Low Technology AAC tools
Augmentative and alternative communication is used by individuals to compensate for severe speech-language impairments in the expression or comprehension of spoken or written language. People making use of AAC include individuals with a variety of congenital conditions such as cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disability, and acquired conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, traumatic brain injury and aphasia. Low-tech communication aids are defined as those that do not need batteries, electricity or electronics. These are often very simple communication boards or books, from which the user selects letters, words, phrases, pictures, and/or symbols to communicate a message.
Examples of Low Technology AAC Tools
Tool 1: A communication board- is a sheet of paper or series of sheets that have pictures and text of an object or thing.The user would point to the board in order to communicate something. An examples would be a sheet of types of food. The student would look for the picture or word on the board and point to the food. That would let the other person know what kind of food the user would like to eat. There are many different forms of boards depending on what is trying to be communicated and capabilities of the student with the disability. You can create your own, print one offline or buy them. They are simple and easy to use but it limits the users communication. They can only communicate whatever they have on the board. You could use the board to communicate the steps or tasks you would like the user to accomplish. The most important thing is to short and simple text and have a image that corresponds to the text.
Tool 2: Another type of low technology AAC tool is a sign language and sign language cards. Students with hearing impairments have difficulty communicating with others. Students with a hearing impairment can use sign language or sign language cards to communicate. The cards are essential when the student is first learning to use sign language as a method of communication. It can take a while to learn sign language and the cards are a great way to reinforce it and communicate.
Tools and Resources Available
http://kc.vanderbilt.edu/kennedy_files/AACChildrenwithASD-April12.pdf This site is a great source of information on low technology AAC devices. It mainly focuses on students who are on the spectrum but a lot of the information and devices can be used for students with other disabilities.
http://www.setbc.org/setbc/communication/aac_nontech_toolkit.html This site gives the reader inforamtion about low technolgy devices and provides links to other resources. It also has a great section on what devices to use and information on the various types of low technology devices.
http://www.setbc.org/setbc/communication/aac_nontech_toolkit.html This site gives the reader inforamtion about low technolgy devices and provides links to other resources. It also has a great section on what devices to use and information on the various types of low technology devices.