Resource Toolkit Assignment: Resource Summary Sheet
1.
Name of the tool, or a brief description: The AAC Glossary: a glossary of terms related to
augmentative and alternative communication
2. What type of
patient(s) would you use this tool/technique with? (Describe
by characteristics or by etiology.)
I would not necessarily provide this tool directly to a patient. Rather, I
would use this to inform myself about appropriate terms and vocabulary in the
field of AAC in order to best serve my clients and communicate intelligently
with other professionals who interact with AAC users.
3.
How/why would you use this tool? In what way will it be helpful? This tool is a great educational resource for
professional who work with AAC users. It allows us to communicate with a common
language so we are all working toward the goal of providing the AAC user with
the best possible communication options.
4.
What are the advantages of this tool/technique? The glossary provides a shared language for
professionals to communicate appropriately about AAC.
5.
Are there any disadvantages to this tool/technique? No
The next several questions relate to how you obtained
this resource:
6.
If you used an existing tool, answer these two
questions:
a) Source/citation
for this tool: (whether published, or from a course, or SPHSC materials) This list is from: http://depts.washington.edu/augcomm/00_general/glossary.htm#fringevocabulary
b) Did you
modify this tool? If so, in what way? I did not make any modifications to the glossary.
c) Anything you
still don’t like about it and may change in the future? I would likely to continually update the list with
terms I find myself using regularly when working with AAC clients.
AAC Glossary
From: http://depts.washington.edu/augcomm/00_general/glossary.htm#fringevocabulary
AAC: see Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Abstract
symbols: Symbols
that do not resemble the referent at all. For example, the peace symbol is a
drawing that does not look like "peace" at all. (Beukelman &
Mirenda, 1998)
Access method (or selection technique): The way in which the user
interacts with a device to control it for communication; the method an
individual uses to select items for communication, e.g. pointing, single-switch
scanning, etc. There are two broad categories of access methods: 1) Direct
selection and 2) Indirect Selection (Dowden & Cook, 2002).
ACD: see Augmentative
Communication Device
Activation
feedback:
Some devices have settings that determine what the user hears or sees while
composing a message. This feedback is not intended for the communication
partner; it serves as a way for the user to check for errors during
composition.
Active
matrix screen: A
computer screen that provides a more responsive image at a wide range of
viewing angles (http://whatis.com/activema.htm)
Aided
communication: Communication
that requires something external to the body to represent meaning, for example
pointing to a symbol in a communication notebook (Beukelman & Mirenda,
1998)
Aided input: A technique used by the partner to enhance auditory
comprehension by the AAC user. The speaking partner uses writing and drawing to
supplement the words he or she is speaking, so that the AAC user can better
understand. This technique is typically used with adults with receptive
language impairments due to aphasia.
Aided
techniques: Methods
of communication that require something external to the body to represent
meaning; for example a book, board or device (Beukelman & Mirenda, 1998)
Alphanumeric
or numeric encoding: Messages can be stored under combinations of letters and
numbers (alphanumeric) or by numbers alone (numeric) (Beukelman & Mirenda,
1998). See "Encoding" below.
American
Sign Language: A
manually coded language used primarily by deaf individuals in North America
(Beukelman & Mirenda, 1992)
Auditory
fishing: A
setting that allows users to browse the items on the display through direct
selection by listening to the output at a reduced volume before making a
selection (Dowden & Cook, 2002).
Auditory symbols: Selection-set items that are presented in an audible manner, for
example through Partner Assisted Auditory Scanning (see below) or Auditory
Fishing (above).
Augmentative
and alternative communication (AAC): An area of clinical practice that attempts to compensate
(either temporarily or permanently) for the impairment and disability patterns
of individuals with severe expressive communication disorders (ASHA, 1989)
Augmentative
communication device (ACD): A phrase used by Washington State Department of Social and
Health Services to refer to equipment used by any AAC user to aid their
communication
British Sign Language: A manually coded language used by the deaf community of
Great Britain (Beukelman & Mirenda, 1992)
Coded access: An access method in which the individual uses a sequence of
body movements to retrieve items from the selection set. For example, Morse
code is a method of coded access that requires a different sequence of
finger-tapping movements for each letter of the alphabet. It is possible to use
coded access along with other types of encoding. In Morse code, the letters
"S" "O" "S" stand for an entire phrase (Save Our
Ship); this is an example of encoding. Many people confuse these two uses of
the term "code" in our field (Dowden and Cook, 2002)
Communication notebook/board: Two low-tech AAC tools that an individual
uses to express personally relevant concepts by pointing to line drawings,
words, pictures, numbers, and/or the alphabet. The communication board contains
the set of symbols on a flat surface; a communication book or notebook has
several pages of symbols.
Context-dependent
communication: Communication
that is limited to some topics in some contexts or with some partners; the
individual is not able to communication with anyone about any topic.
Context-dependent communication is more effective than Emerging communication
(see below) because it is not limited to the "here and now" or shared
knowledge by the partner.
Core
vocabulary: Messages
and words that are frequently used by many individuals across many contexts.
This vocabulary typically consists of "functor" words such as
"is, was, he, she" and common nouns and primary verbs (e.g. person,
like, want). (Beukelman & Mirenda, 1992)
Deaf World: A culture that shares a common language (American Sign
Language), beliefs, customs, arts, history, and folklore. It is primarily
comprised of individuals who have prelingual deafness.
Dedicated
devices: Originally,
this term was used to refer to any device that was designed and manufactured
for AAC users. Some devices could run other software (e.g. word processors) or
perform other functions (e.g. writing or printing) but they were still
"dedicated" to AAC users. In recent years, funding agencies (most
notably Medicare and Medicaid) have begun to use the term to mean devices that
can only be used for face-to-face communication (such as "Speech
Generating Devices") and not for writing or printing. This has resulted in
confusion in our field regarding this term. In this course, we use the term
"dedicated" to differentiate it from "computer-based
systems" that will accept and run Windows or MacIntosh software in
addition to the AAC software.
Department
of Social & Heath Services (DSHS): A state organization that helps people in
need, primarily families with young children and people with physical or mental
disabilities, to get food, medical care and other basic needs.
Dependent
communicators: Individuals who are unable to communicate about all topics with
any listener. They rely on familiar partners to understand their
utterances/messages or depend on others to provide them with the necessary
vocabulary (Dowden, 1999)
Digitized speech: The computer reproduces messages that have been recorded and
stored in digital format (Beukelman & Mirenda, 1998)
Direct selection: A method of communication in which the individual specifically
indicates the desired item in the selection set without any
intermediary steps. There are four types of direction selection methods
used for AAC devices/strategies: a) pointing with physical contact and force;
b) pointing without physical contact; c) pointing with contact and no force;
and d) picking up and exchanging. (Dowden & Cook, 2001) (Note:
message retrieval methods are not considered "intermediary steps"
here.)
Directed
scanning: An access technique that combines elements of direct selection and
single-switch scanning. The individual uses a multi-switch array, for example,
a joystick or arrow keys, to move the cursor in the desired direction and to
make a selection.
DSHS: see Department of
Social & Heath Services
Dynamic Displays: A feature of some communication devices that allows the user to
change the vocabulary options that he can see. Navigating these displays is a
bit like browsing the World Wide Web in that you can move back and forth
between the displays with buttons.
Emerging communicator: An individual who does not yet have any reliable means of
symbolic communication, although he/she typically has non-symbolic
communication (Dowden, 1999). This communication, for example using gestures
and facial expressions, can be very useful with highly familiar partners, but
it tends to be limited to the "here and now" or rely heavily on the
partner's shared knowledge.
Encoding: A rate enhancement technique in which the user selects a
predetermined sequence of items to retrieve a complete word, phrase or
sentence. Codes can be based on icons (symbols), alphabet letters, letters and
numbers combined ("alphanumeric codes") or numbers alone. A sequence
of symbols from the selection set calls up the desired word or phrase (Dowden
& Cook, 2002)
Enhancement
process: Strategies
for speeding up communication or making it easier for the AAC user (Beukelman
& Mirenda, 1998)
Expressive communication refers to
how an individual uses symbolic language, whether through speech, sign,
writing, or any other modality.
Facilitated Communication (FC): A technique that was popular a few years
ago, in which an individual spelled messages via an alphabet board while a
facilitator held the individual's arm. While the technique has been largely
discredited due to the potential for partner influence, that does not mean that the
individual is not capable of more communication through other alternative
techniques.
Feature: A prominent characteristic of a communication device or a
communication strategy. For example, voice output is a feature of many AAC
devices.
Finger
spelling/Manual alphabet: A method of communication via spelling that uses hand
configurations to represent letters of the alphabet.
Foils: items in a selection set that are not intended to be
selected, for example, blank items, objects that are disliked, or items that
are not appropriate in a given context. These are used to determine reliability
or consistency with the communication technique.
Fringe vocabulary: A vocabulary specific or unique to a AAC user or to one
activity or topic (Beukelman &Mirenda, 1998)
Functor
words: Usually
small words such as of, by, with, etc.
Generative vocabularies: Vocabulary that allows the user to create novel messages
(Dowden & Cook, 2002)
Gestural
codes: A
communication system that is based on movements, like gestures, but the meaning
is not obvious from the movement and must be learned. AmerInd, which is based
on American Indian sign language, is one such system.
Gesture: An unaided method of
communication that includes facial expressions, eye gazing, hand movements and
body postures (Beukelman & Mirenda, 1998) The meaning does not typically
have to be learned, but is clear from the movement itself.
Headwand: A stick held closely to the head (typically mounted on a
cap) and used by individuals with poor hand control to perform some tasks
otherwise done by hand, such as reaching and pointing. Some AAC users use
headwands to select items on a communication display or device.
Icon encoding: visual symbols are
combined to store words, phrases or sentences. The icons are usually abstract
so that there can be multiple meanings associated with them. Encoding is a
speed-enhancement technique.
Ideograph: Symbols that are
abstract representations
Independent
communication: The ability to communicate with both familiar and unfamiliar
partners about any topic in any context (Dowden 1999). "Independent
communication" does not mean that the individual does not rely on
technology or assistance from people in the environment.
Indirect selection: A method of communication that involves intermediary
steps by the device or the partner, usually to compensate for motor
limitations of the user. Examples include single-and dual-switch scanning,
directed scanning and coded access (Dowden and Cook, 2002).
Individual
Education Plan (IEP): A document detailing the educational goals of an individual with
disabilities and the special services the individual will receive in order to
work toward those goals.
International
symbols: Symbols
that are understood in many cultures. For example, the picture symbols of men's
and ladies' rooms are widely understood.
Key word signing: Signing only the key words in an utterance, sometimes done
while speaking (Beukelman & Mirenda, 1998)
Less costly alternative: A phrase used by insurance companies and 3rd party payers to
refer to equipment or services that are less expensive but may still meet the
patient's needs
Letter
of justification: The letter by a physician and a clinician to a 3rd party payer
(e.g. insurance company) to request funding for an AAC device. See details
on UW Augcomm on what such a document should
include and how it should be written.
Lexigrams: Symbols originally
designed for research purposes, designed by combining nine basic design/meaning
elements (Lloyd, Fuller and Arvidson, 1997)
Line
drawing: Simple
black and white pictures used as symbols for communication, such as Blissymbol
and Rebus (Beukelman & Mirenda, 1992)
Linguistic
prediction: A
method of predicting the next words, based on the grammatical rules of the
words that have preceded it (Beukelman & Mirenda, 1998)
Limb apraxia: The inability to perform a volitional motor movement of the hands,
arms or legs in the absence of paralysis or paresis.
Locked-In Syndrome (LIS): An individual who is truly "locked-in" has no
voluntary movement except vertical eye movements and, in some cases, blinking,
but the individual is consious. This is typically caused by a basilar artery
stroke, tumor or trauma damaging the pons or midbrain. (Beukelman &
Mirenda, 1998)
Low-tech
(or No tech): A popular name for devices, such as books, boards and pictures,
that use little or no electronic technology to promote communication. They are
in contrast to high technology or computerized devices.
Manual sign language: A formal language in which communicators use visual symbols
rather than oral sounds to convey meaning. An example is American Sign
Language, which is used by deaf or hearing-impaired individuals.
Medical
necessity: A
phrase used by insurance companies and 3rd party payers to describe the
equipment and services a patient requires for health and safety needs.
Insurance companies and 3rd party payers usually only provide equipment and
services that meet medical needs, as opposed to educational or social needs.
Message
retrieval strategy: Only the smallest devices show all the available vocabulary at
once. Devices with a larger capacity only show some vocabulary and require the
user to "retrieve" words that are not readily visible at first. An
individual who is not able to use a retrieval method, or does not use it
proficiently, will be unable to use that additional vocabulary during
communication. There are three types of message retrieval strategies: a) Levels
and Overlays, b) Dynamic Displays and c) Encoding. (Note: Encoding also
funcitons as a rate enhancement method.)
Minspeak: A type of icon encoding (see above) used in devices by one
manufacturer: Prentke Romich Company.
Morse
code: An
international system that uses a series of dots and dashes to represent
letters, punctuation and numbers. When an AAC user uses this system, the dots
and dashes are more likely to be high or low pitch tones (Beukelman &
Mirenda, 1992)
Mouthstick: A wand that is held in
the mouth and used by individuals with poor hand control to perform some tasks
otherwise done by hand, such as reaching & pointing. Some AAC users use
mouthsticks to select items on a communication display or device.
Non-Oral techniques: Methods of communication that do not use the oral structures
and functions, such as the aided and unaided techniques described elsewhere.
Non-symbolic
communication: Gestures, pointing, vocalizations, intonation, body language and
facial expression are examples of non-symbolic communication. It is limited to
the "here and now," responding to what one sees, hears or feels in
the immediate environment.
Novel
utterances: Unique
messages that an individual produces to say exactly what is intended at a given
moment. They are the opposite of "preprogrammed" messages that must
be composed and programmed ahead of time. True independence in AAC necessitates
the ability to create and deliver novel utterances.
Occupational Therapist (OT): A professional who provides
services related to activities of daily living, work, and play to individuals
who want to enhance their independence and their quality of life
Opportunity Barriers: The obstacles imposed by other people, preventing AAC users
from full participation. For example, a teacher or SLP may believe that
non-speakers cannot learn to spell, so literacy instruction is not provided. Or
a school may have a policy that prevents a child from taking a communication
device home. (Beukelman & Mirenda, 1998)
Oral
techniques: Methods of communication that require the use of oral structures
and function, for example an electrolarynx or voice amplifier.
Orthographic
symbols: Aided
techniques, such as Braille and finger spelling, that represent traditional
orthography, (Beukelman & Mirenda, 1998)
OT: see Occupational
therapist
OT/PT: Either an occupational
therapist or a physical therapist
Output: The output is primarily
thought of as the method by which information is conveyed to the partner; e.g.
visual output or auditory output. Some devices also connect to computers, cell
phones and the internet, a type of "electronic" output that is used
to control the environment.
Partner assisted AUDITORY scanning: A method of partner
assisted scanning (see below) in which the items are named or read aloud to the
user.
Partner
assisted scanning (PAS): A method of communication involving no technology in which
the partner identifies (by naming or pointing) the items in the selection set
and waits for the user to signal (via a sound or a movement) the item he/she
wishes to communicate. This can be done with one-by-one with items in a linear
array (e.g. A,B,C,D....) or via a group-item strategy (e.g. A - G, H - L, etc.)
gradually narrowing down the selection. It can also be done with words and
phrases rather than letters of the alphabet. For more information on this
useful technique, visit the Auditory Scanning and AAC
Website or
read about "Auditory Scanning" on the Augmentative Communication News Website.
Partner assisted VISUAL scanning: A method of partner
assisted scanning (see above) in which the communication partner points sequentially
to the items on the display. Typically, people learn to point to each row
first. Once the individual signals the correct row, then they point to each
item in the row until the individual signals a selection.
PECS: see Picture Exchange
Communication System
Physiatrist: A physician who specializes in physical medicine and
rehabilitation, focusing on the ability to perform functional activities.
Physical
characteristics: The tangible qualities of a device, such as dimensions, weight,
and construction materials. These qualities affect the usefulness of a device
to a user. For example, a device that is large and bulky may not be portable.
Physical
therapist (PT): A professional who helps to restore or improve motor
functions in individuals with muscular problems
Pictograph: Symbols that resemble their
referents. For example, a pictograph of a horse has a body, a head, four legs
and a tail.
Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS): A method of communication
developed by Pyramid Educational Corporation, in which the communicator picks
up one or more symbols and hands them to a partner (Beukelman & Mirenda,
1998)
Prediction: A rate enhancement technique in which the device or the
communication partner guesses the end of a word or phrase, based on previous
selections. There are many types of prediction used in devices, some more
sophisticated than others.
Preprogrammed
utterances: Messages
that are composed and stored ahead of time so they can be delivered in a timely
manner. Some are urgent messages (e.g. I need help!) and others are social
messages (e.g. "You are exactly right!"). They are the opposite of
novel utterances created by the user at the time of communication. An
individual cannot obtain true independence in AAC with only access to preprogrammed
utterances.
PT: see Physical therapist
Rate enhancement: A technique or strategy used to speed up AAC output because
it is so much slower than speech. Most rate enhancements can be grouped into
two types: encoding and prediction.
Receptive communication refers to
how well an individual understands communication, whether it is speech, sign or
writing. It contrasts withexpressive communication.
Reliable
communication: means that the individual is able to communicate what he/she
intends to communicate, not accidentally push another key or convey a message
that was not intended. Reliability is crucial to independence.
Retrieval strategies: In aids with a large vocabulary, there has to be a way to
select vocabulary that is not immediately visible to the user. There are three
common strategies: levels, dynamic displays, and encoding.
Scanning: An "indirect selection" technique in which items
are presented sequentially one at a time and the individual activates a switch
or otherwise signals to accept one of the items when presented. Scanning, like
other indirect selection techniques, is only intended for individuals who do
not have sufficient motor control for direct selection techniques.
Selection set: The items (vocabulary/symbols) available to a specific AAC user
for communication. They may be presented in a visual, auditory, or tactile
form, depending on the user's needs. (Beukelman & Mirenda, 1998)
Selection technique (or access method): The way in which the
user interacts with a device to control it for communication, e.g. pointing,
single-switch scanning, etc. (Beukelman & Mirenda, 1998)
Signed
Exact English: A
complex system of signing English that uses the grammatical features of
prefixes, suffixes and tenses (Beukelman & Mirenda, 1992)
SLP: Abbreviation for
Speech-Language Pathologist
Speech Supplementation Strategies: These are approaches for
making the speech more understandable (or "comprehensible") to the
partner even if the actual intelligibility of the speech itself does not
change. These techniques include first letter cueing with fingerspelling or an
alphabet board, setting the context with a context board, etc. For further
information, see Dowden (1997).
Symbolic Language: Communication that uses
something (e.g. a word, sign, picture, etc.) to represent a concept or meaning.
For example,sounds symbolize meaning in our speech while letters
and words represent meaning in our writing, and in AAC we use symbols
you can hear, see or feel. Symbolic language permits us to talk beyond the
"here and now" about things in another time or place. In contrast,
non-symbolic communication is limited to the "here and now," for
example, using pointing and gestures to respond to what one sees, hears or
feels in the immediate environment.
Tactile finger spelling: The use of touch while finger spelling; it is often used
with individuals who have visual impairments in addition to hearing impairments
Tangible
or tactile symbols: Symbols that can be discriminated based on the use of touch
such as shape, texture, consistency (Beukelman & Mirenda, 1998)
Text-to-speech output: Speech produced when a computer translates the letter of the
text into sounds, using a complex set of pronunciation rules (Beukelman &
Mirenda, 1998)
Three-dimensional
representations ("tangible" symbols): Symbols that can be
discriminated based on shape, texture, consistency (Beukelman & Mirenda,
1998)
Tonic Neck Reflex: "The arm toward which the infant is facing extends straight
away from the body with the hand partially open, while the arm on the side away
from the face is flexed and the fist is clenched tightly. Reversing the
direction in which the face is turned reverses the position." [Source
and more information at:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003292.htm]
Two-dimensional
representations (symbols): Flat symbols (e.g. photographs, line drawings, etc.)
Unaided techniques: Methods of communication that require nothing external to
the body to represent meaning e.g. signing, gestures, vocalizations, etc.
(Beukelman & Mirenda, 1998)
Visual output: Output for the communication partner that is seen rather
than heard; e.g. visual display or printout
Vocabulary
capacity: Many
devices come with a large vocabulary or symbol dictionary. This total capacity
should not be confused with the size of the vocabulary that can be available to
the user during communication. For example, the DynaVox with Gateway vocabulary
has thousands of words in its dictionary, but few users can utilize more than
several hundred of them during conversation.
Vocabulary
or messages:
The concepts that are available for the AAC user to communicate. This is
different from the "vocabulary capacity" of a device, see above.
Vocalizations: Sounds made with the
voice that are not speech sounds. The can be involuntary (yawning, laughing,
sneezing) or voluntary (cry, moan, yell). (Beukelman & Mirenda, 1998)
Voice activated switch: An electronic switch that is turned on by sound.
Able-bodied consumers see this type of switch in the lights that turn on when
you clap hands. These switches can be modified to activate with particular
frequencies of sounds, for example humming, and screen out other sounds, for
example coughing.
Voice Output Communication Aid (VOCA): The original term used
to describe communication devices with speech output. These are now more
commonly called "Speech Generating Devices (SGD).
Voice
(or Speech) output: Many communication devices convey information to the partner
with audible sound. There are two types of voice/speech output: digitized and
text-to-speech (or synthesized).
Volitional movements: Actions of the body that are intentional and under control. This
is in contrast to non-volitional movements such as spasms, twitches, etc.
Word-pattern prediction: This speed enhancement method predicts words as the text is
being produced, based on the grammatical rules of the words that have preceded
it (Beukelman & Mirenda, 1998)
