Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
AAC includes all forms of communication that can be used to make friends, socialize with peers/colleagues, express ideas, wants and needs. AAC can support people with communication needs in saying and or writing whatever they choose. AAC comes in many forms it can be “low-tech”, such as gestures or picture cards or “high-tech”, specialized applications, software, or hardware.
AAC & Communication
Low-tech
A communication tool that
educators can create is a communication
flip book. A communication flipbook includes various pictures, and
can be organized with tabs to make it user friendly. The teacher or student can
flip to the correct theme board, and then the student can choose what they need
to communicate. Here are some great sites to use if you need pictures for your
flipbook:
High-tech
A great high tech communication tool that I found from a tweet was Proloquo2Go . Proloquo2Go is an AAC software product for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, which provides natural sounding (as best as possible) text-to-speech voices. The student chooses from a variety of categories on the home page. When the student taps their choice the item speaks. You can then add the pictures and vocabulary to the message window. When the student is finished with their message they tape the message window and it will speak all the items. This program also has a text to speech feature, with word prediction. This program is awesome and has great supports. Another great app I found was conversation builder. It is a fabulous app, conversation builder. This app supports students with Autism develop social language. I can't wait to use it.
AAC & Accessibility
For
some student fine motor function, the use of small motor function, such as
writing can be extremely difficult. Two simple tools that support students in
increasing their writing samples are the short pencil and a slant board.
According to the Occupational therapist at my school site, when students use a
shorter skinny (yes not fat) pencil, they are developing the small muscles in
their hands needed for writing. The slant board position the paper at an angle
that is comfortable for the eye, promotes better posture allowing the students
to better position themselves for writing assignments.
AAC & Accessibility
Low-tech
For
some student fine motor function, the use of small motor function, such as
writing can be extremely difficult. Two simple tools that support students in
increasing their writing samples are the short pencil and a slant board.
According to the Occupational therapist at my school site, when students use a
shorter skinny (yes not fat) pencil, they are developing the small muscles in
their hands needed for writing. The slant board position the paper at an angle
that is comfortable for the eye, promotes better posture allowing the students
to better position themselves for writing assignments.
High-tech
A
great and FREE software option for
students with special needs is Speak Text Free. This is a great tool that reads and translates reading materials
or websites. This resource is fantastic because it breaks down the barrier for
students who have difficulty decoding and gives them access to the same
materials as their peers.
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