Replacing Verbal Language -  Using Augmentative and Assistive Communication (AAC)

Introduction:

While we often communicate using verbal "natual languges" such as English or French, some people (wo are referred to as non-verbal) are not able to communicate using verbal languages whether written or spoken. However, if they are sighted they might be abe to comunicate by pointing at a series of pictures that symbolize the typical words that most of us use to communicate.

This ADE will provide you with a quick introduction to using pictorial based communications.

In this ADE your goal will be to use a voice recognition program (i.e., software that converts speech to text) to navigate web pages and dictate some text.

At the end of this ADE, you will have experienced some of the difficulties of navigating websites and dictating text with a voice recognition program. You will be able to discuss the impact of using speech as a primary modality in navigation and dictation tasks.

Note: This ADE requires the use of Microsoft Windows 10 or later.

What to Do:

  1. To begin, please view the videos 
    1. "Introduction to Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)"
    2. "Augmentative and Alternative Communication" 

  2. Cboard is a free AAC web app for children and adults with speech and language impairments, aiding communication with symbols and text-to-speech.
    1. Go to it and select (start cboard)
    2. On the Welcome to Cboard page you can select (Skip for now)
    3. Next comes a tour to get started
      1. The first part of the Tour is only two popups long, telling you to click the lock 4 times. You need to click the lock to advance
      2.  Doing so takes you to  second tour that is seven popups long and that doesn't tell you anything you need for this ADE. You can choose to Close Tour.
    4. Now you need to get familiar with the communication boards
      1. You will see three grey lines above  number of symbols / pictures
        1. the top line has a left arrow on its right
        2. the second line says "BOARDS" - when you click on the down arrow or the word BOARDS you are given a popup that will take you back to the Home board
        3. the third line has the name of the current board full of symbols, there are two colors of symbols
      2. Below th grey lines are the symbols for the current boar
        1. yellow symbols represent words or phrases
        2. blue symbols represent more detailed boards of symbols
      3. Above the grey lines is the message composition area along with a backspace symbol on the right (and an X to delete whole messages once they have been started).
        1. When you select a yellow symbol, the symbol is placed in the message composition area and is spoken in English
      4. Get familiar with the structure and contents of the different communication boards and trying to create messages.

  3. Try to create the following messages using Cboard. Recognize that it has a limited vocabulary and that some of the words in the sentenes might not be available to compose your message. So you have to do your best to communicate the idea rather than the actual  sentence you are being given. Keep track of your efforts, difficulties, and results for each message.

    1. I want the teacher to take me in my wheelchair to the gym.
    2. Dad cooks vegtable soup and spagetti 
    3. I am happ that the taxi driver today drove my family to the beach

What to Hand-in:

Submit a written report that answers the following questions:

  1. What words did Cboard use for the symbols that you chose for each of the three messaes?
  2. How well do those words communicate the intended message?
  3. How well do the pictures communicate the intended message?
  4. What was it like looking for the symbols you needed?
  5. Since Cboard allows you to add symbols, what would be required for you to come up with additional symbols that you felt you needed but that you could not find?
  6. How easy or difficult do you think it would be to come up with these symbols and to place them where they could be found?
  7. Feedback
    1. What were your expectations of this ADE?
    2. Did this ADE meet your expectations? Provide a rating between 1 and 7, where 1 means not at all, 4 means somewhat, and 7 means absolutely. Please explain your choice.
    3. Did you feel that the video(s) for this ADE was appropriate? Why or why not? Provide a rating between 1 and 7, where 1 means not at all, 4 means somewhat, and 7 means absolutely. Please explain your choice.
    4. Do you have any suggestions for other possible videos?
    5. Did you feel that the questions above got you to think about the real and serious issues regarding this ADE? Provide a rating between 1 and 7, where 1 means not at all, 4 means somewhat, and 7 means absolutely. Please explain your choice.
    6. If you have any suggestions on how to improve this ADE, please include it here.