“When I First Got It, I Wanted to Throw It Off a Cliff”: The Challenges and Benefits of Learning AAC Technologies as Described by Adults who use AAC

Abstract

Seven individuals (aged 21 -41 years) with cerebral palsy and who used speech generating augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices participated in a focus group discussion on the benefits and challenges of learning AAC technologies. The focus group was conducted on the Internet over a 9-week period. Five major themes emerged from the discussion: (a) selection of an AAC device; (b) knowledge and skills needed to use AAC technologies; (c) instruction and practice activities; (d) assessment of skill acquisition; and (e) advice to others. Participants reported that a consumer-driven assessment approach, which included the opportunity to discuss options with other individuals who used AAC, was key to the selection of an appropriate device. Participants identified a wide variety of important supports to learning how to make effective use of AAC technologies, including text and technological supports, individual exploration, learning from professionals, drill and practice, learning from peers, and opportunities for functional use in the community. For the participants, successful use of AAC technology was best assessed by functional use in the community.

Communicative Competence for Individuals who require Augmentative and Alternative Communication: A New Definition for a New Era of Communication?

“…As a fi eld, we should take pride in this increased research base that has resulted in advances in evidence-based AAC services. Over the past 25 years, we have also witnessed increased involvement of individuals with complex communication needs and their families in these research endeavors, working to ensure that their voices are heard and their needs and priorities are addressed (O ' Keefe, Kozak, & Schuller, 2007;Rackensperger et al, 2005).…”

“…Even when the necessary policy, practice, and attitude supports are in place, it may not be suffi cient to ensure the development of communicative competence by individuals who require AAC. Learning to communicate using AAC is a complex process (Bailey, Parette, Stoner, Angell, & Carroll, 2006;Rackensperger, Krezman, McNaughton, Williams, & D ' Silva, 2005). Many individuals who require AAC experience signifi cant linguistic, operational, and social constraints and require support from their partners to ensure successful communication (Blackstone et al, 2007).…”

“…As the scope of communication needs and expectations for participation have increased (resulting in heightened communication demands in general), it is inevitable that there will be increased demands for effective coping strategies to ensure successful communication in the face of signifi cant limitations. There is an urgent need for research to investigate strategic competence (Mirenda & Bopp, 2003); the fi eld has much to learn from individuals who require AAC who have attained communicative competence and effectively meet their communication goals across a wide range of environments via various media (Rackensperger et al, 2005;Smith & Connolly, 2008).…”

A grounded theory of Internet and social media use by young people who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)

“…Many adolescents claim they could not live without the Internet and love how new technology helps them communicate with people [73], which is supported by Helseth and Misvaer [74] who found peer relationships were a psychosocial factor that adolescents used to evaluate their quality of life. Within the current study, the desire to use the Internet and social media (especially Facebook) was unanimously expressed amongst the participants and extends understanding from previously cited literature that people who use AAC perceive benefits for widening and clarifying communication with others through the use of mobile technologies [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14].…”

Social Validation of Vocabulary Selection: Ensuring Stakeholder Relevance

“…In the field of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), there has been a positive movement towards including adults with complex communication needs (CCN) in all aspects of the research process, and not just as subjects of research (Rackensperger, 2012;Rackensperger, Krezman, McNaughton, Williams, & D'Silva, 2005;Shane, Blackstone, Vanderheiden, Williams, & DeRuyter, 2012).…”