“ Communicative competence is about people. It is not about computer technology, or AAC systems. Technology is just the tool , it is the people and the interactions between them that must be our main focus.” Janice Light

Why do we communicate? To express needs and wants To develop social closeness To exchange information To fulfill social etiquette routines

To express needs and wants

To develop social closeness

To exchange information

To fulfill social etiquette routines

Why communicate? 1. Express Needs : regulate someone else’s behavior - focus is on desired action/object, not participants 2. Social closeness : to establish, maintain, and develop relationships - focus is on participants; there is no other goal

1. Express Needs : regulate someone else’s behavior

- focus is on desired action/object, not participants

2. Social closeness : to establish, maintain, and develop relationships

- focus is on participants; there is no other goal

Why communicate? (cont’d) 3. Sharing information - to acquire new information or impart new information to others - focus is on information 4. Social etiquette: brief interactions, including comments and greetings

3. Sharing information - to acquire new information or impart new information to others

- focus is on information

4. Social etiquette: brief interactions, including comments and greetings

Basic Messages What they want What they’re having trouble with When they need a break When they’re giving up When they’re successful and happy Ann Heller - 12th Annual Southeast Aug. Com. Conference, 1991.

What they want

What they’re having trouble with

When they need a break

When they’re giving up

When they’re successful and happy

Ann Heller - 12th Annual Southeast Aug. Com. Conference, 1991.

Points to remember: Communicative competence needs to be learned Success depends on identifying appropriate goals Different people value different skills Need to build on strengths of AAC users

Communicative competence needs to be learned

Success depends on identifying appropriate goals

Different people value different skills

Need to build on strengths of AAC users

Partner Characteristics Tend to dominate the conversation Preempt the students’ turns Don’t give time for student to formulate response/comment Often fail to respond to students’ attempts at communication Often anticipate students’ needs and thoughts (making it unnecessary to communicate)

Tend to dominate the conversation

Preempt the students’ turns

Don’t give time for student to formulate response/comment

Often fail to respond to students’ attempts at communication

Often anticipate students’ needs and thoughts (making it unnecessary to communicate)

Partner Strategies that Promote Communication Engage the student Comment on or describe an event or action Wait for a response expand on the attempt prompt for a higher level of success increase opportunities for communicative interaction

Engage the student

Comment on or describe an event or action

Wait for a response

expand on the attempt

prompt for a higher level of success

increase opportunities for communicative interaction

Using a Prompt Hierarchy Expectant pause Open question Ask a who, what, when, where, how question What do you want? Where should we go? Partial prompt Ask a question that contains a choice Give a hint or clue Model the first few words or sounds

Expectant pause

Open question

Ask a who, what, when, where, how question

What do you want? Where should we go?

Partial prompt

Ask a question that contains a choice

Give a hint or clue

Model the first few words or sounds

Prompt Hierarchy (cont’d) Mand (request for a response) request an elaboration of the response “Tell me what you want” “You need to tell me something” Full Model provide a full model for the response, then PAUSE again (give time to respond)

Mand (request for a response)

request an elaboration of the response

“Tell me what you want”

“You need to tell me something”

Full Model

provide a full model for the response, then PAUSE again (give time to respond)

Partner Focused Questions To develop meaningful social relationships Studies provide evidence that adults value partners who show an interest in others increased perception of the AAC user’s ability level Partner focused questions can aid in initiation and maintenance of conversations

To develop meaningful social relationships

Studies provide evidence that adults value partners who show an interest in others

increased perception of the AAC user’s ability level

Partner focused questions can aid in initiation and maintenance of conversations

Strategies that Promote Communicative Competence Provide meaningful opportunities for communication Work with communication partners a ‘trainer” is not a partner! Prepare for opportunities through appropriate instruction Provide partner support

Provide meaningful opportunities for communication

Work with communication partners

a ‘trainer” is not a partner!

Prepare for opportunities through appropriate instruction

Provide partner support

Strategies (cont’d) Work within the natural environment Reflect and learn from experiences Continually review and revise

Work within the natural environment

Reflect and learn from experiences

Continually review and revise

Determine Vocabulary Listen to peers Begin with generic messages that can be used in a variety of settings with a variety of partners Can include open-ended carrier phrases (“What are you doing…” - tomorrow, tonight, vacation) Include messages that initiate, maintain, terminate a conversation

Listen to peers

Begin with generic messages that can be used in a variety of settings with a variety of partners

Can include open-ended carrier phrases (“What are you doing…” - tomorrow, tonight, vacation)

Include messages that initiate, maintain, terminate a conversation

Determine Appropriate Wording Consider the following when choosing actual wording: age (a 16 year old should sound like a 16 yr. old) personality cultural background level of comprehension formality vs. informality of situation (job interview vs. chatting with friends)

Consider the following when choosing actual wording:

age (a 16 year old should sound like a 16 yr. old)

personality

cultural background

level of comprehension

formality vs. informality of situation (job interview vs. chatting with friends)

When choosing messages... Be sure to include opposites (ex.,“cool/gross”, or “great/too bad”) include a message that indicates that what the AAC user is trying to communicate is not available on that particular board/overlay (“It’s not on this board”)

Be sure to include opposites (ex.,“cool/gross”, or “great/too bad”)

include a message that indicates that what the AAC user is trying to communicate is not available on that particular board/overlay (“It’s not on this board”)

Messages Messages should be: effective - communicate clearly to partner efficient - get the point across as quickly as possible socially appropriate (worded in an acceptable manner)

Messages should be:

effective - communicate clearly to partner

efficient - get the point across as quickly as possible

socially appropriate (worded in an acceptable manner)

Remember…. Simply providing the vocabulary and expecting the student to use it appropriately is not enough Interaction between AAC users and communication partners needs to be taught

Simply providing the vocabulary and expecting the student to use it appropriately is not enough

Interaction between AAC users and communication partners needs to be taught

Turn-Taking Obligatory partner is obliged to take a turn because a question has been asked (“What are you doing?” Non-obligatory partner is invited to take a turn following a comment or statement (“I went to a great concert”)

Obligatory

partner is obliged to take a turn because a question has been asked (“What are you doing?”

Non-obligatory

partner is invited to take a turn following a comment or statement (“I went to a great concert”)

Non-Obligatory Turn Taking Increases participation in social settings Maintains conversation Shows that there is interest in the partner Aids in partners viewing AAC users as competent communicators

Increases participation in social settings

Maintains conversation

Shows that there is interest in the partner

Aids in partners viewing AAC users as competent communicators

Steps to Teaching Turn-Taking Specify the goal Select vocabulary Provide opportunities Follow a prompt hierarchy Generalization Re-evaluate Maintenance checks

Specify the goal

Select vocabulary

Provide opportunities

Follow a prompt hierarchy

Generalization

Re-evaluate

Maintenance checks

Visual Bridges Support ongoing communication between home and school how I felt today what will happen tomorrow what happened at home last night Active participation in preparation review and rehearse organizational skills

Support ongoing communication between home and school

how I felt today

what will happen tomorrow

what happened at home last night

Active participation in preparation

review and rehearse

organizational skills

Visual Bridges (cont’d) Sharing information Transition between environments (school to home, home to therapies, school to daycare) Provides opportunity for student responsibility (material preparation and transportation) Encourages initiation and participation in meaningful conversations

Sharing information

Transition between environments (school to home, home to therapies, school to daycare)

Provides opportunity for student responsibility (material preparation and transportation)

Encourages initiation and participation in meaningful conversations

Activities “Today at School” reviews occurrences during the day information put into visual form improves recall of past events Format can include: marking schedule pictures photocopying pictures or objects copying fill-in-the blank sentences

“Today at School”

reviews occurrences during the day

information put into visual form

improves recall of past events

Format can include:

marking schedule pictures

photocopying pictures or objects

copying fill-in-the blank sentences

Remnant Books Basically a scrapbook of meaningful “items” Collect wrappers, tickets, etc. from field trip or other excursions Photographs Digital photos School/class pictures Advertising media (magazines, newspaper) Computer print-outs

Basically a scrapbook of meaningful “items”

Collect wrappers, tickets, etc. from field trip or other excursions

Photographs

Digital photos

School/class pictures

Advertising media (magazines, newspaper)

Computer print-outs

The “art” of building communicative competence has to do with the faith, the hope, the belief, and the commitment to the right of every individual to seek his or her full potential . . Janice Light, 1996

Resources Light, Janice (1996). “Communication is the Essence of Human Life”:Reflections on Communicative Competence. Speech to 1996 ISAAC Conference. Blackstone, S. Life is not a dress rehearsal! Augmentative Communication News, 2(5), 1-2. Light, J. and Cathy Binger. (1998). Building Communicative Competence with Individuals Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Baltimore: Paul H. Brooks Publishing Co. Hodgdon, Linda, (1996). Visual Strategies for Improving Communication(Vol.. 1) . Troy, Michigan: QuirkRoberts Publishing.

Light, Janice (1996). “Communication is the Essence of Human Life”:Reflections on Communicative Competence. Speech to 1996 ISAAC Conference.

Blackstone, S. Life is not a dress rehearsal! Augmentative Communication News, 2(5), 1-2.

Light, J. and Cathy Binger. (1998). Building Communicative Competence with Individuals Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Baltimore: Paul H. Brooks Publishing Co.

Hodgdon, Linda, (1996). Visual Strategies for Improving Communication(Vol.. 1) . Troy, Michigan: QuirkRoberts Publishing.