RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON REVIEW OF LITERATURE

It is estimated that 5 million individuals in the U.S. could benefit from AAC.3 Evaluations can be done by Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), including for students in schools. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the evaluation must include consideration of assistive technology, and training the student/family on its use. ASHA has done extensive research in this area. Their website explains the roles/responsibilities of SLPs, high/low tech and aided vs. unaided communication, and different tools, including digitalized and synthesized speech. Considerations in school-based settings are given, including use for transition to adult life activities. ASHA also examines additional communication supports such as Braille, hearing aids/cochlear implants, teletype, text phones, etc. Communicative competence is defined as the ability of the individual with a disability to "to freely express ideas, thoughts, and feelings…"

Recommendations for treatment approaches and AAC strategies use include:

ASHA does not recommend the use of the previously-mentioned FC or the Rapid Prompting Method (aka Spelling to Communicate). All recommended techniques must have cultural and linguistic competence considerations.

Finally, AAC barriers are examined. For the purposes of this discussion, person-centered communication must serve the "needs of the individual and can be updated when these needs change." For example, a non-verbal student with autism may start using sign language. If the student becomes verbal through whatever methods used, then speech can focus on enunciation/pronunciation of words. Students with autism may later also need assistance with pragmatic speech, the practical aspects of speech such as responding appropriately, taking turns, etc.

Whichever methodologies and interventions are used with students with disabilities, they must be person-centered and strengths-based approaches to be effective and maximize communication and independence. •

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lauren Agoratus, M.A. is a parent of a medically-complex young adult and serves as the Coordinator for Family Voices-NJ and as the regional coordinator in her state's Family-to-Family Health Information Center, both housed at the SPAN Parent Advocacy Network at spanadvocacy.org.

3. asha.org/practice-portal/professional-issues/augmentative-and-alternative-communication

STRONG CONNECTIONS : AUTHENTIC COMMUNICATION AND PERSON-CENTERED METHODOLOGY RESOURCES

AMERICAN SPEECH-HEARING-LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION

Augmentative and Alternative Communication asha.org/practice-portal/professional-issues/augmentative-and-alternative-communication

CENTER FOR PARENT INFORMATION AND RESOURCES Considering the Needs of Students Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing parentcenterhub.org/considering-hearingloss NATIONAL DEAF CENTER Resource page on speech-to-text fhi360.https://www.nationaldeafcenter.org/STTS

Guidance from ED and DOJ on Effective Communication for Students with Disabilities parentcenterhub.org/effective-communication-for-students-with-disabilities

CENTER ON TECHNOLOGY AND DISABILITY ctdinstitute.org

FAMILY CENTER ON TECHNOLOGY AND DISABILITY fhi360.org/projects/family-center-technology-and-disability%E2%80%93ii-fctd

NATIONAL DEAF CENTER Resource page on speech-to-text fhi360.https://www.nationaldeafcenter.org/STTS

TASH COMMUNICATION FOR ALL CAMPAIGN Multiple resources fhi360.https://www.nationaldeafcenter.org/STTS