TOTAL COMMUNICATION
Summary of "Communication Systems, Devices, and Modes" from Hand-In-Hand
MULTI-MODAL
COMMUNICATION
Individuals who are deaf-blind use a wide range of
communication forms:
-
Touch cues
-
Object cues
-
Gestures, vocalizations
-
Three-dimensional tangible symbols
-
Pictures
-
Sign language/speech
-
Written word (print/Braille)
-
Body language, facial expression
Aided and Unaided
Communication
Unaided communication is nothing more than the
person's ability to communicate. It requires no system or
device. These include: vocalizations, speech, gestures,
and sign language.
Aided communication includes the use of
something in addition to the individual's body. These
include: equipment used to write print or Braille,
devices that provide speech, pictures or photographs,
objects, etc.
Augmentative and Alternative
Communication (AAC)
Range from low tech to high tech.
Low tech devices include communication boards or systems
with symbols in which a person who is deaf-blind may use
by pointing, eye-gaze, or any other means he or she is
physically capable. Low tech devices do not require
electrical power. High tech devices include computers,
devices that produce speech, etc. and require electrical
power.
Read the Major
Considerations that are listed on pages 224-225 of Hand-In-Hand.
NOTE: Remember, a low tech device must be in
place before the use of a high tech device can be
introduced. It is important to maintain the low tech
device (system). After all, a low tech device will never
run out of power.
SYSTEMS FOR RECEPTIVE COMMUNICATION
Tactile cues Tactile
cues are
receptive-input cues that are strongly associated with
specific contexts and are presented through touch.
Tactile cues are either touch cues or object cues.
Touch Cues
Purpose of touch cues:
Provide the individual with deaf-blindness with
- information
- a directive
- feedback (either positive or negative)
- help develop receptive communication skills and are used most often with individuals at the early stages
of the development of communication (preintentional and
emerging intentional communication skills)
Touch Cues are made
- directly onto an individual's body
- specifically for an individual's receptive
communication needs
- the same way each time by every person who uses them
with that individual
- immediately preceding an action or activity
- to alert the individual that something will follow the
cue
- to focus the individual's attention on the interaction
or event that follows
- to help the individual begin to anticipate what will
follow and begin to make associations of
meaning between the cue and the event or action
- with the expectation of a response from the individual,
perhaps not initially, but after repeated cuing over time.
Selection of touch cues:
- must be different enough from one another so
that the individual with db can discriminate among them.
- must be associated with a coming activity or event.
- must be used consistently.
- must be presented so that a waiting period can occur
directly afterwards to allow the individual with db the
time needed to process the cue and make an anticipatory
response if possible.
Object Cues
Purpose of Object Cues
- provide information
- provide direction
- positive or negative feedback
Types of Object Cues
- in beginning, should be the actual object that will be
used for the activity (e.g., a towel for bathing, diaper
for changing, etc.)
- an object identical to one used in activity but not the
same one
- partial representation, something that can be used in
place of the whole object
- photo
- picture
- symbol (e.g., Meyer Johnson Symbols, Bliss, etc.)
- Print
Use of Object Cues
- often used in conjunction with calendar boxes
during transitions between activities.
("Help at a Glance." page 236, in Hand-In-Hand,
"Tips
for using calendar boxes)
SYSTEMS FOR EXPRESSIVE COMMUNICATION
Tangible
Symbol Systems
Non-electronic or low-tech modes of aided
expressive communication may use symbols that are
tangible. Tangible symbols are a type of concrete symbol.
They are either three dimensional (objects) or two
dimensional (pictures that can be picked up and handed to
another person), so they may be physically manipulated by
the user.
Tangible Symbols
- have a clear relationship with what they represent
- are permanent and only have to be recognized out of a
display of symbols
- may be picked up and handed to someone was a clear
indication of the individual's choice or intent or placed
next to what they represent to reinforce the relationship
between it and the symbols
- may be selected or indicated through a motor response,
such as picking up, touching, or pointing.
To use a Tangible Symbol an individual needs to:
- be able to perform a specific intentional motor
behavior, such as picking up the symbol, pointing, eye
pointing, or touching, that can be used to indicate or
select a symbol.
- be able to convey some intentional communication,
realizing that she or he can control the behavior of
another person
- be able to use abstract symbols to communicate.
Electronic Systems
Electronic or high-tech
systems that support communication. The most common type
is the "calling system." It provides the user
with a way to get attention from another person who is
not nearby. A message may consist of a tone, such as a
beep, or be a voiced message, such as a voice recording
or synthesized speech. It is recommended to use whatever
communication system the individual with db is using [tangible
- (tactile, object, pictures, etc.)]
Input and Output: Access to
Systems
Input refers to how the communicator gains
access to, or puts information into, the system that the
system will convert into a form that communicates with
someone else. Two methods are generally used for input:
- direct select - in which the communicator acts
directly on the symbol/word, for example, by pointing to
or touching it or typing the correct letters for a word.
- scanning - in which the communicator follows a
light or auditory message, for example, as the system
scans all available choices. Through some actions, such
as activating a switch, the communicator stops the scan
when it arrive a the desired message.
Output can be
- visual, for example, through direct indication of a
symbol, by illumination of a symbol with a liquid-crystal
display, or by actual print or Braille output
- auditory, for instance, through speech output with a
whole word or spoken letters to form a word (speech
output may be "synthesized," "digitized,"
or true voice reproduction).
When selecting an Electronic System or Device
Team Members should examine:
- the sensory, cognitive, and fine motor abilities of the
individual for whom the system is being considered
- all available information on the student's
communication skills and style
- the individual's motivation and receptiveness for using
the system
- the variety of systems that may be used and available
- the current communication needs and environment the
system will be utilized in
- the student's future needs
- the costs of purchasing, maintaining, or repairing the
system.
AUGMENTATIVE SYSTEMS AND
VISUAL
ADAPTATIONS
Why
make visual adaptations?
- individual's vision loss, visual acuity and efficiency
in using residual vision.
Characteristics of visual
information that should be examined
- color
- contrast
- size
- distance and angle
- complexity
Designers of visual layout use the following important principles:
- avoid visual clutter
- create a smaller visual array or layout
- place displays according to a student's visual field
- consider the student's visual field
- accommodate a student's visual tracking abilities
- accommodate a student's lighting needs
- consider a student's visual prognosis and future needs.
OTHER FACTORS
- Physical considerations
- Cognitive considerations
- Environmental considerations
- Personal considerations
- Specific System considerations
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