Parents' Corner

October 2011

Robin Wisner

Parents’ Corner is pleased to have Dr. Katya Hill, Executive Director of the AAC Institute and ICAN™ Talk Clinics as guest columnist for October AAC Awareness Month.


WHAT MORE CAN I DO?

Katya Hill
Executive Director

October is AAC Awareness month and provides an opportunity for all of us to ask “What more can I do for children who need AAC?” Parents’ Corner subscribers may reflect on this question and then ask “What more can I do for MY child who needs AAC?” This seems a simple question, but in the asking has the potential for a profound opportunity to create better results for the hundreds of sons and daughters of parents on this group. The answer to this question may create the impact of a better future for thousands of children by helping their parents become aware of the principles, evidence, services and resources that make the big difference.

Identifying what more you can do today, depends on where you are on your journey to support your child reaching their maximum potential and fullest life experience. For all families who write to the AAC Institute for suggestions, we first ask questions about the comprehensive evaluation you child should have received in order to recommend an AAC intervention. Let’s look at why a comprehensive evaluation is so critical.

Consider the comprehensive evaluation: Decisions about AAC technology made before a comprehensive assessment of a child’s language abilities is not evidence-based practice and certainly not best practice. The driving principle of recommending AAC interventions for a child is to build language competence by monitoring gains in vocabulary, putting words together, using grammar, and using a variety of social language skills. Children need language to learn, and an AAC system has to provide for language in order for children to learn to reach their potential. The focus is language first, technology second! What information do you have about your child to guide decisions about building language skills? These data are critical to make a plan for a child to say what they want to say, and read and write how they are talking with their AAC system.

Consider measurable language-based goals and objectives: Once parents are confident with the assessment information, they can start to identify the services and evidence-based intervention strategies to build language skills. The principle of language first, technology second keeps the focus on identifying language goals and objectives prior to discussing how technology can support meeting those goals and objectives. Even AAC technology is considered by the available primary language components before other hardware components are discussed. Consequently, the AAC software is significantly more essential to success then the hardware that houses the software. How the software represents language and allows a child to generate language beyond functional communication is the cornerstone to achieve the desired goals and objectives most parents seek. Parents who have reached this step may ask also how well they can talk with the AAC software in order to support their child being able to talk with the software too.

Consider supporting other families: Parents on the way for their child using language to learn now ask what more they can do to help other families. Parents realize the importance of creating a circle of support around their child that can be a magnet to bring in other parents with children who can benefit from applying the same AAC principles. The circle you create of professional support for your child will build the AAC knowledge, skills and experience of those team members that will carry-over to other children needing AAC in their work. The circle you create for your child will attract questions from others in the community, because of the benefits they see from language-based AAC interventions for your child. Share your experience and wealth of information! Encourage, advocate, and contribute to building networks and resources by sharing AAC Institute literature.

On behalf of the AAC Institute: Over a decade ago, I asked what more can I do? That question led to the creation of the AAC Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to the most effective communication possible for individuals who cannot speak. Frequently asking that question has sparked us to create resources and tools to support AAC service delivery and advocate for change against many barriers to the highest quality of services and supports. Your contributions and donations have helped to create our website at www.aacinstitute.org and help to maintain the following:
1. Parents’ Corner and AAC Consumer Net: Monthly columns written from the perspective of those who use AAC.
2. AAC Institute Self-Study Program: a variety of free internet-based foundational AAC courses.
3. Language Activity Monitoring (LAM) tools and resources to measure progress in building language skills using an AAC system.
4. AAC assessment, treatment and funding literature: A variety of download papers and resources to support decision-making.
5. Facebook: Join us on Facebook for our frequent announcements on what’s new.
6. ISAAC 2012 – WOW! The AAC Institute is one of the supporting organizations working to create the largest international AAC conference next July 28-August 4, 2012 in Pittsburgh, PA. The ISAAC 2012 theme of highest performance communication – best life experience is bound to fill you with hope for the future of AAC. Pittsburgh-WOW!

ICAN™ Talk Clinics: Just two years ago, AAC Institute opened the doors to our first clinic. Already we have had families from around the world come for up to two weeks for assessments and/or intensive AAC treatment. Our skilled clinicians are invited frequently to conduct workshops on our AAC ICAN™ methods and intervention tools. When we asked in September of 2010 what more we can do, our answer led to creating our first Once Upon a Story AAC Camp held last August.

With your support our dedicated staff and volunteers will be able to ask what more we can do, and continue to create the resources and provide the services you need to support your child. During AAC Awareness month, I want you to believe in a future that’s better than today, because you asked the critical question:
What more can I do?


Please, consider making a donation to the AAC Institute, specifically to help support the Parents’ Corner or the newly established AAC Service Support Fund created to help provide financial support to families with limited means to pay for clinical treatment. Donations are tax deductible and accepted for any amount by writing a check to:

AAC Institute
Attn: Morgan Ball
1401 Forbes Ave., Suite 206
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

 

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Your feedback is always valued. parents@aacinstitute.org.

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