Augmentative And Alternative Communication

The author of this article is a professor in the Department of Special Education at San Diego University. In addition to his participation in the Department of Special Education at the University, Rena B. Lewis, PhD is a member of the faculty of the San Diego State University-Claremont Graduate University doctoral program. She focuses much of her research on the application of technology for individuals with learning disabilities. Her qualifications alone would make me feel confident in her writing and findings. The article was published in the Journal of Learning Disabilities in

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law that guarantees educational services to eligible students with disabilities. It establishes “people first” language for referring to people with disabilities. IDEA requires states to educate students with disabilities for transition to employment, and to provide transition services. IDEA also provides the students with a free and appropriate education If a student with a disability is expelled from school, IDEA says that he or she must still receive educational services. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act mandates that all students with disabilities take state and district testing. This law also requires a general education teacher to be a member of the Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) team.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal mandate that regulates how educational agencies supply children with disabilities early intervention services, special education classes, and additional assistance that is equitable to a general education student who does not have a disability. The services under the IDEA law are offered to children from birth to age 21. Students who qualify for services under the IDEA Act

In 1975, Congress enacted the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to ensure that children with disabilities will receive a free appropriate public education through their local school

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) encompasses those forms of communication excluding oral speech which enable an individual to express themselves (Bondy & Frost, 1994). It replicates non-functional speech for those individuals with verbal or language difficulties through augmentative aides (Light & Drager, 2007). Recent technological advances have resulted in the availability of electronic devices which can convert text and picture and communication boards, to generate voice output. As a consequence, individuals with communication challenges accessing alternative means with which to express themselves, and in effect improve their social interaction, academic achievements, whilst gaining increased self-determination (Light & Drager, 2007).

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 (IDEA), is a federal special education law and was signed into law in June 1997. The IDEA pledges that each child with a disability as well as students who need special education services has the right to a free proper public education, with the least restrictive environment. Below are the six components that are included in the IDEA. They include;

In 1990 the Public Law 94-142 was renamed as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. IDEA is in every school building now exerting responsibilities on everyone in the community. The main goal of IDEA is to treat everyone as equals and giving them their full rights. The requirements

Establishing augmentative and alternative communication techniques and strategies including developing, selecting, and prescribing of such systems and devices (ASHA, 2001.)

A study was conducted to understand AAC use in preschoolers. Barker, Akaba, Brady, and Thiemann-Bourque wrote “Support for AAC use in preschool, and growth in language skills, fir young children with developmental disabilities”. There main purpose was to see the affects AAC use had at a young age. They wanted to see the different uses and assistants had any affect on the user. Also they wanted to see the effect of having the teacher use the AAC device more in the classroom setting.

In the Overview of Assistive Technology and Implementation Video by Margina Busby, she gives a lecture on what assistive technology is and how it can be used in the classroom. I learned that assistive technology is “any item, piece of equipment or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized that is used to increase, maintain, or improve capabilities of individuals with disabilities.” Some examples of assisted technology are calculators, pencil grips, pocket dictionaries, communication systems (with or without voice output), adapted textbooks, and modified utensils. It is interesting to see all of the different forms of assistive technology that can be used in the classroom. I am currently taking a class

In 1975, congress enacted the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Kritzer, 2012, p. 53), which was later renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a federal law that mandates special education for children with disabilities. IDEA requires public schools to provide students with disabilities a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). LRE requires school districts to educate students with disabilities in the regular classroom with appropriate supports to the maximum extent possible. The adoption and implementation of IDEA was a huge step towards educating all children with disabilities in the United States.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a United States federal law that consents of four categories outlining how public agencies and individual states ensures that students with various disabilities are provided a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) that is conditioned to their specific needs regardless of their ability. This act mandates tailored services, educational modifications, and the main objective for these children throughout the nation is to supply them with the same possibility of getting an education as those who do not have a disability until the age of 21.

Speech and language disorders, as with any learning disability, can cause embarrassment and social hindrance for students along with the educational setbacks. Unfortunately there is yet to be a cure discovered, but luckily there are many ways in which individuals with learning disabilities can seek treatment and aide. For example a child could receive therapy from a speech pathologist to help them articulate more clearly. There is also assistive technology available for all types of disorders. Assistive technology can help motivate students to overcome the barriers in learning that they face by compensating in the area that they lack. When choosing which type of device that a student should use, it is very important that it is one that will accommodate to the specific disability of the student (Fleming, 1999). For individuals with speech and language disorders, either an electronic communication device or a personal FM listening system would be appropriate. An electronic communication device allows one to type their ideas into a machine so they

There are quite a few technologies other than assistive listening devices that aid in the education of deaf students. First of all, there are a plethora of available communication devices. Communication options that promote equal access for deaf children include e-mail, asynchronous discussions, and real-time discussion forums (Robertson, 2001). With these, the deaf individual can communicate directly with teachers and classmates without the use of an interpreter. He or she would not have to rely on his or her residual hearing or speechreading skills. According to Schirmer and Ingram (2003), one study indicates that the benefit of such communication may go beyond equal access.

The use of an assistive technology can assist the student in accessing his/her environment. Research has shown that using an assistive technology does not hinder the progress of vocalization (Blackstone et al., 1992). Many general education teachers would benefit from having an assistive technology toolkit to help foster communication in the general education classroom (Judge et al., 2008). Beth and Halle’s story proves that the proper assessment should be done to allow students to communicate to their full potential (Dalton et al., 2013). The most crucial partner a school should have in the finding the proper device is the family. Families are very important to the success of the student’s