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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

Education 3743

Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Summer Session, 1990

MTWRFS

8:30-12:30

July 16-25,1990

Location: Jericho Hill School

Instructor: Susan Blockberger

Prerequisite: ?

Certified Practicing Teacher

Course Description

Basic terminology and key concepts

A definition of communicative competence for the AAC user

Components of AAC systems:

Symbol sets

access techniques

feedback characteristics

Examples of AAC systems:

unaided

aided non-technical

aided "low tech"

aided "high tech"

Technology and AAC:

new developments

advantages/disadvantages

evaluation of technology

examples of "high tech" devices

Considerations in assessment:

present communication system

communication needs

barriers to participation

characteristics and skills of the child

characteristics of the environment

ideal vs most feasible system

---

Considerations in interventiom

factors affecting likelihood of communication

selection of goals

the vocabulary challenge

technical vs functional competence

facilitator training

literacy and AAC

AAC

and educatiow

communication to foster classroom participation

communication to foster learning/academic goals

communicative competence in "real life" - an educational goal

Sociocommunkative considerations:

attitudes toward disabilities

attitudes toward AAC users

self-image and self

esteem

Considerations with specific populations:

the preintentional communicator

the autistic child

the visually impaired child

the walking nontalking child

the academically competitive child

MOdels of service delivery:

options

service delivery in Canada

service delivery in B.C.

Participant Evaluation

All students enroled in this course will be required to complete one

take-home project and one exam covering the conceptual, clinical,

and technical information presented in the course.