Friday, May 14, 2010

The Non-Verbal Learner: A community's Perspective

Simone Chalifoux and Eryn Biddiscombe

Apraxia: the harder you try to tell your body to do something the harder it is to do it. Delay in communication between brain and body. "The more people ask me to do the task the more it causes the delay in completing the task" Joe - Rhett Syndrome

Use of a wide variety of AAC strategies:
Mighty Mo
Bathroom pics of Too Hot, OK etc.
Yes/No on wheelchair
Eye gaze

Uses MSN Chat with Mighty Mo
Everything is age appropriate. She likes Twilight, clip etc.

A wonderful presentation on Jo, an 11 year old with Rett syndrome. This presentation demonstrated some creative and effective ways to communicate in the home and community.

5 major challenges for using the device:
  • Limited choices on the communication board
  • Talking too fast...communication partner is too fast to respond
  • Large buttons due to access issues
  • Battery Life
  • When things aren't available
  • Hands not being supported
  • Baby talk...she requires age appropriate communication

Other AT:
  • magnetic numbers and letters
  • card holders
  • easels for table top
  • adapted books where she matches the text to the picture
  • flip chart literacy
  • Intellikeys



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