defaul
t.aspx
Tobii/ATI:
http://www.tobii.com/assistive_technology/u
ser_stories/astrid_siemens_lorentzen.aspx
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
54

http://www.prentrom.com
◦ Teaching Materials
◦ Speak Share
◦ Online training
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
55

http://www.dynavoxtech.com
◦ Communication Connections
◦ Online training
◦ Toolkit
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
56




www.inmaninnovations.com
http://www.gatewaytolanguageandlearning.c
om/
http://www.vantatenhove.com
http://www.minspeak.com/
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
57

AAC smalltalk
◦ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aacsmalltalk/

ACOLUG
◦ http://www.temple.edu/instituteondisabilities/prog
rams/aac/acolug/
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
58

Special Education Technology, British
Columbia (SET-BC)
◦ The Learning Center
◦ http://www.setbc.org/lcindexer/
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
59




Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Success
Exploring Core Vocabulary of High-Tech
Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Systems
AAC TIPS for student success
www.theansweris4.net
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
60



Exploring Core Vocabulary of High-Tech
AAC Systems
Core Vocabulary for AAC
AAC Implementation
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
61




Print certificates after online evaluation
Complete evaluation and receive certificate
today for ASHA CEUs
Recycle cans, plastic, paper
Visit www.theansweris4.net eCatalog for
additional AT training updates
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
62




Open forum
Questions and
concerns?
Complete evaluations
and bubble forms
Have a great summer
It takes teamwork!
Region 4 ESC
June 2010
63