Sandra Carolina Hernández Rivera

May 9, 2020

Email Communication Assignment

Hello!

My name is Sandra Hernández, and I am currently taking a Students with Severe

Disabilities class, where we are learning about AAC and AT. AT or Assistive
Technology is assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices or tools for people with
disabilities or the elderly population. They can help with communication and daily living
activities. AAC or Augmentative and Alternative Communication is “Communication
devices, systems, strategies and tools that replace or support natural speech. These
tools support a person who has difficulties communicating using speech. The first “A” in
AAC stands for Augmentative Communication. When you augment something, you add
to it or supplement. Augmentative communication is when you add something to your
speech (eg. sign language, pictures, a letter board). This can make your message
clearer to your listener. The second “A” in AAC stands for Alternative Communication.
This is when you are not able to speak. It is also when your speech is not understood by
others. In this case, you need a different way to communicate ” (Assistive Ware, 2020).
Assistive Technology has different parts to it. It can range from no-tech or low-
tech devices to high-tech devices. This is called the AT Continuum. A low-tech device
can be a button that can be programmed to express simple sentences or phrases and
can be attached to a wheelchair. It just needs some batteries and is easy to program. It
records voices and can be just pushed and may contain different levels (3) to change it
according to the situation. A high-tech device can be screen readers, which can be a
little more expensive. A person that hasn’t used any AT would be encouraged to start
with a no-tech device and work up to a high-tech device if needed. It takes learning for
every device, especially when the device can do more things. High-tech devices are
usually harder to use and would be harder for a person to start using it without having
previous experience with something that assists him or her with their daily tasks or
communication. That is why it is good to start with the less “sophisticated devices (low-
tech or no-tech).
It is important for the teachers or those that assist the student (including parents)
to understand the communication of the student. It is also important to understand the
behaviors of the student, the culture, and the level where they are at. This can help the
teachers know how to help best and what tools could be needed or helpful for the
student. This is why it is also important to find the strengths and needs of the student.
There are devices or tools such as PECS, that is considered “no-tech”, because
there is no technology required for it. PECS is just a Picture Exchange Communication
System. It is using pictures in order to communicate with others. “People using PECS
are taught to approach another person and give them a picture of a desired item in
exchange for that item. By doing so, the person is able to initiate communication. A child
or adult with autism can use PECS to communicate a request, a thought, or anything
that can reasonably be displayed or symbolized on a picture card. PECS works well in
the home or in the classroom” (National Autism Resources, 2020). PECS has 6 phases.
Phase I is how to communicate, where the student learns to exchange single pictures
for items or activities they want. Phase II is distance and persistence, where the student
uses the pictures but learns to generalize by using it with more people and in different
Sandra Carolina Hernández Rivera
May 9, 2020

places. Phase III is picture discrimination, where the child learns to select from 2 or
more pictures to ask for their favorite things; they can be placed in a book with Velcro
strips. Phase IV is sentence structure, where the child learns to construct simple
sentences on a detachable sentence strip using “I want” pictures. Phase V is answering
questions, where the child learns to use PECS to answer the questions, “what do you
want?” Phase VI is commenting, where the child is taught to comment in response to
other questions; they learn to make up sentences starting with I see, I hear, I feel, It is a,
etc.
PECS is a good option to include in your classroom since your student has not
experienced assistive technology before, and it could be a great start for her to get used
to communicating through a tool or device. This is a simple example and can be used
for her to start learning and saying what she wants or needs. She will also be able to
express what she wants more independently, without having to guess what she wants
and putting them in front of her, she could grab pictures instead. This can also help her,
since she doesn’t have to sign, and she can point to things. This definitely can help
everyone to start understanding more the communication and have her be more
motivated or less stressed because of lack of ways to communicate. It can start with the
pictures with things that you know you use the most in class and it can be later set on a
book with velcro as she learns to use this system.
When learning more and more throughout time, your girl will feel more confident
and more positive as she will be able to express more what she wants without having
someone to bring things to her and do things she doesn’t want before she asks for
anything. She will be able to be more independent with this and through learning how to
communicate. This is because communication helps us all get our needs met and our
wants as well, and it allows us to advocate for ourselves. The AT continuum can help a
lot in figuring out step by step how to help students and what is next. That is why I listed
some AT below that are at the lowest range of the continuum. After that, how you see
the student progresses and according to her needs, you can change the tools or teach
her to use other tools and technology that is farther up in the continuum. Right now, I
think that focusing on the simple things and helping her communicate at least with
certain things can help in so many ways and can definitely impact your student’s
attitude and view of herself and how others see her. Her confidence can grow as she
uses this.
There are many other tools that you can use. There is an AT library in Idaho that
provides services for teachers, schools, and the community. There, you can borrow
some communication devices for free. I will leave you their information below. If you
have any more questions don’t hesitate to contact me.

This is the link for their website where you can look different communication devices:
https://idaho.at4all.com/items/ItemSearch.aspx?
Search=&CategoryID=3&ProgramID=56&State=ID&TransactionTypeID=1&IncludeExpired=0

Two examples of the devices there that can be helpful:

Big Mac Switch – It can record a message and the student can press
the button whenever she wants to say that simple message or request
Sandra Carolina Hernández Rivera
May 9, 2020

recorded. Website ID: 170162. Inventory Tag: D597692. It is available for loan. It is
found in Idaho Falls. Program:  LIFE, Inc. - Idaho Falls, ID.

Go Talk 20+ – This is a simple communication device with recorded speech

and pictures. It offers 20 message spaces on 5 levels (100 messages). It is
also found in Idaho Falls. It also available for loan. Website ID: 147518.
Inventory Tag: D562534. Program: LIFE, Inc. – Idaho Falls, ID.

Basic Talk 4 Platinum – It is a more basic device that is portable

and can be used to express simpler phrases (just 4). Available
for loan in Idaho Falls. Website ID: 163200. Inventory Tag:
D587417. Program: LIFE, Inc. – Idaho Falls, ID.

-Sandra Hernández Rivera