AAC Assessment 1 a process whereby data are

AAC Assessment 1 “a process whereby data are collected and information is gathered to make intervention and/or management decisions. ” Lloyd, Fuller & Arvidson, 1997, p. 524 AAC Assessment 2/19/2021

How should you proceed ? 2 Process? Ob-Scertainer Carefully shake and tilt your Ob-Scertainer From the sound & path of the steel ball, determine the shape and location of the partition or partitions Draw your hypothesis or best guess in a circle AAC Assessment 2/19/2021

2 Approaches 3 Comprehensive Problem Oriented Approach Capability Approach AAC Assessment 2/19/2021

Comprehensive AAC assessment 4 To determine the best AAC system for an individual Basic questions, what are. individual’s communication needs or goals? individual’s strengths and abilities? barriers are preventing the individual from achieving his or her full communication/participation potential? aids and adaptations that need to be used to accomplish the child’s goals given his or her strengths and abilities, and current circumstances? AAC Assessment 2/19/2021

Capability Approach Yorkston & Karlan (1986) 5 Identifying individual’s level of performance in critical areas that pertain to communication intervention, such as: communication, cognition, motor control, vision. Capability Plus Approach Implement strategies to make individual successful AAC Assessment 2/19/2021

Making Decisions about Components of Aided AAC 6 Selection technique scanning or direct selection Input device. switch, keyboard Selection Set visual, auditory, and/or tactile presentation of items (e. g. letters and keys on the keyboard) coverage, development Transmitted Output text on the monitor screen, speech, Braille print-out, movement of a powered wheelchair Strategies encoding, word prediction, abbreviation expansion AAC Assessment 2/19/2021

AAC Assessment Process 7 Determine & Develop Question (s) of Interest Determine Direct Selection Technique Current Communication & Needs Cognitive Skills Visual-Motor Control Visual Status Switch Consult Seating, Positioning and Mobility Needs AAC Assessment 2/19/2021

Communication Gamel-Mc. Cormick & Dymond, 1994 8 Expressive Communication. What does the student currently use to communicate? What are communication needs? AAC Assessment 2/19/2021

Expressive Communication 9 What does the person currently use to expressively request objects, continue an action, stop an action, request social interaction, express a feeling, make a choice, initiate an interaction, terminate an interaction, or request assistance ? AAC Assessment 2/19/2021

Present Ways of Communication 10 1. Oral Speech 2. Symbolic Representation (symbols, text) 3. Reading & Writing Ability 4. Non-Oral Communication 5. Communication Effectiveness 6. Communication Partners 7. Communication Settings 8. Message Needs 1. Functional 2. Social 3. Informational – Sharing – Conversation 4. Developmental & Educational/Vocational Needs AAC Assessment 2/19/2021

Receptive Communication 11 What type of symbolic representation (object, picture, line drawing, words) do you think the student best understands? Auditory Skills? AAC Assessment 2/19/2021

Motor Skills 12 Does the student have a hand preference? Do they have the ability to reach, grasp and release, isolate a finger, and/or point? In what position is the student able to optimally move and respond? What reliable, predictable motor movements does the student have? AAC Assessment 2/19/2021

Motor Skills 13 Positioning Factors that influence access to and functional use of ACC Switch Assessment Determine type and placement of switch (motor control must be consistent, reliable, transparent) Features of switches (e. g. size, feedback, travel, durability) Functional performance with switch may differ from evaluation performance AAC Assessment 2/19/2021

Functional Vision 14 Assess ability to fixate on a target (visual acuity and field different sizes, distances and positions to get an idea of. track a moving target. localize and discriminate of a particular item on a page scan along rows and columns Gradually increase number of items. AAC Assessment 2/19/2021

Vision and Visual Perception 15 Visual acuity - size of the items Visual field - area which can be seen without a shift in gaze Eye movement problems - difficulty maintaining gaze, or involuntary movements positioning of the selection set, the layout, the spacing between items, and the ability to track moving items Light and colour sensitivity low and high levels of illumination. glare particular colour combinations (e. g. yellow-on-black key stickers are available for standard keyboards colour coding particular keys AAC Assessment 2/19/2021

Underlying Principles of Assessment 16 Evaluate communication needs and capabilities, in order to implement the augmentative communication system as soon as possible to enable the individual to begin immediate communication interaction. Identify communication system individual currently uses Determine the skills that an individual has or needs to develop in order to communicate effectively Refine current methods & identify new methods Determine effectiveness & efficiency Ultimately, determine optimal way to configure system AAC Assessment 2/19/2021

Assessment Resources 17 Gamel-Mc. Cormick & Dymond (1994) http: //acc. k 12. ar. us/easter_seals/images/pdf_files/Aug mentative_Communication_Assessment. pdf http: //www. ttac. odu. edu/Articles/Gamel. html Communication checklist http: //www. wati. org/products/freematerials. html Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Connecting Young Kids (YAACK) - aac. unl. edu/yaack/ AAC Assessment 2/19/2021

AAC Funding & Report Writing 18 Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers AAC-RERC website. http: //www. aac-rerc. com -Medicare Funding of AAC Technology. Information obtained on May 20, 2005. Supported in part by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). Dynavox Systems http: //www. dynavoxtech. com/funding/reportassist. aspx GUS http: //www. gusinc. com/medicare. html Prentke Romich http: //www. prentrom. com/fund/medicare. html AAC Assessment 2/19/2021