Augmentative Communication Services
An Augmentative Communication Evaluation examines a child's speech, language and communication skills and needs as well as his/her visual, motor, positioning and mobility functions when appropriate. Evaluations include vital hands-on trial of equipment. Consideration and trial of a range of specific communication devices are determined by a child’s abilities and functional speech, language, and communication needs as identified by parents, therapists, and teachers in conjunction with our evaluation team. The results of an evaluation are recommendations for specific low and high technology communication aids and for implementation strategies that will facilitate the child's effective use of the recommended equipment. Most children will use a communication system that consists of different communication techniques: spoken words or word approximations, gestures and manual language signs, low-tech picture systems, and/or a Speech Generating Device. A person’s natural speech—regardless of intelligibility—is typically the most spontaneous and portable of these communication techniques and can be supported by all other communication techniques. For many reasons, a child’s expressive language use of a Speech Generating Device can be a very effective support for his/her continued development of functional spoken language skills.
A child’s parents, teachers, and therapists are encouraged to attend evaluations whenever possible in order to make our evaluation more complete and facilitate implementation of recommendations into the child's functional environment. Commercially available augmentative communication devices and supplementary assistive technology can be found for children of all ages, disabilities, and cognitive or skill levels. These include:
- Young children, emerging communicators, and children with physical impairments who are just beginning to learn how to move in such a way as to actively participate in their physical and social worlds;
- Socially/pragmatically impaired communicators and children and youth with acquired or developmental cognitive impairments; and
- Communicators who require flexible and generative language expression.
Augmentative Communication Evaluations and Outpatient Therapy services incorporate a continuum of unaided (e.g., speech and sign language), low-tech (e.g. Picture Communication books and displays, Picture Schedules, etc.), and Speech Generating Devices (e.g, speech output communication devices). Hands-on trials during evaluations and follow-up therapeutic training match a child’s individual profile of strengths, weaknesses, and pragmatic communication needs to tools and strategies that optimally support his or her language and communication independence. Outpatient Therapy Treatment Plans are individualized for the child’s receptive and expresssive language skills and needs; communication abilities and goals; and needs to learn the operational requirements of their specific speech generating device (SGD). Family education is always a critical component of Treatment Plans since it is essential that family members have the ability to teach and carryover therapeutic techniques and goals to their children’s home and community communication experiences.
