5 Things to Remember About AAC Technology
AAC technology is awesome. It really is. But it isn’t always ‘the answer.’ Here are a few things we try to keep in mind.
1. It’s not always the most efficient way for someone to communicate. Vocalizations, word approximations, gestures, and manual signs may be quicker and easier.
2. You always need a back-up. Another device, an app, a communication board, a PODD book, a print-out of the main SGD screens. Something.
3. It may not be the preferred means of communication with family and close friends. It’s not up to us to make that call.
4. The ‘latest thing’ isn’t always the best. Some of our prAACtical friends still lament the loss of the built-in printer on the Liberator. For them, the smaller, sleeker design of replacement devices weren’t worth the trade-off.
5. We generally don’t maximize the devices/apps we have. In some situations, there are useful features that we don’t know much about and aren’t making available to our clients. Rather than spending all that free time (ha!) learning new devices/apps, we’re trying to learn more about the technology we already have.
How about you? What are the things you want us to remember about AAC technology?
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: 5, five, technology
This post was written by Carole Zangari
2 Comments
Good information. We use Total Communication with my son, and have found its working great for us. Putting all your eggs in one basket can have its drawbacks. The PODD is a must have, as its easy to make changes & no tech to worry about freezing or glitching.
Lisa, we are huge fans of using multiple modes of communication. All of US are communicating through spoken words, writing, gestures, facial expression, movement, etc. Why would we restrict people who use AAC to only 1-2 ways of expressing themseleves? Thanks so much for stopping by to comment!