Author Login | Submit Articles | Popular Articles | RSS Feeds | Links | Sitemap
Search:
Loading...

Home | Internet | Blogging


Alternative and Augmentative Communication

By: alexis

Interpersonal communication is usually described as a process of exchanging information or messages from a sender to a receiver through a specific medium. Among humans, exchange of information is usually done by using language which is defined as a system of codes made of arbitrary signals governed by certain rules of use to represent concepts or ideas. Communicating using language can either be written or spoken. This process of continuous sending and receiving of information from encoders to decoders is much easier to imagine when those who are involved in the exchange are capable of using language. However, what about in certain instances when a person has problems communicating? For example, take the case of an 8-year-old girl who has cerebral palsy spastic quadriplegia or a 45-year-old man who recently had a stroke which affected his ability to speak and move. They will not be able to move their lips, tongue or jaw to articulate words. They also will not be able to move their hands to write or type words. How, then, will they be able to communicate their needs such as to ask for help? Because of situations like these among people who are differently-abled, a new form of communication was developed. This recent development is commonly called Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC), and it usually makes use additional components as aids or supporting devices.

AAC devices as a medium of communication are highly unique and individualized relative to the person who is going to use it. Unlike other mediums which are not particular to whoever wants to make use of it, the characteristics of AAC devices need to correspond to the limitations of the user. Going back to the girl with spastic cerebral palsy, she cannot make use of a device that will require for her to speak or write but she can use of her sight to select pictures that will represent her needs. Since she cannot use her hands to point to the pictures but she can move her head minimally, a laser penlight can be attached to her head to be used as a pointer. In the case of the man who had stroke but still retained his ability to spell words, instead of using pictures, a complete set of alphabet letters can be used as the components for him to choose from. For people who cannot see and speak but still retained their sense of hearing, devices that produce sound signals representing certain concepts can be used.

Aside from the devices being highly individualized, they should also be portable, durable, flexible and easy to use. A device which is big and heavy is not easy to carry and will be difficult to transfer from one place to another. Devices that are not portable are more of a limitation rather than an aid to those who use them. AAC devices should also be strong enough to sustain being used for a long time. Keeping on buying or making new AAC devices that easily break or get destroyed can be expensive and impractical. It is advantageous if a device can be upgraded or easily altered to suit the changes in the user's skills. For example, if a child progresses from using two words to using sentences to convey messages, the device should also be able to adapt to this development. Finally, devices should not be complicated. People who will use these device have limitations and too much unnecessary buttons or icons may just be confusing to them. If the device were compared to a written document, the term to be used is being “concise”. Also, it should be taken into consideration that these devices should be easy to manipulate because any more difficulty can be tedious for the user.

Nowadays, AAC devices range from those that are low-tech such as pictures that can be attached to boards using fasteners (e.g. Velcro) to those that utilize high-technology components such as laptops or portable PCs with access to the Internet. Several companies already market AAC devices but, if preferred, devices can still be made personally. It is understandable that some devices are quiet expensive especially those that make use of complex components which is why most individuals who have financial limitations opt to make their own devices. Those that are created personally, however, still need to be tested or observed for their effectiveness. Modifications can be later applied if the devices are found lacking in some ways.

The goal of using alternative and augmentative communication devices is to help a person achieve the natural way of communication through the use of aids. As their name suggests, these devices are just used to augment and as alternates and not to totally replace the natural and more ideal form of communication. Through the use of these device, professionals involved with rehabilitation still aim to help the person gain or regain the ability to communicate using language and speech.


Article Source: http://www.bigfreearticles.com

This article discusses the different alternative and augmentative communication devices that people who are differently-abled can use.

About the Author:
Free iFaxThe fastest growing provider of internet messaging services guarantees fast and efficient delivery of messages around the globe. Online Fax | Internet Fax Service

Please Rate this Article

Comments

Share This Article - Quick and Easy Using This Button:

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Blogging Articles Via RSS!

  • Writing articles is one of the most advantageous ways to formulate currency online. By: Chris Nichols - Writing articles is one of the most worthwhile customs to yield currency online. For one, it out-beats affiliate programs or other products for making money online. The Internet is made up customarily of content. This content is the glue that holds the web together. Not solitary is subject matter chief on the web, however merely how much that subject matter is modernized plays an essential amount. This is how thousands of writers make $1000 a day or more writing subject matter for the Internet.
    Tags: internet, blogging, articles, article marketing, writing, blogs, article directory
  • Do Not Underestimate The Power Of Blogging In The Promotion Of Your Business By: Ferdinand Emy - Business blog is an unfounded and unbelievable online syndication tool that saves you thousands of dollars but provides swell business probabilities in just one click. Blogs are user-friendly,customized and flexible medium for spreading useful data for in-depth and efficient positioning of your merchandise in the market. Companies engaging in business blogging have a decisive and definitive edge over its challengers. Here are numerous vantages: : Word-of-mouth. In a survey,there are presently 14 million blogs with 80,000 more being added every day and when it comes to 30 percent of the 50 million users are blog readers.
    Tags: internet, blogging, business blog, business blogging, bloggers, blogs, bloggers tools
  • Using A Blog As A Website By: Fabian Ramirez. - I often talk to business owners and individuals about their online marketing needs and bottom line, many do not have a website to start with. The truth is that individuals do not know how to setup their own site. I usually ask people if they have a website and Im shocked that many do not. For some, they have no reason to have one but for many they are still relying on sites like Facebook and Myspace to get attention. This is great but still nothing is more reliable than having your own site.
    Tags: internet, blogging, create a blog site, how to create a blog site, blog as site, blog site, blogs
  • Which Blogging Platform to Choose? By: Paula Tett - One of the most important choices you will make as a blogger is choosing what kind of blogging program to utilize. Using the right program can make blogging fun and simple, while the wrong platform will cause it seem like hard work. The experience you have while blogging is dependent on which program you use. The situation being as it is, finding the ideal platform that provides a user-friendly interface along with a adaptable framework for your visitors, gives you the opportunity to create a weblog that has a unique and memorable look and feel to it.
    Tags: internet, blogging, blogging platform, blogging, internet
  • Web Content Management System That Gets Your Wordpress Blog Site On Steroids By: David Raets - Do you build wordpress blog sites? I just came across an amazing web content management program that has finally made me richer then I ever thought possible. I never realized how easy it could be to make a fully search engine optimized wordpress blog site. The first thing I do is research some viable keywords. Then I log in to use my handy dandy web content management software where I will plug in my keywords along with a few other easy to follow steps. Then I press submit having made all the necessary choices and kaboom, I have my next wordpress blog site.
    Tags: internet, blogging, web content management, content management software, content management system, wordpress blog site, how to blog
  • Using Wordpress Properly By: Alberto Tett - If you are ready to build a website and a bit confused as to the perfect format which should be chosen for the site considering there are so may variants, then Wordpress could be the right choice for you. It is highly probable that you have heard about it as a popular blogging platform, but there are some amazing things for which you could use it.
    Tags: internet, blogging, wordpress, blogging, internet
  • Blog Design With WordPress Goldmine - Make Real Money By: Art Lynch - Wordpress Goldmine by Mark Thompson promises to teach you how to make money on line fast with a Wordpress blog. It does, and it does it very well. This e-book and continuing video course is not the usual fluff and rehashed junk that gets in your way when you're trying to find a good product that will teach you to make easy money online. It is the real and right stuff. Either the e-book or the video series could stand by itself as a complete course. The combination of the two with the forum make an unmatched value. The e-book is in five logically sequenced sections.
    Tags: internet, blogging, make real money, make money online fast, blog design, make money online now, wordpress plugin tools
  • How To Be Successful Blogging For Profits By: Ferdinand Emy - To be certain, updating as often as you can is an excellent way to keep your blog high on blogrolls and high in blog search engines like technorati, and once your readers know that you update frequently they will return to your site on a regular basis. You need to be able to market your blog effectively. As more and more blogs appear each day, having a great idea or a wonderful writing style is no longer enough to get attention. The other trap that many bloggers fall into has to do with lack of planning.
    Tags: internet, blogging, bloggers, blogging for profits, blogs, blogging to the bank, successful bloggers
  • How Mother's Can Make Money Blogging By: Ferdinand Emy - There is a whole range of gains that new mothers can reap from blogging, and the spectrum covers everything from getting through the night to helping distant relatives feel closer. Having a blog about living with a new child can give mothers the chance to reflect on how powerful and warm the sensation of motherhood is, and sometimes sharing the triumphs of this unique time can make them even sweeter. Luckily, the blogosphere is full of other moms in the same situation, and by chatting with them it is possible to overcome some of the loneliness that many new mothers are surprised to encounter.
    Tags: internet, blogging, blogs, bloggging tips, mom's blogs, blogging for profits, blogging to the bank
  • A Stepping Guide For Blog Newbies By: Ferdinand Emy - Just search any bloggingdirectory and you'd get a listing of a lot of blogging sites that are available on the net. Individuals who wish to document the daily struggle of their everyday lives, poems, rants, opinions, find that blogging offers them a medium in which to express themselves. Some authors advertise their books on their blogs. There are a lot of blogs that follow a theme such as: sports, politics, philosophy, social commentary, etc. Some bloggers who run online businesses promote their merchandise online. Numerous blogging sites, offer built in features such as hyperlink, straight texts, pictures etc.
    Tags: internet, blogging, blogs, blogging, bloggers, newbie's guide to blogging, blog basics

Copyright 2007 - 2008 MJE Sales, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Proud member of the ArticleCkr Search Network Search Network!
BigFreeArticles.com is free for both publishers and authors to use and is supported entirely from advertising revenue.
Use of our service is protected by our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.