The Communication Matrix in Slovenia
Damjana Kogovsek (right in photo) and Mihaela Vovk (left in photo) from Slovenia are attending the ISAAC Conference. They have been translating the Communication Matrix into Slovenian. They presented...
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Collection Reporting "Live" from the ISAAC Conference!
Date Created: 8/8/2016
Posts: 4
Our team is in Toronto, Canada, attending the biennial conference of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC). Representatives from over 40 countries are gathered here to share information about supporting people with complex communication needs. Stay tuned for posts about the wonderful people and ideas we encounter here. This is the largest international gathering devoted exclusively to AAC. We will deliver three presentations concerning various aspects of the Communication Matrix here. And we hope to connect with individuals who are interested in providing new translations of the Matrix. Stay tuned for posts from our roving reporters over the course of this week! Here is the ISAAC mission: The International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) works to improve the lives of children and adults who use AAC. ISAAC’s vision is that AAC will be recognized, valued and used throughout the world. ISAAC’s mission is to promote the best possible communication for people with complex communication needs.
We are the team members who work on the Communication Matrix projects at Oregon Health & Science University. We are a small group of researchers, speech-language pathologists and educational experts who are passionate about creating an engaging and supportive community to improve outcomes for individuals with complex communication needs.
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ISAAC Song: "I've Got a Lot to Say"
ISAAC unveiled a wonderful song, "I've Got a Lot to Say", a "tribute To Stephen Hawking, folk and hard rock fusion". Check it out!
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Research on services in developing countries
Challenges of providing services to people with disabilities in low-income countries.
At ISAAC today P.Parnes, G. Hashemi and J. Njelesani presented results of studies conducted by the International Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation of the University of Toronto on the status of ...
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Interesting work with paraprofessionals and AAC. Add to the discussion!
"Paraprofessionals' Perspectives on AAC and Interaction"
During the ISAAC conference, I saw a great poster titled "Do Students Really Need Communication Devices? Paraprofessionals' Perspectives on AAC and Interaction" from Deanna Morrow, MS CCC-SLP, Mo Chen...
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Teachers:
Many teachers require their college students in communication disorders or child development classes to complete a Communication Matrix online. Please have your students use the Test Drive site for this purpose. You may ask them to print out the Profile and Communication Skills List as proof of their work.
Statement A
My child doesn't seem to have real control over his body yet.
The only way I know that he wants something is because he fusses or whines when he's unhappy or uncomfortable, and he smiles, makes noises or calms down when he's happy and comfortable. Does this statement describe your child?
Statement B
My child has control over her own behaviors, but she doesn't use them to try to communicate to me.
She doesn't come to me to let me know what she wants, but it's easy for me to figure out, because she tries to do things for herself. She knows what she wants, and her behavior shows me what she wants. If she runs out of something to eat, she will just try to get more, rather than trying to get me to give her more.
Does this statement describe your child?
Statement C
My child clearly tries to communicate his needs to me through gestures, sounds or language.
He knows how to get me to do something for him. He uses some of the kinds of behaviors below to communicate:
- Gestures such as pointing, shaking his head, tugging at my arm or looking back and forth between me and what he wants
- Sounds such as squealing to show you he wants something or fussing when he doesn't want something
- Language or symbolic forms of communication such as speech, written words, Braille, picture symbols, 3-dimensional symbols or sign language
Does this statement describe your child?
How to score your child
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
Mastered
– Does this independently most of the time when the opportunity arises
– Does this in a number of di erent contexts, and with di erent people
Emerging
– Does this inconsistently
–
Only does this when prompted or encouraged to do so. Only does this in one or two contexts or with one person.
Tips on Communication Devices
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
