AAC & Facilitated
Communication in
Individuals with Autism
Sarah Choss & Sara Cook
CSD 823X
Autism Spectrum Disorders
(ASD)
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Autism and Autism spectrum disorder are terms
to describe a group of disorders that affect brain
development.
Range from incredible severe to a very high
functioning form where it is very difficult to tell
if someone has ASD. Typically, it is those with
more severe forms of ASD who use alternative
communication.
At this time, there are no known cases of autism
1 in 88 children are diagnosed with autism
Characteristics of ASD
1. Impairments in social interaction
2. Impairments in Communication
3. Restricted and repetitive patterns of
behaviors, communication, activities, and
interests
4. Attention and motor difficulties
5. Physical and health problems
Each type of ASD contains some combination of these
characteristics.
Types of ASD
ASD includes the following disorders:
Autistic disorder
Asperger syndrome
Pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise
specified (PDD-NOS)
Childhood disintegrative disorder
Rett syndrome
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Augmentative &
Alternative Communication
(AAC)
Definition
Augmentative and Alternative communication
is defined as the use of other communication
modalities to support or replace verbal
communication.
Examples of AAC Devices
Low Tech: (Non-SGDs)
Picture Exchange Communication System
(PECS)
Word/Letter Boards
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High Tech: (SGD or VOCA)
The Tango
The Xpress
iPad or iPod with Proloquo2go
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Benefits
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Provides independence for the individual
o Does not require a facilitator or assistant at all times.
Functionality
o For individuals who are nonverbal, AAC devices can
provide a way to communicate his or her wants and
needs. In some cases, these alternative devices will
help foster oral speech and language development.
Social Skills
o Allows the individual to engage in meaningful
communicative exchanges with others in his or her
environment.
Facilitated
Communication (FC)
What is Facilitated
Communication?
Facilitated Communication involves another
person, called a facilitator. The facilitator holds
a person with autism's hand while he looks for
letters and moves his hand around a keyboard or
letter board. The facilitator does not type or
guide the person's hand, but provides physical
support for the person's forearm, wrist, or
fingers and providing positive feedback for
correct responses. Eventually, the person will
learn to move his hand on his own and will no
longer need feedback of support.
FC Controversy
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Many believe the facilitator is controlling the
person with autism's hand and speaking for
him.
o Studies have proven this to be the case
o Wendrow case
Oftentimes, FC is done in lab and persons
with autism do not adjust well to this setting.
Benefits of FC for
Individuals with Autism
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Many people have learned to speak
independently
With autism specifically, it helps individuals
to gain motor control
Provides supports to produce meaningful
and complex messages
The facilitator provides physical and
emotional support
AAC and FC in Therapy
Assessment for Alternative
Communication
1) Identify communication needs through interviews,
surveys, and observation
2) Assess skills (ex: receptive or expressive language, verbal
speech, cognitive skills, literacy, sensory skills,
motivation, family support etc.)
3) Identify if have other people to facilitate communication
and environmental barriers
4) Determine appropriate type of alternative
communication & how to teach the necessary skills
5) Teach the user and facilitators how to use the system
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Considerations Specifically
for Autism
Individuals with Autism tend to have
problems with fine motor control and may
have problems with AAC device
Respond better to pictures than words.
AAC helps teach social interaction &
planning
Computer-based devices do not send
confusing social messages and provide a
consistent way to communicate
AAC Uses for ASD in
Therapy
Examples:
1. Picture Exchange Communication System
a.k.a. PECS
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Using visual representation to teach children to
communicate their wants and needs.
2. DynaVox
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Reading development for children with ASD
Video: AAC in Therapy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoF1UJ9YBUY
Examples & Case Studies
for AAC & FC
AAC: Josh
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6 years old at the time of assessment for AAC,
diagnosed with Autism at 3;6
Main form of communication before using an
AAC device was natural speech and pointing.
o Josh's natural speech usually consisted of one to two
word utterances to express wants or needs that were
difficult to understand
He uses the Powerbook made by Apple Inc.
o When assessed, Josh needed a device that would
allow him to expand his expressive vocabulary,
create more complex sentences, and initiate
communication at home and at school to name a
few.
FC: Jamie
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19 year-old, Jamie, has autism.
He types on a keyboard while his mom holds
the keyboard, providing physical and
emotional support
He has since learned to speak, but needs to
type out his thoughts first
FC has worked for Jamie as he can now
communicate with others without anxiety
Video: FC & AAC in Real
Life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzYIidZvfjA
When living with a neurological condition
(or with a loved one who has one), it can be
very easy to focus on the challenges and
limitations. But in my life, I have found that
focusing on abilities, finding new ways to
adapt, have been crucial to my successes in
life. Seeking those solutions can even be seen
as a form of creativity.
-Individual with Autism
References
Beukelman, David & Mirenda, Pat (2005). Augmentative & Alternative
Communication. Pittsburgh: Paul H. Brooks Publishing
Wallis, C. (2006, May 10)."Helping" Autistic People to Speak." Time.Retrieved
from http://www.time.com
Wisely, J. & Brasier, L.L (2011, June 15). Sex abuse claims in Wendrow case fall
apart in court. Detroit Free Press, Retrieved from http://www.freep.com
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d.). Facts About ASD. Center for
Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov
Light, J., Roberts, B., Dimarco, R., & Greiner, N. (1998). Augmentative and
alternative communication to support receptive and expressive communication
for people with autism. Journal of Communication Disorders, 31(2), 153-180.
References Cont.
Carr, Deborah, and Janet Felce. "The Effects of PECS Teaching to Phase III on
the Communicative Interactions between Children with Autism and their
Teachers." Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 37.4 (2007):
724-37. ProQuest Psychology Journals; ProQuest Research Library. Web.
Light, Janice C., et al. "Augmentative and Alternative Communication to
Support Receptive and Expressive Communication for People with Autism."
Journal of communication disorders 31.2 (1998): 153-80. ERIC.
Light, Janice C., et al. "Augmentative and Alternative Communication to
Support Receptive and Expressive Communication for People with Autism."
Journal of communication disorders 31.2 (1998): 153-80. ERIC
Zangari, C.; Lloyd, L.; Vicker, B. (1994). "Augmentative and alternative
communication: An historic perspective". Augmentative and Alternative
Communication 10 (1): 27–59.