Best Practices In AAC Assessment

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 reliability of an assessment in a perfect situation should produce the same results if marked by another tutor or if that examiner unknowingly receives the same paper again. If different marks are given the assessment is consequently unreliable and proves that this assessment is subjective.

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 service user has various assessments of need undertaken, this allows practioners to create plans and to regularly review the plans put in place for children and young people. Watson and West (2006), argue that good social work practice is good quality assessment, assessments inform evaluations and judgements. Assessment is about critically analysing information from a range of sources to determine need, eligibility and risk. Assessments involve a collaborative process; ensuring people participate and take as much control as possible in identifying their own needs. From the social work point of view, all professional judgments should be balanced and substantiated. Moreover, a perspective that sees the 'whole system' and the interconnected

1.1 Assessment measures the learner’s progress towards or the completion of, the learning aim and criteria, and can be used at any point during the learning cycle. It can provide information to adapt the delivery to suit the learner’s needs and abilities; a learner may need more help or time on some aspects, or has progressed quicker than planned and requires additional goals. By standardising the assessment process this creates uniformity for all learners.

All work handed in by the learner, they must sign and date and confirm that it is their own work.

You should make sure that all your records are legible, and keep them confidential unless you have permission otherwise.

Designed to analyze events, the After Action Review (AAR) will identify strengths to be maintained and developed further, as well as recognize weaknesses or areas of improvement (United States, n.d.). Corrective action plans, contained within the AAR, ensure that weaknesses are addressed and steps are taken to improve upon the plans that are impacted. The AAR consists of event summarization and timeline, identification of strengths and weaknesses, recommendations for improvement, and a plan that identifies measures and goals for addressing the recommendations.

For the Module 7B assignment, I selected the Autism Tracker lite app to be evaluated with the Educational App Evaluation Rubric by Vincent and the Autism iHelp-Sorting app to be evaluated using the Critical Evaluation of a Content-Based iPad/iPod app. The Autism Tracker lite is a free, Apple app to help individuals with autism. At first, I was glad that it was an Apple app and that it was free as well, something I do not see very often when researching apps created to run on this platform. What I liked about this app is that it is for the whole family with capabilities such as the export of lists of entries and tables for detailed reviewed at a later time, customizable visuals in which one can input personal photos and labels, and calendars to calculate icons for everyday tasks, among other very handy options.

(Simmons) Great performance on visual tasks have been reported in children with ASD, which further validates the use of technology as an effective way to help students with Autism succeed in schools. Due to children with Autism typically having difficulty communicating with appropriate verbal expressions and physical gestures, the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) was created by the Delaware Autism Program. This program uses photographs, drawings, and pictures of objects, which are now available with technology. The PECS system was created in 1985 in a physical format, but can now be accessed using mobile devices. The use of applications was discussed by Kate Simmons (ND). There are a plethora of applications available, some of which assist students with ASD. One application is MyVoice which was design to assist with speech and language difficulties. The individual can select the picture they desire, and then build sentences to communicate what they want. Also SocialSkillBuider is an application that has modules to assist students with interactions and social situations they common face in a day. Give Me 5! Also helps with social skills, by having individuals analyze social situations in a gaming format. These are just a few of the applications available for assisting individuals with ASD. Technology can assist in the improved social and

The use of technology in educating children with special needs has widely grown in the past few decades, and has since has changed the way people with disabilities live, work, and learn” (Winzer, 2002, p. 98). Individuals with special needs are unique and all have different areas in which they need assistance. Due to the advancements in assistive technology, computer programs, software, and other technology tools, have helped people to find useful and easier ways to become educated.

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

According to case 3, BC Assessment has provided a training program, which contains a two-day face-to-face workshop to its appraisers in order to solve appeals sooner and save time and cost. Conducting a Needs Analysis for the appraisers, the actual organizational performance is less than expect organizational performance, which appraisers could not solve the appeal on time causing performance gap (Blanchard & Thacker, 2013). After identifying the performance gap, BC Assessment decided to train their employees to develop required knowledge, skills and attitude in order to solve the appeals earlier. Lectures and demonstrations, as well as experiential techniques have been used as training methods. Trainees have improved their knowledge,

The use of technology in educating children with special needs has widely grown in the past few decades. Individuals with special needs are unique and all have different areas in which they need assistance. Due to the advancements in assistive technology, computer programs, software, and other technology tools, it has become much easier for people to find useful and easier ways to become educated. Because of this, “technology has changed the way people with disabilities live, work, and learn.” (Winzer,98)

An assessment center is “a variety of testing techniques designed to allow candidates [or current employees] to demonstrate, under standardized conditions, the skills and abilities that are most essential for success in a given job” (qtd. in Coleman 3). Typical assessment center techniques include tests, structured interviews, in-basket exercises, leaderless group discussions, role plays, case studies, presentations, and writing samples (Campion 2014). The results of these techniques can be used for multiple human resource functions, including selection, placement, promotion, development, identifying early managerial talent, and managing succession (Gaugler et al. 493, Thornton III and Byham 3, Spychalski et al. 71). In addition, assessment centers can help organizations detect organizational deficiencies, inefficient procedures, and training deficiencies (Hale 18). The versatile nature of assessment centers makes them a beneficial tool for human resource management.