Journal 8 Adaptive Technology

Adaptive Technology

Communication 

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) refers to all forms of communication apart from actual oral communication. AAC refers to communication that expresses the thoughts, needs, wants, and ideas of individuals. We use AAC when we make facial expressions and body or hand gestures, and also when we use symbols or pictures, even when we write. 

People with severe speech or language disabilities rely on AAC to help them communicate more fully. There are many types of special augmentative aids available to help these individuals express AAC. I’ve researched several of them but here are a few I found to be particularly interesting

An extremely low tech AAC aide option is a laser pointer attached to glasses. A person with extreme physical and/or speech disabilities who still has control of their neck and head movements can use the laser pointer on a chart across from them to help them communicate. The chart could have letters, commonly used words and terms, or pictures on it. Many severe to moderate special education classes have students who are unable to properly articulate their speech who also have certain physical disabilities that prevent them from being able to write as well. Communication for these individuals is severely limited. A device as simple as a laser pointer and a chart on the wall could give these students the ability to participate more in their classes and communicate with those around them.

A high tech AAC aide option is the Smart/128. The Smart/128 is a multi-level communication device. This device features a high tech grid display with interchangeable keyguards and visual scene capabilities. You record messages onto the grid associate with the visual images and the speech-impaired individual can then communicate easily by pressing the buttons associated with the message they want to convey. This device comes with an interchangeable flash card and overlay recognition to further add versatility to the device. It is expensive at about $1,185 dollars but if a school is able to afford this device they can provide their speech-impaired students with a great resource to add them with communicating with their teachers and fellow students. 

 

Assessibility

Input Devices

Input devices give individuals with special needs access to using a computer or electronic device. Input devices can be hardware or software related.

 

One hardware option I researched was the TM4 Mini. The TM4 Mini is an eye tracking device that you mount onto your computer. The device tracks the user’s eye movements and translates that into movement of the computer mouse on the screen. Staring at a button for a length of time equals clicking the mouse button. This device helps individuals with disorders and disabilities like ALS, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and spinal cord injury use a computer without any outside assistance. Helping them become more independent. A device like this would help students with these issues use a computer on their own to do homework, research, play games, search the web and more. 

 

A software option I researched was the Grid 2 program. The Grid 2 is a software package that allows people with limited speech function to use a computer as voice output communication aide. The Grid 2 also accepts input from switches, headpointers, touchscreen, mouse, and other options. This software is similar to what Steven Hawking uses to vocally communicate with people. In a classroom setting this software gives an individual with speech impairment the ability to vocalize what they want to. It also allows people to communicate via symbols through symbol chat and via text through text chat.

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