More than Kicking the Tires: AAC Decision Making Through Feature Matching .

1. More than Kicking the Tires: AAC Decision Making Through Feature Matching . July 29, 2014Elizabeth Panek Christopher M.S. CCC-SLP

3. Purpose of the Today’s Talk Decisions for AT have education and life quality ramifications for students. For schools, poor outcomes for students, unwarranted purchases, and device abandonment can cause tensions with parents, misspent funds and loss of instructional time. As a leader, knowledge of feature matching is essential to guide your IEP teams to make more informed AT choices for students with disabilities..

4. Goal for the next hour • Discuss the basics behind augmentative and alternative communication feature matching and provide you with the language to discuss feature matching with your staff and IEP teams

5. Why you? • This session will discuss the basics behind augmentative and alternative communication feature matching and provide you with the language to discuss feature matching with your staff and IEP teams

6. Why focus on features? • Feature matching is the systematic process by which a person’s strengths, abilities and needs are matched to available tools and strategies (Shane & Costello, 1994) • There is no exhaustive feature list out there! But familiarity with commonly found features is a good way to approach AT decision-making.

7. Feature terminology is powerful. • Knowing the product name you want only answers “What AT?” • Knowing the features - and seeking data on the effectiveness of features in overcoming barriers – answers “Why this AT?” or “Why not?” • The research on AT and AAC provided evidence of effective features, not effective products. • Data collection from AT trials does the same.

8. What is Augmentative and Alternative Communication ? AAC is, foremost, a set of procedures and processes by which an individual's communication skills (i.e., production as well as comprehension) can be maximized for functional and effective communication. American Speech Language Association found at ASHA.org

9. Why AAC? • if speech is slow to develop • as a back-up if speech is difficult to understand (e.g. repair breakdowns) • as a way of communicating most of the time if speech ability is very limited or non-existent • to help develop understanding of delayed language • To promote independence

10. Function vs. Feature Function: The action for which a person or thing is particularly fitted or employed. Feature: A distinctive attribute or aspect of something.

11. Let’s talk about features We’ll start with things we know.

12. What is the purpose of driving? • What is the purpose (or function) of driving?

13. Why do I drive what I drive? • S: frequently skis and road cycles, Gets cold EASILY, Messy, shorter statue, drives a lot, never taught to drive a stick • E: Snow, Sand, Highways, gravel roads, right side of the road driver • T: multiple environments, frequent short drives

14. My Feature List MUST haves: • AWD • Gas engine • Low Maintenance • Clearance • Large Trunk Nice to have: • Leather seats • Heated Seats • Remote Starter AWD

15. Let’s change the environment • S: Loves to Cycle, Love to Ski, Gets cold EASILY, Messy, short, drives a lot, never taught to drive a stick • E: Water • T: multiple environments, frequent short drives

16. Does my list change? When my functions change by virtue of a change in my environment, my features may change.

17. Now you! What are the features of your car that make your life easier! Color doesn’t count!

18. Now from those features.. • Which are CRUCIAL features to perform the functions you need to do? • What are “nice to have” features?

19. Transportation: = multiple functions across time, people, places, and roles. It’s Multimodal.The Features you need depend on many factors

20. Communication: =multiple functions across time, people, places, and roles. It’s Multimodal.The Features you need depend on many factors

21. What is the Function of AAC? • To improve intelligibility of natural speech • To allow for communication while natural speech develops • To provide communication when natural speech is not present • To provide access to multiple communication partners • Repair communication breakdowns • Improve rate of communication

22. Feature Match ALWAYS match the AAC system to the student, not the student to the device. Choice of the potential system/devices is based on student’s needs and strengths. Device selection should NOT be based on the availability of a device, teacher’s familiarity with a particular device, or the student’s medical diagnosis.

23. Features of AAC devices Questions to ask BEFORE looking at products!) • How will the language be represented? • How will the person access the language? • Will the language be in phrases or single words? • Multiple pages? Single Pages? • Rows or digital scenes? • Will the pages be based on activities, categories, or high frequency vocabulary.

25. Features to Consider in Aided Communication… • Output Options • Rate Enhancement Options • Utterance Formation • Symbol Representation/Language Representation • Vocabulary Arrangement • Symbols

26. Symbol Representation/Language Representation • Object/tangible/tactile • Digital Photograph • Color Line Drawings • Black/White Line Drawings • Alphabet (for spelling) • Text-based(no pictures)

27. Vocabulary Arrangement • Single Message • Phrase Based • Single Word • Combination Considerations: • Rate of communication • Access needs • Language learning needs • A combination of message arrangements can be used

28. Vocabulary Organization • Location • Contextual • Activity Based • Category

29. Contextual Example- Visual Scene Source: www.dynavoxtech.com

30. Activity Based

31. Vocabulary Content High Frequency Words vs. Request/Nouns vs. Mixed

32. Number of Symbols per page • What is the minimum? • What is the maximum? Considerations: • Vision • Access • Language level • Attention • Organizational abilities • Language needs • Navigation skills

33. Message Retrieval Dynamic display: • Vocabulary options change Static: • Vocabulary option stay the same on the display. (Fixed)

34. Dynamic Display

35. Static Display

36. Selection Methods Direct Selection : • individual specifically indicates the desired item in the selection set without any intermediary steps. There are four types of direction selection methods used for aided AAC devices/strategies: a) pointing with physical contact and force b) pointing without physical contact c) pointing with contact and no force d) picking up and exchanging. (Dowden & Cook, 2001)

37. Eye Gaze

38. Adaptive Equipment for Direct Selection • Splint • Head Stick • Chin Stick • Laser Pointer • Mouth Stick • Trackball • Mouse • Keyguard • Joystick

39. Indirect Selection • A method of communication that involves intermediary steps by the device or the partner, usually to compensate for motor limitations of the user. Examples include single-and dual-switch scanning, directed scanning and coded access (Dowden and Cook, 2002).

40. Scanning Access • Head • Foot • Tongue • Eyebrow • Mouth • Hand • Elbow

41. Switch Features • Large • Small • Soft • Hard • Specialty access location: (i.e., tongue)________________

42. Scanning Mode • Visual only • Auditory only • Visual/auditory

43. Scanning Pattern • Linear • Row/Column • Block/row/column

44. Scanning Method • Automatic scanning • Directed (step) scanning • Inverse Scanning • Partner Assisted

45. Other Considerations/Features • Multi-tasking • Navigation between tasks? Is it available? What does it look like?

46. Environmental Controls • Yes • No

47. Size/Weight • Large- size avg. 9" x 12" / 4.5 + lbs • Medium - size avg. 6" x 8" / 2.5 - 4.5 lbs. • Small - handheld size avg. /5 oz - 2.5 lbs

48. Other General Considerations Think of it this way: You can list musical instruments and concentrate on how to press the keys/ or put air into it but to be a musician, someone has to teach you to love the music, read the music, and interact in the group Tool not the goal

49. What are the “instruments”? • Some common high tech devices • PRC family • Vantage Lite & Spring Board Lite (discontinued) • Accent 1000 and 1200 (current devices) • Satillo • Nova Chat • DynaVoxfamily • Maestro • V, VMax, VMaxwith Eye Max accessory • Xpress • T10 (new) • iPad with apps • Apps include Proloquo2Go, Speak for Yourself!, TouchChat HD AAC with Word Power, LAMP Words for Life • Choice Communicator Through ACCI

50. Low tech with paper overlaysand levels Common example… • Go Talk Family • Go Talk 4+ • Go Talk 9+ • Go Talk 20+ • Go Talk Express 32