1. Designing
and
Integra-ng
Communica-on
Systems
By
Chalaundrai
Grant
October
30,
2012

2. Why
is
it
important?

3. There
are
the
big
stories
• People
like
Helen
Keller
• First
person
who
was
deaf
and
blind
to
earn
a
Bachelor
of
Arts
Degree
• Learning
to
speak
enable
her
to
escape
from
isola-on.
Although
there
have
been
many
advancements
the
issue
of
isola-on
for
people
with
disabili-es
is
s-ll
a
major
issue
• APer
learning
to
speak
she
went
on
to
speak
on
women’s
rights
and
against
war.

4. Other
Big
Stories
• People
like
Stephen
Hawking
• Given
only
2
1/2to
live
in
1963
aPer
he
was
diagnosed
with
ALS
(A
progressive
neuron
disease).
Needs
a
computerized
speech
synthesizer
to
speak.
• He
went
on
to
get
married
despite
the
lost
the
use
of
most
of
his
muscles.
• He
is
has
gained
acclaim
as
one
of
the
best
scien-st.

5. Important
Message
• I
think
that
this
is
such
an
important
message
and
important
for
us
to
hear.
•
Just
because
someone
needs
help
communica-ng
or
needs
to
have
a
communica-on
system
designed
or
needs
help
integra-ng
the
communica-on
system
doesn’t
mean
they
are
dumb.

6. The
Big
Stories
• Helen
Keller
• Stephen
Hawking

7. Just
as
important
but
not
so
large
stories!
• Perhaps
not
the
big
splashy
stories.
• Some-mes
these
are
people
who
are
almost
invisible
to
the
world
at
large.
• Family
members
• Students
in
our
class
• Neighbours

9. Designing
and
Integra-ng
Communica-on
Systems
Having
Communica-on
Not
Having
Communica-on
Systems
Systems
• Gives
people
living
with
a
• Leaves
individuals
already
disability
a
voice.
isolated
even
more
isolated.
• Enables
individuals
with
a
• Individuals
with
disabili-es
voice
to
have
a
chance
to
have
li]le
chance
to
do
do
things
that
their
peers
things
that
their
peers
can
can
do.
do.
• Helps
individuals
with
• Leaves
individuals
with
disabili-es
be
more
disabili-es
dependent
on
independent.
everyone.

10. Importance
of
Designing
and
Integra-ng
Communica-on
Systems
• Chapter
1
of
Assis-ve
Technology
in
the
classroom
introduces
us
to
Bernie
who
has
cerebral
palsy.
• We
see
how
a
simple
modifica-on
to
one
of
his
shoes
by
adap-ng
a
metal
dowl
to
the
bo]om
of
one
of
his
shoes
enables
him
type
and
communicate.

12. Developing
A
Voice
• Need
to
give
people
the
right
resources.
• In
one
video
that
I
watched
the
father
talks
about
how
he
and
his
wife
disagreed
about
using
prologue
because
she
felt
that
the
child
might
not
talk
and
become
to
dependent
on
the
equipment
instead
of
using
her
voice.
• Important
to
be
respecaul
of
concerns
but
also
important
to
remember
that
all
voices
sound
different
and
do
not
have
to
just
come
out
of
our
mouths.
We
will
not
all
speak
the
same.

14. The
Case
Against
Assis-ve
Technology

15. One
size
does
not
fit
all!

16. What
is
Communica-on
• Communica-on
is
not
just
talking.
It
is
a
way
for
two
or
more
people
to
have
an
exchange
and
understand
what
the
other
person
wants.
• Augmenta-ve
Communica-on
is
important
because
it
allows
those
whose
speech
is
impaired
the
ability
to
communicate.
• These
methods
include
aided
and
unaided
symbols.

17. Communica-on
is
a
mul--­‐modal
process
• Can
include
speech
• Vocaliza-ons
• Gestures
• Facial
Expressions
• Communica-on
also
includes
both
electronic
(high
tech)
and
non-­‐electronic
(low
tech)
Assis-ve
technologies.

18. Aided
and
UnAided
Symbols
• Unaided
symbols
are
created
using
the
individuals
body.
They
can
include
gestures,
sign
and
fingerspelling
(ASHA,
2002)
• Aided
symbols
require
concrete
representa-on.
Eg.
Real
Objects,
Picture
Communica-on,
Symbols,
Le]ers
and/or
words.

19. Benefits
of
Augmenta-ve
Communica-on
• By
providing
a
child
with
a
variety
of
means
to
communicate,
including
speech,
the
pressure
to
produce
speech
is
diminished.
In
the
past
clinicians
and
parents
worried
that
giving
a
child
another
means
to
communicate
would
hinder
speech
development.
Children
who
are
given
augmenta-ve
skills
develop
speech
as
quickly
as
the
control
group
and
oPen
surpass
them.
Linda
Burkhart

20. Myths
about
Augmenta-ve
Communica-on
• It
will
inhabit
an
individuals
further
speech
• Certain
level
of
cogni-ve
ability
are
required
prior
to
augmenta-ve
communica-on
devices.
• Student
needs
certain
adap-ve
behaviour
such
as
eye
contact
and
well
defined
point
of
view
before
Augmenta-ve
Communica-on
can
be
used.
• Requires
some
level
of
literacy
of
skill
prior
to
using.

21. Current
Communica-on
Mode
• Augmenta-ve
Communica-on
system
does
not
replace
the
student’s
current
communica-on
modes
but
rather
supports
and
enhances
it.
• Students
should
be
encouraged
to
use
mul-ple
modes
of
expression
including
gestures,
signs,
body
language,
eye
gaze,
vocaliza-on,
facial
expressions.

22. Augmenta-ve
Communica-on
Systems
• Can
be
based
on
low,
mid,
or
high
tech
or
all
three
but
it
is
important
that
it
be
based
on
what
the
individual
needs.
• Example
people
who
have
difficult
to
understand
speech
may
use
a
computerize
device
but
also
use
facial
expressions
and
nods.
• Other
people
may
use
a
language
board
to
point
to
specific
pictures.

23. Design
of
Augmenta-ve
Communica-on
System
• Needs
to
be
designed
for
use
within
the
student’s
environments.
Again
we
need
to
remember
that
one
size
does
not
fit
all.

24. Design
• In
the
design
process
it
is
important
to
determine
what
symbols
are
meaningful
to
that
par-cular
student.
Students
want
to
sound
like
their
peers
• Many
students
find
that
a
combina-on
of
photographs,
and
picture
communica-on
symbols
and
word/phrases
work
well.
• There
is
no
perfect
device
that
can
meet
all
of
a
students
needs.

25. Vocabulary
Selec-on
• Unless
the
student
has
good
reading
skills
the
vocabulary
selected
will
needed
to
be
represented
with
some
type
of
symbol.

26. Picture
Communica-on
Symbol

27. Boardmaker
Symbols
FIGURE tO.l-Sampte eoaidmaker syrnOots"
Boardmaker Symbol Typlcal Meaning Degree ol lconicity
"ice cream" Transparent
Tootball" Transparent
"run" Transparent
lootball game" Translucent
"l don't like that show." Transluc6nt
"l am so angry!" Translucent

28. Communica-on
for
students
without
mobility
• Automa-c
Scanning
–
uses
switch
to
start
the
scan
and
then
waits
un-l
it
is
presented.
• Step
scanning
–
The
switch
is
ac-vated
and
reac-vated
to
advance
the
cursor
by
item.
• 2
Switch
Scanning
–
One
switch
ac-vates
the
scan
with
each
ac-va-on,
the
second
switch
in
a
different
loca-on
selects
the
item.

29. Design
using
the
SETT
Process
• SETT
Process
can
help
the
team
iden-fy
which
communica-on
system
is
most
appropriate
in
each
seing.
• Student
(Most
important)
this
is
oPen
overlooked.
• Environment
(Auditory,
layout
of
space,
mobility
etc.
• Task
• Tool

30. Func-on
of
Augmenta-ve
Communica-on
System
• Need
to
reflect
the
basic
of
the
tradi-onal
method
of
communica-on.
• In
other
words
the
user
has
to
be
able
to
create
a
message
using
symbols
that
can
be
delivered
to
another
person
who
is
known
as
the
receiver.
• They
in
turn
need
to
be
able
to
respond
to
the
message
in
a
-mely
manner.

31. Considera-ons
when
Selec-ng
Augmenta-ve
System
• Recogni-on
that
students
can
benefit
from
enhanced
methods
of
communica-ons
regardless
of
the
degree
of
disability.
It
is
not
just
beneficial
for
some
people.
• Individual
differences
and
abili-es
has
to
inform
the
selec-on
and
design
process.

32. Implementa-on
Process
• Gather
relevant
informa-on
about
student/
environment/tasks.
• Establish
IEP
Goals
–
write
goals
into
students
plan.
Determine
measurable
outcomes.
• Conduct
a
trail
make
sure
that
it
long
enough
and
that
parents
are
on
board.
Specific
tasks
need
to
be
target
doing
the
trail.
Test
it
out
in
different
environments.

33. Implementa-on
Process
Con-nued
• During
the
Trial
period
gather
and
analyze
data.
• Iden-fy
appropriate
AT
solu-ons.
Essen-al
to
make
sure
that
you
are
matching
student’s
needs
and
IEP
goal
to
technology
feature.
i.e.
is
it
too
complex
and
does
the
student
have
the
ability
to
use
the
technology.
• Develop
implementa-on
plan

34. Developing
Implementa-on
Plan
• When
Developing
Implementa-on
Plan
it
is
important
to
have
equipment
support.
• Training
• Integra-on
strategies
• AT
outcome
assessment
• THIS
NEEDS
TO
BE
DONE
THROUGHOUT
THE
YEAR.
• Finally
adapt
lessons
for
AT
Integra-on

35. Successful
Implementa-on
Needs
to
be:
• Collabora-ve
• Systema-c
• Recursive
• Flexible
• Based
on
curricular
goals
and
students
needs.
• Family
needs
to
be
involved.

36. Challenges
and
Barriers
to
Effec-ve
Implementa-on
• Student
not
interested
or
mo-vated
to
use
AT
that
is
in
place.
Various
reason
for
this…
perhaps
it
is
bulky,
sets
them
apart
from
their
peers
too
much,
or
not
enough
training.
• Student
hasn’t
been
involved
in
the
selec-on
process.
• Student
hasn’t
been
trained
adequately.

37. Team
• Team
doesn’t
have
-me
to
prepare
for
use
of
technology.
• Team
is
not
technically
prepared.
• Not
everyone
on
team
is
suppor-ve.
• Team
doesn’t
have
detailed
implementa-on
plan
isn’t
in
place.
• Team
hasn’t
established
specific
IEP
goals
that
will
be
supported
with
the
AT.

38. Environment
• Necessary
suppor-ng
technology
isn’t
available
at
the
school.
• School
administra-on
is
uninformed
or
not
suppor-ve.
• The
training
resources
aren’t
available.

39. Technology
• The
features
of
the
technology
don’t
fit
the
student
and
the
curricular
goals.
• Technology
doesn’t
func-on
well.
Breaks
down
frequently,
not
well
maintained
etc.
• Technology
is
too
difficult
to
be
implemented
in
a
reasonable
-meframe.
We
also
have
to
look
at
cogni-ve
overload
of
the
student.

40. IMPLEMENTATION
PLAN
REQUIREMENTS
• Implementa-on
plan
has
to
have
trails,
dates,
responsibili-es
and
data
collec-on.
• Essen-al
that
there
is
a
follow-­‐up
plan
to
review
the
students
process.

41. Student
Profile
Fourth
grade
student
in
regular
classroom.
Receives
special
educa-on
supports
and
services.
Uses
motorized
wheelchair,
and
is
nonspeaking.
Uses
augmenta-ve
communica-on
system
that
consists
of
three
methods
of
communica-on.
Unaided,
aided,
low-­‐tech,
and
aided,
high-­‐tech.
Her
unaided
methods
include
a
yes/no
gesture
and
some
intelligible
single-­‐word
responses,
the
aided,
low
tech
tech
method
she
uses
is
a
simple
call
bu]on
that
allows
her
to
get
peoples
a]en-on.