AAC: Communication Process Explained

AAC and the Communication Process

• Communication is an exchange of information to make requests, socialize, and interact, forming social bonds and culture.
• Communication can be verbal or non-verbal.
• The communication process involves a speaker with a thought, which is then linguistically represented and acoustically conveyed to a perceiver.
• The perceiver then translates the message.
• Feedback loops, including auditory, haptic, and visual, are used for adjustments.
• Non-verbal communication includes body movement, body language, eye contact, paralanguage, proxemics, facial expressions, physiological changes, haptics, appearance, and artifacts.
• Facial expressions involve movements or changes in the face like smiling and frowning.
• Physiologic changes show natural body movements, such as sweating due to nervousness. Haptics relate to touch.
• Appearance affects interactions through skin color, clothing, and hairstyle.
• Artifacts are non-verbal communication, which can enhance perception.
• Communication fulfills needs, transfers information, promotes social ties, and observes social decorum.
• Interaction characteristics vary depending on the goal, content, duration, scope, and tolerance for communication breakdown.
• Interaction involves one person regulating behavior while others establish relationships, or conform to social conventions
• Daily communication is effortless, but not for everyone.
• Effective communication is essential for learning, personal care, education, social engagement, and employment.
• The Communication Bill of Rights emphasizes the right to affect the conditions of one's existence through communication, including the right to protest and request.

ICF Framework

• The ICF framework considers a health condition, body functions and structure, activity, participation, environmental factors, & personal factors.
• Body functions are physiological; structures are anatomical.
• Activity is executing tasks; limitations include difficulties in activities of daily living.
• Participation : involvement in life situations with restriction in community, social, & civic duties.
• Environmental factors encompass physical, social, and attitudinal aspects. Personal factors are gender, coping styles, social background, past experiences.

AAC Models and Frameworks

• AAC Models and Frameworks include the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) & the SETT Framework.

SETT Framework

• It considers the Student, Environment, Tasks, and Tools.
• The SETT Framework guides collaborative decisions to support educational success for students with disabilities in educational environments.
• Environment arrangement, support, materials, access, and attitudes.
• Tasks involve activities that enable progress toward goals, involving active environments.
• Tools include devices, services, strategies, training, accommodations, and modifications.

AAC as a System

• AAC involves a message transmitted from a sender to a receiver within a communication environment with feedback.
• An interactive communication between AAC users and others, whether or not they have difficulties.
• AAC symbols aid in representing something. The message must then be selected, then transmitted
• There are aided & unaided AAC systems.
• Aided symbols require external support (pictures, boards, etc.).
• Unaided symbols use body language.
• Direct selection lets users indicate items directly, with physical contact, pressure or pointing.
• Scanning is for motor-impaired people to choose items from all the available symbols.
• Individuals must be competent communicators using linguistic, operational, social/pragmatic, and strategic competence.
• Linguistic competence involves language knowledge.
• Operational competence: how to use the device.
• Social/pragmatic competence: why interact with others.
• Strategic competence: how to overcome difficulties with AAC.

AAC Components and Features

• AAC Components are symbols, aids, strategies, & techniques.
• Symbols should have: Iconicity, Transparency, Translucency, Opaqueness.
• Context, wholeness, color, and focus affect symbol understanding.
• Factors Affecting Symbol Understanding are concreteness, familiarity.
• Concreteness: Concrete symbols are easier compared to abstract.
• Aided Tangible Symbols are like real objects, miniature objects, or partial objects.
• Strategies provide means to convey intended messages, grammatical formulation, communication rate, and message timing
• Access techniques include direct selection and scanning.

Kinds of AAC

• Low Tech AAC Systems use communication boards, pictures, or E-tran.
• Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS is used. Is where the "symbol" is exchanged between people for communicatio

Messages of Conversations

• Messages of conversations are greetings, small talk, narration of stories, content-specific conversations.
• High-tech AAC systems have vocabulary, organization, formulation & message output

Potential AAC Users

• AAC can be used by all backgrounds that need adaptive speaking or writing assistance.
• Includes those with limited or unintelligible speech. Developmental disabilities
• Intellectual, Visual, and Language. Acquired disabilities
• ALS, Parkinson's, Dementia.
• Those with Cerebral Palsy need optimal seating so they can see what the AAC says

Explore the communication process, both verbal and non-verbal, with a focus on AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication). Understand how messages are conveyed, perceived, and adjusted through feedback loops. Learn the role of facial expressions, physiological changes, and appearance.