AAC Applications for Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Questions and Answers

What are the three main factors that can influence the outcomes of AAC interventions for individuals with ASD?

Predictors, Moderators, Mediators

Which of the following is NOT a barrier to AAC use in individuals with ASD?

Limited training of communication partners

Availability of devices with a wide range of features (correct)

Access to services

Lack of professional competence

Visual stimuli are generally considered to be less effective than spoken cues for individuals with ASD.

False

What are two challenges associated with teaching AAC to individuals with ASD?

Establishing and maintaining joint attention, avoiding disengagement Signup and view all the answers

AAC can be a useful tool for teaching social skills to individuals with ASD.

True Signup and view all the answers

What is the main question regarding the teaching of AAC to individuals with ASD discussed in the text?

Should AAC be taught through structured lessons or simply provided through exposure and interaction? Signup and view all the answers

Visual perception is a simple process that does not require complex integration of information.

False Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'communicative remediation' refer to in the context of AAC for individuals with ASD?

Strategies and interventions aimed at improving communication skills in individuals with ASD. Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary function of AAC within the ASD population, as stated in the text?

Making communication more learnable and effective. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a potential area where both barriers and facilitators play a role in AAC intervention for individuals with ASD?

The social environment Signup and view all the answers

What is the main reason that AAC often utilizes visual stimuli instead of acoustic stimuli?

To replace or supplement speech signals with a visual format, making communication more accessible for individuals with ASD. Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to consider both barriers and facilitators within AAC intervention for individuals with ASD?

To develop effective strategies and interventions that address challenges and leverage opportunities for success. Signup and view all the answers

The text emphasizes that AAC intervention should focus solely on therapeutic settings rather than natural environments.

False Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of how AAC can be helpful in learning and acquiring social skills.

Using an AAC system to request permission before engaging in a desired activity. Signup and view all the answers

What is one way in which AAC can be more susceptible to systematic learning and training than other forms of communication, according to the text?

Through multistep requesting approaches, AAC systems allow for structured instruction and practice of social interactions. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

AAC Applications with Individuals with Autism

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) serves the same functions in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as in other populations, making communication more learnable and effective.
Single case studies are crucial.

Barriers and Facilitators

Barriers:
- Access to services
- Professional competence (knowledge and system use, device limitations)
- Communication partner training
- Emotional/cognitive characteristics (attention span, motivation, social understanding) in children with ASD.
Facilitators:
- Experienced professionals
- Devices with varied features matching learning potential
- Positive effects of AAC intervention
- Portability of devices
Donato, Spencer, & Arthur Kelly (2018) identified intervention services, AAC systems, communication partners, parents, and children with ASD as areas where barriers and facilitators play a role

Predictors, Moderators, and Mediators

Predictors: Factors impacting outcomes (e.g., cognitive ability, ASD severity, communication complexity/competence, motor skills, language use, comprehension)
Moderators: Factors influencing outcomes tied to specific interventions (e.g., joint attention, imitation)
Mediators: Factors facilitating outcomes during intervention (e.g., AAC exposure frequency, communication partner perception, social interaction)

The Specific Nature of Autism and AAC

Individuals with ASD share similarities in typical and atypical developmental patterns.
Future research will hopefully reveal specific AAC patterns and remediation methods.

The Visual Modality, Visual Processing, and Attention

AAC primarily uses visual processing (e.g., decoding symbols, interpreting visual displays).
Visual information processing may be more robust and less vulnerable than auditory processing.
Visual stimuli are often static, allowing more processing time.
Observations with individuals with ASD suggest visual cues (both static and dynamic) are more effective than spoken cues

Visual Perception is Still a Complex Process

Visual perception integrates global and local information (top-down and bottom-up).
Eye-gaze tracking is proving to be a useful tool.

Teaching Needs

Question: Do communication partners simply need to provide exposure and interactions? OR Should AAC use be taught through structured lessons?
Teaching all learning is a combination of exposure and structured teaching.
For ASD, structured systematic teaching often is essential.
The challenges of teaching AAC to individuals with ASD involve maintaining joint attention, avoiding disengagement, and decreasing attention loss.
Intervention needs to expand beyond therapy settings to involve natural environments

How can AAC support learning and acquiring social skills (e.g., asking permission, commenting, and socializing)?
AAC can be a tool for systematic learning and training, potentially through multistep requesting approaches.

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Description

Explore the applications of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This quiz highlights the barriers and facilitators affecting communication and intervention services, as identified by Donato, Spencer, & Arthur Kelly (2018). Test your understanding of how AAC can enhance communication in this population.