What does Augmentative Alternative Communication mean?
It is estimated that around 40% of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder are non-verbal. Most of them communicate by AAC, augmentative and alternative communication.
AAC offer high-technology devices, including written or typed words. It helps people to communicate their needs and desires. Being heard and understood improve significally personal relationships.
ABA Léman gives great importance to communication skills. We believe all children can communicate when their needs are taking care.
AAC devices involve any type of non-verbal voice communication, including keyboard input, sign language, or devices that produce speech. Here are 3 types of communication generating devices and how they work:
Speech producing devices
Looks like an iPad but was specifically created to improve communication skills. They help the child to communicate with his surroundings. It also comes in the form of Apps for smartphones and tablets.
Here are some Apps that you can use with your child:
• CBoard – android in FR
• Lil Requester – iOS in FR
• Proloquo2Go - iOS in FR
• QuickTalk AAC –Android in AN
• LetMeTalk – iOS in FR
PECS – Picture Exchange Communication System
It helps individuals with autism to identify their needs and wants by pointing to pictures/photos. It comes in the form of flashcards or grids of pictures made up for each person daily needs and preferences. Nowadays you can find the same concept in Apps like Go Talk, TD Snap, Partner Four, Quick Talker, Tech Talk or DynaVox.
The use of PECS consists of exchanging a picture of the desired item, activity, people, setting, to obtain it in the moment. In the case of Apps, children will press a picture of the item they want to exchange. For example, if a child wants to eat pizza, he will take the picture of a pizza, handle it to parents/caregiver and then receive pizza.
The system continues with the purpose of teaching discrimination between images, for later teach the child to organized pictures correctly to build greater sentences.
French Sign Language (LSF)
It is a form of communication that can be done by simple using your hands. No additional materials are needed. Signs often look like what they are supposed to represent, such as the "eat" or "drink" sign. It is possible to understand some signs just by their appearance, even if LSF is not familiar to you.
The disadvantage of LSF is that not many people around the world are skill to use it. Making it very limited for an individual with ASD.
Nonetheless, there are support groups, platforms, social networks, or Apps such as ACCEO or AVA. Which make possible to connect with people who use and understand sign language.
