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COMS 5423 AAC EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
ACCURATE ANSWERS
What does AAC stand for? - ANSWER Augmentative and Alternative Communication What does "augment" mean? - ANSWER to supplement What does "alternative" mean? - ANSWER to replace Using ANYTHING other than speech to communicate - ANSWER AAC What does AAC include? - ANSWER AAC includes all forms of communication (other than oral speech) that are used to express thoughts, needs, wants, and ideas. A person who either temporarily or permanently relies on AAC for expression and/or reception is considered an: - ANSWER individual with complete communication needs Individual with whom the speaker is engaged is: - ANSWER communication partners What is the goal of AAC? - ANSWER technological solution or efficient and effective interactions What are the purposes fulfilled by communication? - ANSWER 1. needs/wants
- into transfer
- social closeness
- social etiquette
- internal dialogue Assistive technology provides access to: - ANSWER 1. communication
- education
- vocation
- recreation
- community
- social networking AT falls under the ADA definition of: - ANSWER auxiliary aids and services T/F: auxiliary aids and services must be provided when they are necessary to afford an individual an equal opportunity to participate - ANSWER True
What are the components of AAC competence? - ANSWER 1. linguistic competence
- facilitator role
- operational
- social
- strategic Knowledge of own native language, knowledge of partner's chosen language, and knowledge of the language of chosen AAC system is: - ANSWER linguistic competence Give opportunities for practice in natural contexts, learn symbol system to provide sufficient practice, provide augmentative input models (esp. for family), and rec. strategies such as aided language stimulation vests or boards is: - ANSWER facilitator roles Technical skills needed to operate AAC system, facilitators are usually primary recipient of instruction, keep vocabulary up to date, construct overlays or other displays as needed, protect technology, secure necessary repairs, modify system for future needs, and ensure availability and operation or the technology is: - ANSWER Operational Has received the most amount of research in AAC, client: initiate, maintain, terminate conversations, take turns, put communication partners at ease, clinician: help foster positive self-image, interest in others, responsiveness to others, critical to practice social skills in natural contexts, and may need to train partners on how to adjust interactions and accommodate requirements is: - ANSWER social Strategies to deal with limitations of AAC, interacting with those unfamiliar with AAC, resolving communication breakdowns, compensating for slow speaking rate, messages that say "please slow down etc." or "no you misunderstood," and co-construct messages with partner is: - ANSWER strategic Position, movement, proprioception - ANSWER Kinesthetic "Mind's eye," recognition, color code - ANSWER Visual Model, re-auditorization, output, spoken words - ANSWER Auditory S.N.U.G. - ANSWER Spontaneous Novel Utterance Generation T/F: A creative activity MUST be automatic - ANSWER True T/F: Exceptional performances occur with a maximum of direct conscious control - ANSWER False: minimum
T/F: The more automatic a motor sequence becomes, the more likely it is to be included
T/F: Too much core vocabulary is better than too little vocabulary. - ANSWER True
The 250 most common words (core vocabulary) were _______% of the total words - ANSWER 78%
Core vocabulary contains few: - ANSWER Picture producers (fewer than 10%)
Core vocabulary is ____________ across clinical populations, activities, places, topics, and _________________ ___________. - ANSWER Consistent; demographic groups
Core vocabulary (350-400 words) makes up more than _______ of what adults and children actually say. - ANSWER 3/
The first 20 words that a child says are primarily __________. - ANSWER Nouns
Primarily use of nouns from the age of ____ to ____ months. - ANSWER 15-
By 24 months, the child has ______ - ______ words and nouns no longer dominant. - ANSWER 150-
By 26 months, the child is using ___% to ___% core and will for the rest of his life. - ANSWER 70%-80%
In the present study of preschool children, the 50 most frequently occurring words represent approximately _____% of the total sample, while the 100 most frequently occurring words accounted for ____% of the total sample. - ANSWER 60%; 73%
T/F: The majority of words in a sentence are picture producers. - ANSWER False: are NOT picture producers
In computational linguistics, words are divided into: - ANSWER Picture Producers and Non Picture Producers
English has ___________+ words. - ANSWER 1,000,000+ words
An educated adult may use as many as ,_ words. - ANSWER 15,
Studies show that 250-350 specific words make up ____% of the words of a document or speech sample - core vocabulary. - ANSWER 80%
What is language? - ANSWER Language is the system that allows us to understand and produce speech and writing.
Carry the main meaning: - ANSWER content words
Provide structure to our sentences: - ANSWER function words
Vocabulary words that are specific and unique to the individual. - ANSWER Personalized vocabulary
Something that stands for or represents something else: - ANSWER Symbol
The "something else.": - ANSWER Referent
Realism, iconicity, ambiguity, complexity, figure-ground differential, perceptual distinctness, acceptability, efficiency, color, and size: - ANSWER Symbol descriptors
any association that an individual forms between a symbol and its referent - ANSWER Iconicity
- postures - ANSWER Gestures
What is an emblem? - ANSWER A symbolic representation depending on standards and contexts for interpretation and is subjective.
Illustrators: - ANSWER an emphasizing with a word or phrase with a gesture (tone of voice) to make a point.
Affect displays: - ANSWER facial expressions, body movements, and vocal traits that reveal emotional states
Regulators: - ANSWER nonverbal behaviors that maintain/regulate conversational speaking and listening
Adapters: - ANSWER what a person typically uses when they are alone, not intentionally used in communication.
Manipulation of one's own body, holding, rubbing, scratching, or pinching oneself, rubbing nose when stressed. - ANSWER Self-adaptors
Manipulation of objects, often learned later in life, less social stigma association with them, chewing on pencil when anxious. - ANSWER Object-adaptors
Child crouching/moving hands toward face when adult yells or advances - ANSWER Alter-adaptors
Sneezing, coughing, hiccupping, snoring. - ANSWER Involuntary
Yawning, laughing, crying, moaning, yelling, etc. - ANSWER Voluntary
T/F: People with CCN often use vocalizations to communicate. - ANSWER True
T/F: Unaided Symbols: Gestures and Vocalizations may be used in auditory scanning for people with CCN who are blind. - ANSWER True
Types of manual sign systems: - ANSWER 1. National Sign Languages
- Manually coded English sign systems
- Tactile signing
- Real objects
- miniature objects
- partial objects
- artificially associated and textured objects - ANSWER Tangible symbols
Pictorial symbols: - ANSWER photographs, line drawings, and illustrations that clearly represent the object
Braille, Finger spelling (visual and tactile) - ANSWER orthography and orthographic symbols
A communication strategy where a communication partner teaches symbol meaning and models language by combining his or her own verbal input with selection of vocabulary on the AAC system. - ANSWER Aided Language Input
What does research say about Aided Language Input? - ANSWER 1. It is an effective method for teaching early semantic and syntactic relationships.
- Improves utterance length and complexity.
If a child receives speech therapy 2x per week for 20-30 minute sessions, how long will it take for them to reach the same amount of language exposure? - ANSWER 84 years
- indicator lights show symbols available to chose next
- Displays with alphabet + word prediction - ANSWER Hybrid displays
- Topical photography (birthday, classroom, etc.)
- May include "hot spots" - ANSWER Visual Scene Display
- Largely guided by visual and motor skills of user
- Large empty areas, color backgrounds
- Visual field deficits, blind spots
- Range of motion - ANSWER Spacing and arrangement of items
- Position, relative to floor
- Depends on postural, visual motor control skills
- Direct selection: visual and motor are most important
- Scanning: visual and postural are most important - ANSWER Orientation of the Display
- Gives arm/hand support, stabilization
- Requires upright posture
- May be difficult for users with poor motor skills - ANSWER Horizontal Orientation
- Gives arm/hand support, stabilization
- Reduces neck flexion
- May be difficult for more involved motor deficits
- Mobile arm supports may be used - ANSWER 30-45 degree angle orientation
- Required for light or optical patterns
- ensure that display doesn't block visual field
- Full 90 degree angle is needed for head/eye tracking - ANSWER 45-90 degree angle orientation
- Treat the hand as if it were an articulator
- Motor plans can grow but not change
- No carrier phrases (hearing a word to get a word)
- No phrase until the full level - ANSWER Guiding Principles
- Items is indicated directly from selection set
- ASL, typing on laptop, natural speech, gestures - ANSWER Direction Selection
- Fingerpointing (most commmon), light pointing, head pointer, eye tracker, speech recognition - ANSWER Direct Selection Options
- Most common with non-electronic
- Pressure not required - ANSWER Physical Contact
- Standard keyboard, iPad
- May use headstick or pointer
- Movement must be controllable for accuracy - ANSWER Physical Pressure or Depression
Light pointer, eye pointing, tracking, or gazing - ANSWER Pointing, no contact
Able to speak but not manage keyboard - ANSWER Speech Recognition
Limited motor capabilities; alternative activation - ANSWER Direct Selection Activation Strategies
Must be personalized for physical, visual, cognitive skills - ANSWER Scanning Time and Speech
- Holding switch down activates scanning
- When switch is released, selection is made - ANSWER Direct (inverse) Scanning
- Cursor scanning is automatic, then user activates switch to stop on desired choice
- Useful for those who fatigue with sustained scanning
- Also employed with auditory scanning - ANSWER Automatic (regular or interrupted) Scanning
- 1-to-1 correspondence of cursor and switch activation
- User activates switch for each movement of cursor
- Choice is made by stopping switch activation or activating different switch - ANSWER Step Scanning
- Lets user known an items has been selected
- Gives info about items actually selected
- Varies among devices - ANSWER Feedback
- Informs user that activation has occurred, but typically doesn't give info about what has actually been selected
- Must be given in user-appropriate sensory modality
- Auditory: beep, click, or other sound
- Visual: light flash, backlit display light, or symbol flash
- Tactile: contact with symbol surface
- Proprioceptive: Switch, key moves when pressure applied - ANSWER Activation Feedback
Beep, click, or other sound; device echoes letter/symbol when activated - ANSWER Auditory feedback
Light flash, backlit display light, or symbol flash; display showing items activated/chosen
Contact with symbol surface - ANSWER Tactile feedback
Switch, key moves when pressure applied - ANSWER Proprioceptive feedback
Who provides auditory feedback for non-electronic systems? - ANSWER Communication Partner
- Info SENT to communication partners
- Synthetic speech, print, gestures, manual signs, non-electronic aided symbols - ANSWER Message Output
- Info received FROM communication partners
- Natural speech, gestures, vocalizations, or written/printed info, manual signs - ANSWER Message Input
Feedback happens ____________ input. - ANSWER during
Output happens at the _______ - ANSWER end
- User types a message, device uses algorithm to produce speech
- Diphone-based-more natural, uses natural speakers
- Build speech database before voice is gone - ANSWER Text-to-Speech
Improves receptive language comprehension and literacy skills - ANSWER Visual Input
- Convenience of gestures and signs
- Use of total communication, advantages, characteristics
- Considerations for type and amount of input - ANSWER Unaided Symbols
- Drawing pictures, symbols, letters for receptive aphasia
- Facilitator points to key symbols while speaking
- May require a lot of prep, but highly beneficial - ANSWER Aided Symbols
- Personnel involved in AAC interventions
- Building intervention teams to serve specific individuals with AAC
- Assessment models
- Phases of Assessment
- Identify Participation Partners and Communication needs
- Opportunity Barriers
- Access barriers - ANSWER Principles of Assessment
- Family, friends, professionals, frequent communication partners with some role in AAC management
- Goal should be to support independent communication - ANSWER AAC facilitators
- Must include user, family, educational/supportive staff
- Changes over time as transitions occur
- Based on diverse set of competencies
- Should consider current and future speech
- List areas: cognitive, language, sensory, motor, operational, social, strategic competence - ANSWER Team Development
**- not current best practice, but holds historical significance
- excluded certain candidates
- misconception that AAC** → decreased natural speech **- "too old, too young, too verbal, etc."
- negative impact for long** -term progress **- certain ID, AU, VI "not ready for AAC"
- specific cognitive, linguistic requirements
- prerequisite skills (object permanence, visual tracking)
- failed "readiness" training
- no discrepancy between cognition & language
- lack of inclusion for degenerative conditions** - ANSWER Candidacy Models - endorsed by ASHA in 2004 as framework for completing AAC assessment - based on functional participation requirements of peers without disabilities of the same chronological age - ANSWER Participation Models **- recognition that individual with CCN may need AAC
- assist user and/or family in initiating referral
- exploration of AAC funding
- signing of prescription, certification of diagnosis
- AAC finder may or may not continue involvement after referral** - ANSWER Phase 1: Referral for AAC Assessment **- 1 or more specialists assess current communication needs
- assessment of additional areas
- gather information and design initial intervention
- typically focuses on user and familiar partners**
- lack of info on part of one or more team member • should be identified during initial stages of assessment - ANSWER Knowledge Barriers - despite training some team members may still have difficulty with "hands -on" implementation • staff may have extensive training but need support putting knowledge into action • very important to identify during initial assessment - ANSWER Skill Barriers - may be present with any potential team member • often due to reduced expectations of those with CCN • people often fear what they don't understand - ANSWER Attitude Barriers - pertain to capabilities, attitudes, and resource limitations of those who use AAC • very important to identify whether perceived access barriers fall under another category - ANSWER Access Barriers
The process of gathering info about capabilities in a variety of areas in order to determine appropriate AAC options
- should result in profile that can be matched to operational requirements of various AAC options **- emphasizes strengths and skills vs. impairments
- 3 types: criterion** -referenced, feature matching, norm-referenced - ANSWER Capability Assessment - team uses individually - designed tasks to identify starting points • first question to ask: can they use direct selection? • If not, start exploring scanning • early predictions used to set up trials - ANSWER Criterion-referenced Assessment and Feature Matching - neuromotor impairments, various reflexes • skeletal abnormalities • improper positioning can have significant negative impact on performance • midline positioning is preferred • decrease impact of atypical muscle tone • flexible vs. fixed deformities • least amount intervention for greatest functioning • provide support for resting • temporary changes until permanent solution • changes over time - ANSWER Positioning and Seating
- motor technique for assessment as well as long - term • poor motor support = poor assessment of performance • must have reliable method for answering questions • always allow adequate time for selection • determine best long - term motor technique • assessment typically focuses on direct selection first • combination of direct collection and scanning • range and accuracy of movement • finger, hand, head (laser), and eye movements - ANSWER Motor Capabilities - receptive and expressive skills • awareness, intent, knowledge, memory, symbolic representation, metacognition • formal measures and non - symbolic communicators • dynamic assessment = more time, but more info • may be able to use yes/no responses • select symbol set that best meets client needs • does client understand functional use of objects? • receptive labeling, yes/no, visual matching • can client use symbols to make requests?• assess single word vocabulary, action, relational words • grammar • grammatical comprehension tasks using photos • goal of AAC language assessment is intervention planning, not a formal score or developmental - ANSWER Cognitive/Linguistic Capabilities - literacy instruction for AAC is often irregular • letter -sound correspondence, important for decoding • sound -blending, phoneme segmentation, word decoding, word decoding, sight words, reading comprehension, spelling assessment • how do literacy skills influence AAC recommendations? - ANSWER Literacy Skills - vision assessment: acuity, field, muscle functioning, light and color sensitivity, visual stability, functional competence • hearing assessment: fairly straightforward - ANSWER Sensory/Perceptual Skills
SETT - ANSWER Student Environment Tasks Tools
_________________ is only one element of language. - ANSWER Vocabulary
Core Vocabulary: A small set of _________ __________ that support communication and language learning. - ANSWER Common Words
