Copy - AAC Growth to Independence

AAC Assessment OPtions

Interactive COLE (Continuum of Language Expression

The Dynamic AAC goals grid 3 (dagg 3)

The pragmatics profile for people who use aac

Communication Matrix

+Click on Each Assessment To Learn More

Pros

• You Get 5 assessment credits

• It is Low Cost. $2 per credit or a group account can be purchased for $150 with 30 credits
• Can be used online or offline
• Results are in a table format where you can easily compare results
• Available in Multiple Languages
• Based on Established Science
• Will show progress for emergent communicators and students with significant disabilities
• Gives detailed account of the students use of a variety of functions of communication
• Nice visual representation of communication skills
• Can track student progress over time
• Saves student profile and allows for annual update
• Honors and documents all of the ways in which people communicate

Assessment Indicators

Communication Matrix

Pre Engagment: May have skills in levels 1-4 but little to no conventional gestures or abstract symbol use. Uses unconventional means to communicate.

LINK

Visually Attends to People & Symbols: Skills are emerging at level 5 with some conventional gestures. Student is pointing at symbols without intention. Uses unconventional and some conventional gestures to communicate.

The Communication Matrix is an assessment tool to help families and professionals easily understand the communication status, progress, and unique needs of anyone functioning at the early stages of communication or using forms of communication other than speaking or writing.

Experiments with Symbols: Skills emerging at level 5 but symbol use is inconsistent and lacks context. Gestures are being used to select symbols on AAC system.

Uses Symbols In Context with Intention: Mastery of at least 1 communication function at level 5. Uses at least 1 symbol in context for at least 1 communicative function.

Cons

• The questions can be confusing at first
• Risk of underestimating your student's skill level when new to the assessment
• Website is difficult to navigate
• Less useful as students begin to combine words
• Can be time consuing the first time through

Uses Symbols for Many Functions: Mastery of several communication functions at level 5. Uses symbols on AAC system in context for multiple communicative functions.

Combines Symbols: Emerging or mastery of combining 2 symbols for at least one of the functions at level 7. Combines 2 symbols on AAC system to express at least one function.

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Template

Pros

Assessment Indicators

• It is Free
• Generates a score and automatically tallies the results
• Includes use of speech and speech sounds
• Includes cognitive skills that precede langauge development
• Quick and easy to administer
• Can re-administer yearly to show progress

Interactive cole

Pre Engagment: May have skills in stages 1-4 but very little at stages 5 and above.

LINK

The Interactive COLE (continuum of Language Expression) is a tool to evaluate early language development. It is a free observational assessment which identifies functions and methods of communication used.

Visually Attends to People & Symbols: More consistent skills at stage 4 with some emerging skills at stages 5 and 6. Starting to use some symbols/words but inconsistently and with little intention.

Experiments with Symbols: Skills emerging at stage 5. Selects symbols on AAC system but is inconsistent and lacks context.

Cons

• Score will not yield information to to plan goals, but can show progress overtime
• Doesn't generate a visual or graph like the Communication Matrix
• Not the best option for beginning communicators or those with complex bodies
• Inspired by other research based assessments but not based on research

Uses Symbols In Context with Intention: Skills more consistent at stage 5 and may be moving into stage 6. Selects at least one symbol to indicate a communicative function.

Uses Symbols for Many Functions: Has mastered the use of multiple communicative functions at stages 6-9.

Combines Symbols: Has mastered combining 2 symbols for at least one communicative function at stage 10.

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the dynamic AAC Goals Grid (DAGG 3)

Pros

• Free, fillable, electronic
• Designed for AAC users
• Includes receptive language skills, social skills, and literacy

• Includes operation skills (ex: transports AAC during routines with adult reminders)
• Includes higher level language skills
• Eliminated prompting and included healthier strategies

Assessment Indicators

Pre Engagment/Engagement: May be at the Emergent level

LINK

The DAGG-3 is a tool to help professionals collaborate with the support team as they design a solid intervention plan for individuals using AAC. It identifies an individual's current communicaiton abilities. This informaiton guides professionals in choosing appropriate goals and a wa to track their progress.

Visually Attends to People & Symbols: May show skills at Emergent or Emergent Transitional level

Experiments with Symbols: Skills primarily at Emergent Transitional but may be moving toward Context Dependent.

Cons

• New and untested

• Goals are not written in SMART goal format

• Still includes percentages in the implementation plan without explianing how to derive the percentage

Uses Symbols In Context with Intention: Primarily at Context Dependent.

Uses Symbols for Many Functions: Skills primarily at Context Dependent level

Combines Symbols: Skills primarily at Context Dependent but moving into Transitional Independent.

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Template

Pros

Assessment Indicators

• Free, printable, available online
• Place to list likes, dislikes, and things that are important to the student
• Nice appendix to record the student's communication functions and how they express those functions
• Similar to the Communication Matrix, but free

The pragmatics profile for people who use aac

Pre Engagment: In Appendix 1, may use facial expression, body movement, vocalization to communicate.

Visually Attends to People & Symbols: In Apendix !, starting to use gestures, sign, eye contact, to communicate. vocalizations or word like utterances

LINK

Experiments with Symbols: In Appendix 1, uses AAC resources: single words but may not have intention yet or use for specific functions.

The Pragmatics Profile is a free paper based observation/interview assessment of communication modes and functions of communication used.

Cons

Uses Symbols In Context with Intention: In Apendix 1, uses a few single words/symbols with intention. 1-2 functions of communication

• Doesn't graph nicely like the Communication Matrix
• Have to write in all of the information
• Doesn't generate a score that may be required by some districts

Uses Symbols for Many Functions: In Apendix 1, uses single words/symbols for many functions listed.

Combines Symbols: In Apendix 1, uses phrase/sentence for a few functions.

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The growth to independence with AAC

uses grammar

uses keyboard

Education team

AAC Strategies

Combines symbols for many functions

Combines symbols

Uses single symbols for many functions

Uses Symbols in context with intention

Visually/auditorily Attends to people and symbols

Experiments with symbols

Engagement

Pre Engagement

AAC Goal Inspiration

PDF of All Levels and Goal Ideas

uses keyboard

uses grammar

Education team

AAC Strategies

Combines symbols for many functions

Combines symbols

Uses single Symbols for many purposes

Uses Symbols in context with intention

Experiments with symbols

Visually/auditorily Attends to people and symbols

Engagement

Pre Engagement

Rethinking the prompt heirarchy

Prompt dependence

Risks of Prompting

According to Burkhart and Porter (2019), it is important to begin with the understanding that expressive communication is a function of the child’s intent. It depends upon the child’s ability to communicate an autonomous message. In other words, the purpose of communication ability is to enable an individual to say what they want to say. Click link below for full article.

Dos and don'ts

+Link

Examples of prompt dependency:

Student can produce multi- symbol phrases only when prompted by the educational team. Student waits for adult to tell them what to say. Even when student knows what they want to say, they will wait for permission from an adult to speak.

Student is prompted to use single symbols when directed by the educational team. Use of other symbols is discouraged and results in correction.

Student is prompted physically, visually, or verbally to use specific symbols determined by the educational team.

Prompt dependence

Prompt dependence is when a student needs a prompt in order to initiate a skill or activity that they have already mastered..

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