Augmentative and Alternative Communication AAC

1
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

• By
• Marie Louise Hummelgaard Aarre

2
The right to communicate

• On the 13th of December 2006 the UN agreed on a
  new convention on the Protection and Promotion
  of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with
  Disabilities
• States Parties shall take all appropriate
  measures to ensure that persons with disabilities
  can exercise the right to freedom of expression
  and opinion, including the freedom to seek,
  receive and impart information and ideas on an
  equal basis with others and through all forms of
  communication of their choice.
• Communication includes languages, display of
  text, Braille, tactile communication, large
  print, accessible multimedia as well as written,
  audio, plain-language, human-reader and
  augmentative and alternative modes, means and
  formats of communication, including accessible
  information and communication technology.

3
My project - Promotion

• Promote the design, development, production and
  distribution of accessible information and
  communications technologies and systems at an
  early stage
• States Parties shall ensure that children with
  disabilities have the right to express their
  views freely on all matters affecting them, their
  views being given due weight in accordance with
  their age and maturity, on an equal basis with
  other children, and to be provided with
  disability and age-appropriate assistance to
  realize that right.
• To ensure that children with disabilities have
  equal access with other children to participation
  in play, recreation and leisure and sporting
  activities, including those activities in the
  school system

4
What is AAC?

• Augmentative and Alternative Communication is an
  alternative form of communication that replaces
  or supplements impaired speech. This includes
  both the user, the users surroundings and the
  tools themselves.
• There are aided and unaided systems
• Aided systems are all the materials used to
  communicate with.
• Unaided systems are ways of communicating
  without any outside assistants

5
What is needed for communication?

• At least two people
• Understanding and effort
• Roll models
• Who uses it?
• Accessibility
• Is it where we need it and is it within reach?
• Motivation
• What gains the childs motivation? Is it fun and
  useful?

6
Today

• I want to show you
• Some examples of low technological aided systems
• How you get started with AAC
• And most of all, how easy the systems are to make
  and use

7
Basic board
8
Computer
9
Bathroom
10
Combine with TTT signs
11
Personal communications passport

• Information about the child
• This is how I communicate
• The best way of communicating with me
• What I can do myself and what I need help with
• Important information about medicine and contact
  details
• Opportunity to contact other people
• Positive firsthand impression
• Quick and easy

12
Why is it so important?

• As people our aim and need for communication is
  the same, but speech impaired need alternative
  ways of meeting this need.
• An important part of interaction with others and
  learning the social norm is communication.
  Crucial for making friends.
• The opportunity to be independent.
• To develop and show their personality by being
  able to express an opinion.

13
Getting started

• Many different symbols can be used digital
  photos, drawings, pictograms, bliss, signs,
  letters)
• Program with symbols (Ive used mayer-johnsons
  Boardmaker)
• ISAAC (International Society for Augmentative and
  Alternative Communication)
• No correct way always individual
• Trial and error
• Everything is better than nothing
• Be creative

14
Fun
15
Questions?

• Thank you for listening

16
References

• www.ikt-gruppen.dk
• www.mayerjohnson.com
• www.isaac-online.org/select_language.html