Speech -Language Hearing - ABVE

2/8/2021

SC Assistive Technology Program 803-935-5263 1

Communication Devices and Apps for NonVerbal People

Carol Page, PhD, CCC-SLP, ATP, [email protected]

▶ It is the position of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) that communication is the essence of human life and that all people have the right to communicate to the fullest extent possible. No individuals should be denied this right, irrespective of the type and/or severity of communication, linguistic, social, cognitive, motor, sensory, perceptual, and/or other disability(ies) they may present.

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Communication is a Right

Definition of AAC

• Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) includes all forms of communication (other than oral speech) that are used to express thoughts, needs, wants, and ideas: facial expressions, body posture, gestures, symbol use, or writing.

• People with severe speech or language problems rely on AAC to supplement existing speech or replace speech that is not functional. AAC may increase social interaction, school performance, and feelings of self-worth.

• AAC users should not stop using speech if they are able to do so. The AAC aids and devices are used to enhance their communication.

• Focus on communication - not the technology

• Experience implementation as an on-going, dynamic team process

• Use multiple systems and multiple modalities

• Participate in active learning

• Learn language through natural immersion in language

• Find a balance if significant multiple challenges are present

• Remain motivated—It’s key!

Successful AAC Communicators

Linda Burkhartwww.lburkhart.com

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“There are no known cognitive or other prerequisites that are

necessary for a child to use AAC.”

- Kangas and Lloyd (1988)

“Children with severe cognitive deficits are capable of learning

and benefiting from the use of AAC.”

- Beukelman and Mirenda (2005)

Prerequisites for

the Use of AAC

NONE!

Types of Access

Direct Selection• Use a finger, foot, elbow,

head, head pointer, eye gaze, mouth stick, etc., to select, indicate or activate

• Low, Moderate, or High Cognitive Demand

• Low, Moderate, or High Physical Demand

Indirect Selection• Use a switch to move

through a series of potential items/toys/messages to select one

• Higher Cognitive Demand

• Low Physical Demand

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mailto:[email protected]

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Direct Access to AAC

Direct Selection Access Methods-Touch-Touch with keyguard-Optical/Infrared Head Pointer-Eye Gaze-Joystick/Mouse/Taction Pad Capable-Manual Head Pointer/Mouth Stick-Brain Computer Interface



Keyguards for AAC Apps for iPadshttps://www.keyguardat.com/keyguards-for-ipads/


i-110 by Tobii-Dynavox

NovaChat by Saltillo

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Accent by PrentkeRomich

Wego by

Talk to Me

Technologies

Direct Access to AAC Direct Access to AAC

Head Mouse Nano

“plug ‘n play”

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Tetra Mouse

“plug ‘n play”

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https://www.keyguardat.com/keyguards-for-ipads/

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• Eye Gaze Systems- Text or graphic symbols

Eye Link Two-step Eye Gaze

Direct Access to AAC• Eye Gaze Systems

- A reflection from the eye is seen by camera. This tells the device where to move the mouse.

Tobii Dynavox

Talk To Me Technologies

PRC

Forbes AAC

How Do I Set Up and

Use the Device?

• Nouns can be extremely motivating at first.

• How far does learning nouns take you? Nouns do not generalize across activities.

• Vocabulary should promote frequent, interactive conversation.

Provide Highly Motivating Vocabulary

It’s so much more than choosing answers to the communication partner’s questions!

-commenting

-providing specifics/describing

-directing

-asking for clarification

-asking for more information

-gaining power and a voice!

Vocabulary and Message Selection

Core or High-Frequency Vocabulary

A few hundred words that make up about 80% of daily conversation. These consist of pronouns, articles, and prepositions and are an integral part of effective communication across settings. It does not include long lists of highly specific words (e.g., every type of food).

Fringe or Extended Vocabulary

Words that are highly specific to the individual, environments or activities.

Vocabulary and Message Selection

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https://aaclanguagelab.com/resources/100-high-frequency-core-word-list

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First 23 words

Banajee & Buras-Stricklin (2003)

all done/finishedgohelphereIinisitminemoreMy

nooffonoutsomethatthewantwhatyes/yeahyou

Clinical Application

Banajee & Buras-Stricklin (2003)

First 100 words Count the Nouns

Communication Message Arrangement:

Does it matter where everything goes?

Messages: Motor Memory

Start where you want to end:

- Start with the number of message squares you think the person will ultimately be able to accommodate.

- Add the number of messages that the individual can accommodate now.

- Leave the rest of the message squares blank

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqfVAPuGzpI

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How Motor (or Muscle) Memory works:

- Our muscles remember how to move to complete tasks that we do frequently.

- We like things to stay the same because we get used to where things are.

- Analogy: We can type as fast as we do because the keyboard keys are always in the same place.



AAC and Literacy

Why Do Children with Complex Communication Needs Have Reduced

Literacy Results?

• Poor expectations of others

• Sight word reading/recognition not valued

• Excluded from literacy activities

• Excluded because they can’t sound letters and words out

Increasing Reading Interactions with AAC

• Expectant Delays

• Open-ended Questions

• Aided Language Stimulation

• Respond to Attempts to Communicate

(Kent-Walsh & McNaughton, 2005)

(Kent-Walsh & Rosa-Lugo, 2006)

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Literacy and AAC Overlap

• Language consists of:

- Semantics

- Syntax

- Morphology

- Phonology

- Pragmatics

Literacy and AAC Vocabulary

• Core vocabulary

– 300-400 frequently used words that make up 80% of what we say.

• Dolch words

– Also called “Sight Words” or “The Dolch 220.” It includes the most frequently used words in the English language. Sight words make up 50 to 70 percent of any general text.

– For the most part, these words can't be taught through pictures and/or phonics and are memorized.

Literacy and AAC Vocabulary

• Core vocabulary and Dolch Words

Project Core

Effective Communication Partners

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• Parents

• Siblings

• Peers

• Teachers

• Therapists

• Aids

• General School Staff

• Colleagues

• Community Members

Who are the communication partners?

Communication Partners

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Untrained Communication Partners

• Dominate communication interactions

• Rely on yes/no questions.

• Introduce most of the topics.

• Talk to the exclusion of the AAC user participating in the conversation.

• Focus on the technology or technique.

(Blackstone, 1999; Light, Collier, & Parnes, 1985a).

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https://www.dolchword.net/printables/All220DolchWordsByGradeFreq.pdf

https://www.project-core.com/

http://www.project-core.com/core-vocabulary-module-facilitated-materials/

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• Assume that individuals with minimal speech skills have a lot to communicate.

• Follow communication behavior with a natural consequence.

• Make sure consequences are meaningful and not artificial.

• Reinforce desired communication behavior.

• Provide intervention in natural and varied contexts for:

o Better response generalization

o Better stimulus generalization

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• Model aided AAC use (also known as Aided Language Stimulation.

• Ask open-ended “wh” questions.

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• Promote peer interactions. Try a “buddy” system.

• Motivate individual who uses AAC with a proficient peer AAC user.

• Support for AAC Use in Preschool and Growth in Language Skills for Young Children with Developmental Disabilities Barker Akaba, Brady,Thiemann-Bourgue (2013)

- Children who had more peers communicate with them using their AAC system showed greater growth in receptive language & vocabulary and expressive language & vocabulary.

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Communication Partners

Choosing An App

AACLAMP

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flFNMky22-U

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• Premade pageset of 84 squares

• One-hit, intermediate and full page set

• Core plus Fringe Vocabulary

• Keyboard available on home screen

• Hiding capability

• Grammar capability

• Customizable

• iSharePRC backs up vocabulary

LAMP

• English and Spanish

• 2nd language square on home screen

• Success based on motor memory

• 3 levels

• Word Finder™ built in

• Access: touchscreen, headmouse, or eye gaze

• User’s guide: https://www.liberator.co.uk/media/wysiwyg/Documents/WFL_User_Guide.pdf

LAMP

AACLAMP

Accent 800, 1000, 1400

PRIO Mini

Via Pro

AACTouchChat HD with Word Power

• Premade pagesets up to 108 squares





• Fully customizable

• 30 button actions

• 10,000 Symbolstix© symbols

• ChatEditor on Microsoft computer

TouchChat HD with Word Power• Vocabulary files can be imported and exported to a

computer using iTunes® file sharing feature

• Button activation timing can be adjusted

• QWERTY keyboard page set with four wordprediction buttons and a few pre-stored phrases

• English and Spanish synthesized voices

• Program buttons to play audio files from the media library or video files from the Photo Roll

• Editing videos: https://touchchatapp.com/support/videos

TouchChat HD with Word Power

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http://ishareprc.com/

https://www.liberator.co.uk/media/wysiwyg/Documents/WFL_User_Guide.pdf

https://touchchatapp.com/support/videos

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AACTouchChat HD with Word Power

NovaChat 5, 8, 10, 12iPad

Grid3 for iPad

• Language and cause & effect page sets available

• Available in 15 languages

• Can edit from any Windows computer

• Super Core 30 and Super Core 50 available

• Access: touchscreen, headmouse, or eye gaze

• Grammar tools

• Editing: https://thinksmartbox.com/answer/downloading-new-voices-in-grid-3/

Grid for iPad AACGrid 3

Grid Pad, Microsoft Computer and iPad

Snap + Core First• Designed for iPad or Indi dedicated communication

device

• Customizable

• Dedicated button for core words

• Keyboard on home page

• Editing: https://www.tobiidynavox.com/en-US/support-training/getting-started/getting-started-with-snap--core-first/#snapcorefirst_ gettingstarted_accessandsettings

Snap + Core First

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https://thinksmartbox.com/answer/downloading-new-voices-in-grid-3/

https://www.tobiidynavox.com/en-US/support-training/getting-started/getting-started-with-snap--core-first/#snapcorefirst_gettingstarted_accessandsettings

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AACCommunicator 5

I-13 , I-16

EM-12

I-110

SC Tablet

Communicator 5

• Designed for the Tobii Dynavox I-13 and I-16

• Access: touch, headmouse, or eye gaze

• Editing: https://www.tobiidynavox.com/en-US/support-training/sono-flex-for-communicator-5-1/?redirect=true

Communicator 5 AACCommunicator 5

I-13 , I-16

EM-12

I-110

Quick StepsTM Suite

• For beginner or context-dependent communicators

• Customizable

• Can include email, text, ebooks, social media, computer control, environmental control

• Editing: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0770/8269/files/wegoA_Grid_Universal_Core_QuickStep_Zoom.pdf

Quick StepsTM Suite

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https://www.tobiidynavox.com/en-US/support-training/sono-flex-for-communicator-5-1/?redirect=true

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0770/8269/files/wegoA_Grid_Universal_Core_QuickStep_Zoom.pdf

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ZoomTM and OnWordTM

• For literate, text-based users

• Customizable

• Can include email, text, ebooks, social media, computer control, environmental control

• Editing: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0770/8269/files/wegoA_Grid_OnWord.pdf

ZoomTM and OnWordTM

AACQuick StepsTM Suite, ZoomTM and OnWordTM

Zuvo 10,12, 18 Zuvo with Eye Speak

EyeWorld 3.0

EyeGaze, Inc.

• For literate, text-based users

• Customizable

• Communication

• Computer Control

• Internet Browsing

• Environmental Control including TV and DVD

• Email, smartphone, Alexa integration

EyeWorld 3.0 EyeWorld 3.0

EyeGaze Edge

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https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0770/8269/files/wegoA_Grid_OnWord.pdf

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Sono Flex• Designed as an iDevice app and for the Tobii

Dynavox I-series

• Access: touch, mouse, or eye gaze

• 11,000 SymbolStix® symbols

• 50 pre-made context vocabularies

• Editing: https://www.tobiidynavox.com/en-US/support-training/getting-started/getting-started-with-communicator-5/

Sono Flex

AACProloquo2Go• Variable number of squares of vocabulary.

• Variable margin space between squares.

• 100 voices, ranging from friendly adult voices to genuine children’s voices and bilingual voices

• 10,000 symbols

• Vocabularies: Basic, Intermediate Core or Advanced Core

• Automatic conjugations

• Use “Hidden” or “Progressive Language” function

Proloquo2Go



• Multiple languages available with bilingual set up

• Airdrop

• Editing: https://www.assistiveware.com/support/proloquo2go/help-overview

Proloquo2Go AVAZ

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https://www.tobiidynavox.com/en-US/support-training/getting-started/getting-started-with-communicator-5/

https://www.assistiveware.com/innovations/creating-genuine-childrens-voices

https://www.assistiveware.com/innovations/bilingual-aac

https://www.assistiveware.com/support/proloquo2go/help-overview

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• Premade pagesets up to77 squares






• Symbolstix© symbols

• Reinforcement using zoom and animation

AVAZ• Parent training program

• Child training program

• Link AVAZ to Dropbox to keep vocabulary safe

• 15,000 Symbolstix symbols

• Analytics feature measures progress

• Share messages using Email, Facebook and Twitter

• Editing: https://www.assistiveware.com/support/proloquo2go/edit-and-organize-buttons-and-folders/add-edit-and-delete-buttons/add-a-button

AVAZ

TalkSuite Pro• Customizable for beginner to advanced




• Bi-weekly activities

• Built in head mouse capability

• Organized to promote novel sentence building

Talk Suite Pro

Speak For Youself• 120 squares




• Editing:

https://www.speakforyourself.org/tutorials/

Speak For Yourself

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https://www.assistiveware.com/support/proloquo2go/edit-and-organize-buttons-and-folders/add-edit-and-delete-buttons/add-a-button

https://www.speakforyourself.org/tutorials/

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CoughDrop• Core plus Fringe Vocabulary


• Microsoft, Apple, Android, Amazon

• Cloud page set storage and edit offline

• Two month free trial

• Editing: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSVyFzvGVeFSOS7TP06re1g

CoughDrop

App of Your Choice

Wego 5, 7, 10, 13

South Carolina

Assistive Technology Program

USC School of Medicine

Center for Disability Resources

Columbia, SC 29208

803-935-5263

800-915-4522 Toll Free

www.scatp.med.sc.edu

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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSVyFzvGVeFSOS7TP06re1g