Communication Aid Trial
Suggestions
A guide and selection of useful resources
prepared by Liberator to help you get the most
out of your communication aid trial.
What We Know About Language
Core vocabulary consists of a small number of frequently occurring words that account for 80%
of what we say. These words are spoken across environments and are composed of various
parts of speech. Fringe (or extended) vocabulary is made up of a large number of topic or
situation specific words (typically nouns) which are used much less frequently, just 20% of what
we say.
AAC vocabulary selection is crucial to communication success. Research supports the use of
core vocabulary to provide individuals with complex communication needs access to the same
vocabulary as typically developing peers. Core vocabulary supports development of pragmatics
(the use of language socially), syntax (grammar) and literacy. Examples of pragmatic
vocabulary include words to initiate, comment, request, respond, direct others and take turns.
This is supported by pronoun phrases and sentences.
Teaching and reinforcing a student’s learning and use of core vocabulary can be done in the
classroom and throughout the school day. For example, if a student had a lesson about the
solar system, test what was learnt by saying, “Tell me something about the planet Mercury”
instead of asking, “What is the smallest planet in the solar system?”
The best way to start implementing core vocabulary in AAC is to start with a well-planned and
organized core vocabulary system such as Unity® which is available in most of Liberator’s
communication devices. Personal or fringe vocabulary can be added to these devices as
required for each individual.
Language develops in stages. The stages provide a framework for understanding and
predicting the path of normal expressive language development, in terms of morphology and
syntax. Unity provides vocabulary to support language learning experiences of children using
AAC.
Plan Ahead for Success
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Identify environments and tasks for device use (E.g. daily routines, classroom lessons).
Create participation opportunities within activities.
Discuss expectations and language aims.
Identify the person responsible for supporting the individual in the targeted tasks and
environments.
Decide what data will be collected, who will collect it, and how it will be recorded.
Provide the best positioning of the individual, device, and accessories such as switches.
Keep the AAC device accessible and within easy reach.
Relate activities to the individual’s experience and knowledge base.
Communicate frequently with colleagues.
Prepared by Liberator Ltd
May 2011
Support Materials Provided
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Language Lesson Plans – designed to guide you through certain language
development milestones as you teach Unity. The plan covers:
o
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target language outcome
list of vocabulary words
suggested objectives
ideas for teaching activities
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Communication Checklist – use to assess pragmatics/social use of language.
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Core Vocabulary Checklist – this tool may be used for charting specific core words
used each day of the device trial.
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Getting Started Guide – to help you with the operation and features of your
communication aid plus:
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Quick Reference Guide
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Hide and Show Key Instructions
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How to Use Vocabulary Builder
AAC Language Lab DVD – Contains the full set of resources and materials to teach
core vocabulary for language stages 1 and 2.
Prepared by Liberator Ltd
May 2011
Language Stage 1
This person is an emergent communicator. The use of symbolic language for communication is
just beginning. Most utterances consist of one word. An utterance may be a one-word comment,
or the single word may represent an entire sentence. For example, the one-word utterance,
"More" may represent "I want more now!” During this stage, language grows until there is about
a 50 to 60 word vocabulary.
Expected Outcomes
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Will speak using single words
Will increase the number of words he/she uses meaningfully
Will speak single words to direct another person's actions
Will speak single words to express negatives
Will speak single words to express requests
Unity Program Options
Unity 1-hit
Choose the software program with the most keys that is accessed without frustration. To
simplify, use the hide/show keys feature to show a limited number of words. Increase the
number of words shown as quickly as the first ones have been learnt.
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Unity 32 (SpringBoard Lite)
Unity 45 1-Hit (Vantage Lite, ECO2)
Unity 60 1-Hit (Vantage Lite, ECO2)
Unity 84 1-Hit (Vantage Lite, ECO2)
Unity 144 1-Hit (ECO2)
Unity Sequenced
Choosing the program with the most keys will provide a larger vocabulary than program with
fewer keys.
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Unity 45 Sequenced (Vantage Lite, ECO2)
Unity 60 Sequenced (Vantage Lite, ECO2)
Unity 84 Sequenced (Vantage Lite, ECO2)
Unity 144 Sequenced (ECO2)
Prepared by Liberator Ltd
May 2011
Language Lesson Plans: Directing Activities Part 1
Language Stage 1
Expected Outcome: The person will use one word utterances to direct the course of an
activity.
Purpose: To encourage the person to direct the behaviour of others and the course of any
activity with words instead of behaviour.
Target Vocabulary:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
All done
Help
More
Stop
Go
Target Language Skill: Producing 1 word utterances
Suggested Objectives:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
The person will say "all done" to show that something is finished.
The person will direct another person's actions by saying the word "go".
The person will say the word "help" to request help.
The person will say the word "more" to request more of something, or a continuation of
an action.
The person will say the word "stop" or "all done" to indicate that he is finished with an
activity.
The person will say the word "stop" to command someone else to stop something.
The communication partner will model each word.
The communication partner will model two or three word phrases containing each word.
Teaching Activities:
1. If the person acts bored, or indicates wanting to complete what you are doing, model the
use of "stop" or "all done".
2. When playing with cars and trucks on the floor, model "go" and "stop". Make the toy cars
go and stop after you say the words with the device. Instruct the person to say “stop”
and “go” to determine your actions.
3. Watch for times when the person needs help. Model "help" on the device. Encourage the
person to ask for help with the device.
4. Find an activity or item the person enjoys (bubbles, sensory toy, rocking, etc.). Model
then encourage the person to request “more”.
5. Read a book with target words “go”, “stop”, “more”, “help”. Pause when you get to a
word and ask the person to say it using the device. Ask a question about what you’ve
just read.
Prepared by Liberator Ltd
May 2011
Generalisation:
1. Include these words and suggested objectives into any activity. Choose the person's
favourites, for example; stories, music, arts and crafts, role playing, dress-up.
2. Provide materials, but put up barriers or obstacles. Model the use of "help".
3. Provide only small amounts of something for the activity. Model the use of "more."
4. Complete the activity. Model the use of "more" to indicate wanting to continue with the
same type of activity. Model the use of "stop" or "all done" to indicate ending the activity.
5. Remember that the person may be a motor learner, not depending on the metaphors
associated with the icons. Lots of practice will establish automatic motor patterns for
these beginning words.
Reference: Prentke Romich Company AAC Language Lab (www.aaclanguagelab.com)
Find a wealth of teaching materials, including lesson plans for language concepts, materials from the
PRC Language Materials Library, and much more.
Prepared by Liberator Ltd
May 2011
Directing Activities Part 2
Language Stage 1
Expected Outcome: The person will use specific action words to direct or describe actions in
activities.
Purpose: to expand the person's ability to request and direct action with specific action words.
Target Vocabulary:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Drink
Eat
Make
Play
Read
Sleep
Work
Target Language Skill: Produce one word utterances
Suggested Objectives:
1. The person will say the word "work" to direct another person to do something.
2. The person will say the word "work" to indicate turning on a machine or computer.
3. The person will say the word "play" to indicate that he/she wants to play with another
person.
4. The person will say the word "play" to indicate they he/she wants to play a game.
5. The person will say the word "eat" to indicate that he/she wants someone else to eat
something.
6. The person will say the word "read" to direct someone to read a book.
7. The person will say the word "drink" to indicate that he/she wants a drink.
8. The person will say the word "sleep" to request that someone goes to sleep.
9. The person will say the word "make" to direct someone else to make something for
him/her.
Teaching Activities:
1. Model and prompt the action words on the device, and by acting out the word.
2. Act out the words that the person says.
3. One person may need to do hand over hand modeling with the person, while another
person acts out the word.
4. Play a guessing game: Print action words on cards, and place the cards in a box or other
container. Draw out a card and act out the word. The person wins a point if he or she
can say the word that is being acted out.
5. Communication partner models using the action words to make two and three word
phrases, for example "eat food", "play game" "drink water" "you make" "read book"
6. Let the person direct someone else to do these actions by saying one word at a time.
Prepared by Liberator Ltd
May 2011
Language Stage 2
During this stage, language grows 75 - 200+ word vocabulary. At this point, the individual
enters stage two and begins to combine words to make phrases. The mean (average) length of
utterances in stage two is expected to be about 1.75 words long. That is, some utterances are
still just one word, but more are two and three word phrases.
Expected Outcomes
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Will combine two and three words to make phrases
Will increase the number of words he or she uses meaningfully
Will increase the number of phrases he or she uses meaningfully
Will speak two and three word phrases to direct another person's actions
Will speak two and three word phrases to express negatives
Will speak two and three word phrases to express requests
Unity Program Options
Unity 1-Hit
Choose the program with the most keys that is accessed without frustration. To simplify, use the
hide/show keys feature to show a limited number of words. Increase the number of words
shown as quickly as the first ones have been learned.
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



Unity 32 (SpringBoard Lite)
Unity 45 1-Hit (Vantage Lite, ECO2)
Unity 60 1-Hit (Vantage Lite, ECO2)
Unity 84 1-Hit (Vantage Lite, ECO2)
Unity 144 1-Hit (ECO2)
Unity Sequenced
Choosing the program with the largest number of keys will provide a larger vocabulary than
programs with fewer keys.




Unity 45 Sequenced (Vantage Lite, ECO2)
Unity 60 Sequenced (Vantage Lite, ECO2)
Unity 84 Sequenced (Vantage Lite, ECO2)
Unity 144 Sequenced (ECO2)
Prepared by Liberator Ltd
May 2011
Lesson Plan: Building Phrases with Dynamic Activity
Rows
Language Stage 2
Expected Outcome: The person will speak two word utterances.
Purpose: To increase knowledge and usage of vocabulary in dynamic rows
Target Vocabulary:
1. Read story
2. Colour red
3. Drink water
4. Feel sad
5. Feel bad
6. Feel thirsty
7. Feel mad
8. Stop
9. Turn
10. More
11. All done
Target Language Skill: production of two word utterances
Suggested Objectives:
1. The person will say the phrase "read story" when asked the coordinating question or
when he/she wants to read the story.
2. The person will say the phrase "feel sad" when asked the coordinating question.
3. The person will say the phrase "feel bad" when asked the coordinating question.
4. The person will say the phrase "feel thirsty" when asked the coordinating question.
5. The person will say the phrase "feel mad" when asked the coordinating question.
6. The person will say the word "stop" when he or she no longer wants to do the activity.
7. The person will say the word "turn" when the page needs to be turned during a reading
activity.
8. The person will say the word "more" when he/she wants to hear more of the story.
9. The person will say the phrase "all done" when he/she no longer wants to do the activity
or when the book is at the end.
Teaching Activities:
1. Model each target word or phrase on the device. If possible you may want to act out the
word or show the person a tangible representation of a phrase.
2. Model the phrase "read story" before getting out any book to read. Prompt the person to
say the phrase "read story" before you read a book. If you need to, wait with the book in
front of the person until he or she says "read story".
Prepared by Liberator Ltd
May 2011
Generalisation:
1. Model and teach feelings. You can use pictures of sad people, mad people, thirsty
animals, etc. Use puppets to illustrate different feelings.
2. Remember to ask questions that will help the person direct the activity. For example, "Do
you want to do more?" "Are you all done?" (Don’t ask both questions at the same time!)
Reference: Prentke Romich Company AAC Language Lab (www.aaclanguagelab.com)
Find a wealth of teaching materials, including lesson plans for language concepts, materials from the
PRC Language Materials Library, and much more.
Prepared by Liberator Ltd
May 2011
Lesson Plan: On and Off
Language Stage 2
Expected Outcome: The person will be able to say the words "on" and "off" combined with
other words.
Purpose: To teach the meaning of "on" and "off"
Target Vocabulary:
1. on
2. off
3. turn
4. water
5. light
6 .head
7. my
8. your
9. hand
10. get
11. foot
12. nose
13. table
Target Language Skill: Combining words to make phrases
Suggested Objectives:
1. The person will show that he or she understands the meaning of "on."
2. The person will show that he or she understands the meaning of "off."
3. The person will use the phrase "turn off" to direct someone else to turn off an appliance or
toy.
4. The person will use the phrase "turn on" to direct someone else to turn on an appliance or
toy.
5. The person will use the phrase "water on" to direct someone else to turn on the water.
6. The person will use the phrase "water off' to direct someone else to turn off the water.
7. The person will use the phrase "on head" to tell another person to put something on his head.
8. The person will use the phrase "off head" to tell another person to take something off his
head.
9. The person will use the phrase "on table" to tell someone else to put something on the table.
10. The person will use the phrase "off table" to tell someone else to take something off of the
table.
Teaching Activities:
1. Use the word "on" frequently to discuss locations. Allow the person to direct you or peers to
sit "on" a chair, and put something "on" a table or shelf.
2. Allow the person to direct you or make choices about art activities: colour "on" the paper, put
glitter "on" the page, and paint "on" the canvas.
3. The word "on" can be used to describe travelling - we can ride "on" a bus, "on" a train, "on"
Prepared by Liberator Ltd
May 2011
an airplane, "on" a bike, "on" a horse or even "on" someone's shoulders.
4. Let the person help set the table at mealtimes by putting plates and utensils "on" the table,
food "on" the plates and salt "on" the food.
5 . Have fun being silly while learning about body parts by putting stickers "on" a nose, knee or
elbow. Continue with silly dress-up games and put "on" shoes, dresses, wigs, hats and even
make-up or face paint.
6. Many things in the person's environment have on/off switches: computers, lights, toys,
flashlights, kitchen appliances, TVs, radios, cars, fans, water faucets. Use these motivating and
routine activities to teach the word "on." As the person’s language grows, add some more core
words to say "turn it on."
7. During cleaning routines, you and the person can take items "off" the table, sweep "off" the
floor, and clean "off" or wipe "off" the tables.
8. When arriving at school, model using the word "off" while directing a child to take "off" his/her
coat and backpack.
9. At the end of the day, talk about getting undressed by describing taking "off" socks, shoes,
pants and shirts.
10. After dress-up games or cold winter days, there are even more things to take "off:" coats,
gloves, headbands, hats, wigs and even nail polish!
11. The person can ask for help to access preferred foods, drinks or toys by asking for a lid to
be taken "off" or by asking for items to be taken "off" a high shelf.
12. Many items and activities in daily life can be turned "off." Have the person direct you or
peers to turn "off" the water, turn "off" the lights, turn "off" the car, turn "off" the music and turn
"off" the TV.
13. The word "off" can be empowering for someone who is easily overwhelmed by sensory
stimuli; if a person can ask for bright lights to be turned "off" or for loud music to be turned "off,"
he/she can take control of regulating his/her environment.
14. "Off" is a relevant word in many leisure and therapy activities. We can get "off" a bike, swing
or horse. Because movement can be motivating to many children, we can talk about jumping
"off" a step or falling "off" the bed. Wind-up toys can also fall or jump "off" surfaces.
List "off" your favourite ideas and share how you have used this versatile word!.
Generalisation
1. Play a game - give the person a token for each time that he or she says the word "on" or "off"
during the game. (Just hitting the display to repeat words doesn't count!)
2. Read the book On and Off (see - AAC Language Lab). Let the person say the words using
his/her device at the appropriate time. Find another book with these words.
3. Build a block tower. Put a small toy on top. Say "on". Knock the small toy off the tower. Say
"off".
Reference: Prentke Romich Company AAC Language Lab (www.aaclanguagelab.com)
Find a wealth of teaching materials, including lesson plans for language concepts, materials from the
PRC Language Materials Library, and much more.
Prepared by Liberator Ltd
May 2011