The Southern California Augmentative and Alternative Communication Network...

...is a support group for professional development, problem solving, leadership, mentoring, and training in the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to develop communication in non-speaking and minimally verbal individuals in the Southern California Region.

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Monday, October 15, 2012

Re-Post: AAC & the Pace of Change

Officially entitled:
"Avoiding Insanity: AAC & the Pace of Change"
More fantastic reporting from PrAACtical AAC (read it on the blog HERE)


Just before the dawn of the fourth touchscreen iDevice from Apple, I hope you, like me, enjoy this walk through a history of AAC - from the 1940's to today.

"...AAC users growing up in the forties and fifties tell of communicating through grunts, vocalizations, “air writing,” and eye movements, which, though effective in some contexts, were maddening in their limitations...the service delivery profile for individuals with severe communication disabilities improved little until the mid-late 1970’s...1975, P.L. 94-142 mandated change in the educational system...1981, ASHA  developed a position paper on AAC services...

...Earlier this year, many of us read a white paper developed through the joint effort of an AT/AAC company and two university professors, which shared findings of a questionnaire circulated online to AAC stakeholders. A summary of their results included these findings:
Less than 10% of adult AAC users report receiving professional support to effectively implement AAC...Close to 20% of the professionals consider the practitioner charged with supporting the person with AAC needs as being not knowledgeable or  only slightly knowledgeable about AAC..."

PrAACtical AAC's Carole Zangari poses the following:
"What can we do differently to accelerate the pace of change in AAC?
Ideas, please. Big ones, small ones. Logical thoughts and off-the-wall sparks. Ideas for researchers, practitioners, administrators, clinical educators, bloggers, presenters. Share your thoughts. We’re listening."

Contact PrAACtical AAC via their blog, HERE.  

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