{"id":7734,"date":"2023-11-07T03:06:13","date_gmt":"2023-11-07T03:06:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.idrlabs.com\/articles\/?p=7734"},"modified":"2023-11-07T03:06:13","modified_gmt":"2023-11-07T03:06:13","slug":"guide-to-starting-aac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.idrlabs.com\/articles\/2023\/11\/guide-to-starting-aac\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to Starting AAC"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The Learn AAC Guide is a comprehensive resource for individuals using symbol-based Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). It contains essential elements to help users become successful communicators. Here&#8217;s a breakdown of the key sections:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Setting up for AAC:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Presume competence:<\/strong> Always presume competence and provide access to AAC without requiring prerequisite skills or age restrictions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Choose a balanced AAC system:<\/strong> Choose a system that balances core words with quick access to fringe vocabulary and the alphabet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Select a grid size:<\/strong> Base the grid size on the user&#8217;s visual and tactile capabilities, not cognitive skills or assumptions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Individualize vocabulary and system:<\/strong> Customize the vocabulary and system settings to meet the user&#8217;s specific needs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Make AAC always available:<\/strong> Ensure that AAC is accessible in all environments, with options like cases, straps, paper-based copies, and device readiness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Get the team on board:<\/strong> Educate all team members about AAC and their role in AAC learning.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Plan for AAC throughout the day:<\/strong> Integrate AAC into daily routines, specifying when and how it can be used.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Starting communication:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Begin modeling:<\/strong> Point to words on the system during interactions, not just for requests.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Activity-specific vs. using balanced vocabulary:<\/strong> Focus on core words and fringe folders rather than creating activity-specific boards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Look into communication functions:<\/strong> Plan and model words that serve communication functions and expand the user&#8217;s language capabilities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Build Communication Partner skills:<\/strong> Teach communication partners to model words, prompt, respond, make comments, and accept all forms of communication.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Engage and interact:<\/strong> Choose engaging activities that motivate communication and provide opportunities for modeling.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Building language and communication:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Learn about core word teaching strategies:<\/strong> Explore strategies for teaching core words, including planning based on activities or communication functions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Teach Grammar:<\/strong> Consider teaching word combinations and grammar to AAC users ready for this step.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Incorporate comprehensive literacy instruction:<\/strong> Combine communication learning with literacy development, including sounds\/letters, reading, spelling, and writing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Develop practical ideas for building language:<\/strong> Build a resource of ideas and materials that promote language and communication development.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Review and reflect:<\/strong> Continuously review and monitor progress, reflect, make changes, try new approaches, and persist in AAC efforts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Potential Roadblocks to success:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Give up too soon:<\/strong> Don&#8217;t give up too quickly; be persistent, plan for success, and celebrate achievements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of support in different environments:<\/strong> Ensure AAC is available in various settings, collaborate with teams, and provide evidence of its benefits.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Stuck at choice-making and requesting:<\/strong> Avoid limiting language to choices; model language for various communication functions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Different AAC Systems in one environment:<\/strong> Provide teams with flexibility to switch between systems, as AAC users are often more adaptable than their environment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>AAC will stop a person learning to speak:<\/strong> Research shows that AAC can have positive effects on speech and language development and does not hinder the user&#8217;s ability to speak.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>AAC users are required to prove themselves:<\/strong> Presume competence and avoid setting prerequisites before allowing access to a full balanced AAC system.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Note that every AAC user is unique, so flexibility is crucial at each phase of their journey.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Learn AAC Guide is a comprehensive resource for individuals using symbol-based Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). It contains essential elements to help users become successful communicators. Here&#8217;s a breakdown of the key sections: Setting up for AAC: Starting communication: Building language and communication: Potential Roadblocks to success: Note that every AAC user is unique,[\u2026] <a class=\"continue-reading\" href=\"https:\/\/www.idrlabs.com\/articles\/2023\/11\/guide-to-starting-aac\/\">Continue Reading<i class=\"demo-icon icon-right-circled2\"><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-psychology"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.idrlabs.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7734","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.idrlabs.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.idrlabs.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.idrlabs.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.idrlabs.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7734"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.idrlabs.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7734\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7735,"href":"https:\/\/www.idrlabs.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7734\/revisions\/7735"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.idrlabs.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7734"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.idrlabs.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7734"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.idrlabs.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7734"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}