Webinar on the Communication Matrix

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Webinar on the Communication Matrix

• Area IV Deafblind Projects
• August 21, 2007
• Charity Rowland, Ph.D.
• Oregon Health Science University

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Agenda

• Development of Communication
• Communication MatrixPrint versions for
  Professionals and Parents
• Communication Matrix Online

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Seven Levels of Early Communication
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SEVEN LEVELS OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
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SEVEN LEVELS OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
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SEVEN LEVELS OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
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SEVEN LEVELS OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
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SEVEN LEVELS OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
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SEVEN LEVELS OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
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SEVEN LEVELS OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
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SEVEN LEVELS OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
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Communicative Behaviorsfor each Level of Early
Communication
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Communication Modes Associated with Each Level of
Communication
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Communication Modes Associated with Each Level of
Communication
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Communication Modes Associated with Each Level of
Communication
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Communication Modes Associated with Each Level of
Communication
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Communication Modes Associated with Each Level of
Communication
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Communication Modes Associated with Each Level of
Communication
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Communication Modes Associated with Each Level of
Communication
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Communication Modes Associated with Each Level of
Communication
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Communicative States, Functions and Intentsfor
each Level of Early Communication
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Development of Communicative Intent
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Development of Communicative Intent
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Development of Communicative Intent
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Development of Communicative Intent
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Development of Communicative Intent
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Development of Communicative Intent
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Communication Matrixcapturing the skills of
individuals operating at the earliest stages of
communicative competence

• Communication Matrix (professionals)
• Communication MatrixEspecially for Parents
  (English Spanish))
• Online Communication Matrix (English Spanish)

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What is the Target Population?

• Individuals of all ages who are at the earliest
  stages of communication. In the typically
  developing child the range of communication
  skills covered by the Matrix would occur between
  0 and 24 months of age.
• Individuals who use any type of communicative
  behavior, including "augmentative and
  alternative" (AAC) forms of communication and
  pre-symbolic communication.
• Individuals who experience any type or degree of
  disability, including severe and multiple
  disabilities.
• Individuals of all ages.
• But NOT individuals who already use some form of
  language meaningfully and fluently. 

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Intent is Critical!!!!

• Read the questions carefully!

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Ways to REFUSE things that you dont want

• Expresses Discomfort (Level I) Can you tell when
  your child is uncomfortable (in pain, wet,
  hungry, startled)?
• Protests (Level II) Can you tell when your child
  doesnt want something specific such as a certain
  food or a toy or a game youre playing, like
  tickling?
• Refuses or Rejects (Levels 111-VII) Does your
  child intentionally show you that he or she
  doesnt want a certain thing or a certain
  activity?

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Question 8 Requests New Object

• Does you child intentionally show you that she
  wants something new (such as a toy or some food)
  that is within her sight, hearing or touch, but
  that you have not offered?

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Completing the Profile

• Shade in cells if at least one behavior is
  mastered for the specific state, function or
  intent.
• Use stripes for cells if one (or more) behaviors
  are emerging and none are mastered.

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Summarizing Results

• Total Score
• From Profile, give 2 points for each cell that is
  mastered and 1 point for each cell that is
  emerging. Maximum score 160.

• Highest Level of Competence
• Highest level (of 7) at which child has mastered
  behaviors.

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The Online Communication Matrix

• An online version of the Communication Matrix
  (Rowland, 2004), an assessment designed for early
  communicators who use any form of communication
  is now available free of charge.
• Users enter information about an individuals
  communication skills and print out a one-page
  graphic profile and a list of specific
  communicative behaviors and intents expressed.
• Entries may be updated for repeated assessments.
• The data collected are used to develop scientific
  information about the communication skills of
  individuals with specific disabilities. This is a
  global service and research initiative.

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Home Page www.communicationmatrix.org
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Your Contribution

• We DO NOT request any identifying information and
  we have no way of tracking who has used this
  service.
• When you complete the Matrix online, the
  information you provide will be stored. This
  information will provide valuable data about the
  communication skills demonstrated by individuals
  with various disabilities. This information may
  be summarized in scientific reports, professional
  presentations, articles in professional journals
  and book chapters.

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Logging In

• Start Now on navigation bar to left.
• New Users click on button to register (requires
  only that you give yourself a password a UserID
  is generated for you).
• Returning Users have option to
• View/Delete existing Matrix
• Resume unfinished Matrix
• Update starting with previous Matrix
• Start a Matrix on a new child

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Getting Started Statements

• Same as for Parent Matrix
• Automatically begin questions at appropriate
  level, depending on which statement you check to
  describe childs communication skills.

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Sample Response Page
Question C1 Refuses or Rejects Something Does
your child intentionally show you that s/he
doesnt want a certain thing or a certain
activity? If so, what does your child do to
refuse or reject something? Scoring Each
possible communicative behavior is scored as
either Not Used (default), Emerging, or Mastered,
using drop-down boxes.
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Results Sample 1-page Communication Profile
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Automated Profile Results

• If start at Level II, Level I is automatically
  highlighted as mastered.
• If start at Level III, Levels I and II are
  automatically highlighted as mastered.

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Results Sample Communication Skills List This
is the first page of five showing exactly which
communicative behaviors this individual uses to
express which communicative intents.
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Site Users by Country
Australia
Canada
Ireland
Singapore
United Kingdom
Spanish-speaking Nations
50 Other Nations
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User Relationship to Assessed Individual
Age of Assessed Individual
Other
20 yrs
16 20 yrs
Parent or Family Member
Teacher
12 16 yrs
2 4 yrs
8 12 yrs
Speech Language Pathologist
Other Professional
4 8 yrs
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Of Individuals Assessed Who Experience Specific
Impairments (many individuals experience multiple
impairments)
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Join the Global Research Initiative!

• New funding has recently been awarded by the U.S.
  Department of Education to
• Expand the web site
• Improve the web site
• Evaluate the web site
• The site will continue to operate in its present
  format while it is undergoing improvements.
• Please use it! Its free!
• www.communicationmatrix.org
• www.matrizdecomunicacion.org