Augmentative communication is a diverse form of communication for people with speech disabilities, including sign language, communication books, and predictive technology. It can take time to learn, but can provide greater freedom and communication abilities. Friends and family should familiarize themselves with the systems used for augmentative communication to communicate easily.
Augmentative communication is a form of communication designed for people with speech disabilities. Historically, augmentative communication support has been provided primarily to people without cognitive disabilities, but in the late 20th century, the value of such communication systems for people with developmental disabilities was recognized. Using augmentative communication can help someone at any level of cognitive ability enjoy greater freedom and the ability to communicate with other people, to do anything from write books to cue it’s time to eat.
For people without speech impairments, speech comes naturally and it may be difficult to imagine another mode of communication. Indeed, augmentative communication, also known as alternative communication or augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), is extremely diverse. One form of augmentative communication, sign language, is familiar to many people.
Other forms may include the use of communication books, which feature pictures of concepts for people to point to, along with chalkboards, which people use to spell words. Letterboarding can also be used with written communication books where people point to common words and predictive technology, which allows someone to point to letters at the beginning of the word and then makes suggestions for possible words. Augmentative communication can also include developing codes, using numbers to symbolize concepts, and various gestures.
People who are born with speech impairments can learn augmentative communication as they grow up. Individuals with acquired impairments such as impairments from strokes, neurodegenerative diseases, and so on can receive training in how to use the ACC. Some systems work independently, allowing people to communicate without an assistant or assistant, while others are meant to be used with an assistant.
It can take some time for someone to learn an augmentative communication system, and some people have to experiment with several systems before they find one that works for them. It is also important for friends and family to familiarize themselves with the systems used for augmentative communication so they can communicate easily, whether someone is using an electronic ACC that provides the person with an electronic voice, a computer with a pointing device to point at images that explain concepts or a simple chalkboard for letters.
People unfamiliar with ACC technology sometimes find it awkward to interact with someone who uses augmentative communication. There are a couple of things that can make it easier. It’s important to focus on the person communicating, even if an assistant or device is actually emitting speech sounds, and it helps to use a comfortable communication style. For example, someone might be able to nod, but not speak, in which case yes or no questions could be asked and answered without the use of the ACC.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
