Developing Communication using a high tech AAC is not a rocket science and it can be trained by following a step-by-step process. However, it is a long-term process, and we as the communicating partner of our child need to be consistent and persistent. 

The first step of developing communication is customisation of the high tech AAC app. This needs to be systematic and scientific, from choosing the grid size and other specification as per the requirement of the student, and the creation of folders needs to be logical and not random. 

Once we have customised the AAC then let’s make the communicator familiar with the AAC. Making those favourite folders which the communicator likes to navigate to and look, helps in initiations. Thus, the communicator is slowly learning the locations of the required words.

The next step is teaching need-based communications i.e. the communicator is able to request for the items he requires throughout the day using AAC. They should be able to use AAC and communicate with anyone not only the usual communicating partner of the child. Generalisation using AAC with everyone, i.e. parents, siblings, teachers, driver, help, etc is necessary.

Now let’s start teaching the way we teach any new language to a child. Finding the nouns, combining it with verbs, making sentences, etc. Slowly make them context dependent communicator i.e. in a given context, such as picture description, picture talk, story narration, the communicator can use describing words, categorical fringe words, and frequently used action words. 

Teaching the core words with a target of at least 10 core words such as ‘like’, ‘stop’, ‘finished’ etc. meaningfully in response to questions and other communicative contexts is important. They should also learn to put 2-3 words together to answer to “WH” questions and make sentences in a given context.

The communicator should learn to answer to personal questions regarding themselves from ‘About Me’ and make choices. They should also learn to reply to question & show their preferences using Yes/ No.

Through multiple exposure, the communicator should have an understanding of social language used in different contexts. (Like of festivals, places we go – restaurant, airport, etc,)

Start teaching emotions to the communicator follow the step-by-step process of teaching emotions (refer to teaching emotion in our blog Socialisation in Autism)  

We also need to teach those essential communication like body pain, illness, asking for help and appropriately using the Quick folder to communicate whenever required.

We should simultaneously introduce literacy and key board to the communicator. Communication is incomplete without Literacy. Our Digital Literacy sessions focus on teaching Functional Literacy using AAC at every step. 

Now we need to develop communication autonomy which  requires self-determination hence we have to work on the areas of self-advocacy & better expression of their emotional needs. 

Supported decision making is the way to go about it. It is a structure that supports people to have more autonomy. There are step by step process to develop this:

The first step in developing communication autonomy is to support people to express their preferences. We want to know what they like and what they don’t like.

We use various ways to do this:

1. Communication Chart of his/ her preferences 

2. Choices in their daily schedule

3. Things that make them happy – might be activities, people, food, etc

4. Giving them a choice on activities that they want to do or how they want to spent their vacation

5. Packing their own bag for school or while going on vacation

These are some of the ways how we can develop preference expressions.

The life of a non-verbal / limited verbal person can feel like a constant interrogation the number of questions we ask them are so many! Instead, we can invite the expression of preferences using declarative statements rather than questions.

A declarative statement is like, “I think you like that.” We can state what we see and also map language onto what the user is doing. So, if we say, “Oh, you like that, you know, you’re laughing. I really think you’d like that!”

And if the user looks with a shared smile, we can confirm it and say, “Oh, you’re nodding and smiling. I think I got that right!”

The next step is looking for ways for the user to support their preferences.

When asking for their choice we may ask,” Do you want to wear “trousers” or “track pant”. We should also try to provide giving them options on their AAC system like “I want something different.” or “Tell me more.”

We have to make sure that they have ways in their system to communicate things like, “I don’t understand” or “You don’t understand” or “I have something else to say”.

Speech is difficult to understand especially because its transient. In addition, the communicator may have other reasons like sensory processing reasons, auditory processing delay, intellectual disability – which can make it harder to understand speech.

We should build structures for them to understand the more abstract things that happen. Explain things ahead of time, making sure that they are comfortably positioned to use their visuals from their AAC device.  

Next step is all about having a consistent and thoughtful way of making sure that the other person understands the options that we’re putting in front of them rather than creating false choices.

Then introduce the concept of ranking.

Teaching vocabulary: favourite, like, don’t like, or love versus like and okay is very important. This will ensure communication of more details about what’s really important to us, what we really like and don’t like, what we need.

Remember to always provide choices in the same structure. For instance – the left side can denote positive and the right is always the negative.

Refer to the below chart giving choice on dress that communicator want to wear.                                             

With this the communicator will understand that here’s our topic, here’s our ranking system. Whether you say, “Yes, I like this”, “No I don’t”, we’re going to move images around to be able to indicate what we thought about them.

We should support the communicator to be able to compare their options and begin to rank their preferences. This is because comparing things is actually a really important step of decision making.

We need to find out what they really want to do, what they don’t want to do, what is negotiable and what is not. Decision making is being able to compare different options and then select one. 

We can expand the decision-making authority of a person by making a decision-making profile for him.

A decision-making profile includes an all those items that required decisions that we (including the user) are making for this person. So, starting from choice of:

• what they eat today 

• whether they take a bath

• when they take a bath 

• or whether they take a bath or a shower

• what they wear

We can list down all these important decisions, provide them what they can really do & cannot do.

We should provide visual pictures from their daily schedule folder in the AAC to make these decisions. 

So, we have to list down the decisions that this person has shown us are important to them. We can be structured about how they must be involved. And we have to be really clear about who has the final decision-making authority- this will (and should) however change as the person gets older. At that time, we should aim to keep shifting the final decision-making authority to them as much as possible. 

So, decision making agreements can be about anything from 

• what we wear

• where we’re going to go 

• what we are going to buy

• how we spend our money, etc

It is also about putting a more formal structure into place while constantly asking if we can move more choice and control to the person themselves.

Conclusion: So, developing communication is a long-haul process, there are no short cut to this process. Try to make it interactive, connecting, motivating & fun. If the communicator is trying to say anything do explore the intended meaning. Do not forget to pause, be patient, allow time to the communicator to say what they want to. Make AAC always available 24X7 – install it in 2 devices, at least. Try to incorporate AAC in all the interested activities of the communicator. Use low techs where ever required.

We use the step-by-step process of developing communication using high tech AAC in our Communication & Digital Literacy Sessions. Do contact us and visit our website www.autispace.com to know more about our services.