AAC: Whose Job Is It??

Question of the Day:
At what point does it become not only our student/child's responsibility to learn, but our own responsibility to keep up with the technology that allows them to do so?  AAC technology is an amazing gateway to communication for so many of our children.  Unfortunately most of them struggle to learn the new "language," week after week in therapy, only to have partners who are not willing to simply keep up with them.  To become an effective communicator using a speech generating device, it is imperative that communication partners learn the system enough to provide at least minimal support, if not appropriate adult models of interaction.  Being the teacher, therapist or parent of a child who speaks through technology means that you have been given the gift of hearing a special child's thoughts.  Don't' throw it away because you won't take the time to learn their language.
Ideas:

• Join your child/student in therapy.  You will learn the location of messages s/he is learning.  You will have models of interaction techniques to try yourself.  You can provide key information about important goals to the therapist in order to meet your needs at home/school.
• Ask your therapist to videotape several sessions of therapy to share with his other partners.
• Participate in Intervention Planning:  a process of examining your child's day and determining priority goals for her communication.
• Spend an hour talking with someone using ONLY the child's communication device.  It's a great way to learn the location of messages, appreciate the challenges of communicating with a device and, problem solving missing messages.
• Make sure you and your child/student are being assisted by an experienced AAC therapist.  This is not an easy process and the assistance an AAC specialist can provide is invaluable.

The most important idea to keep in mind is that we never give up on communication!  The technology exists to help almost EVERY SINGLE PERSON communicate in some way.  Don't be the handicap that limits a child's potential!  If you need help, please talk to a knowledgeable AAC therapist for ideas.  There's always something that can be done to help.

Vicki