CHC40213: AAC Strategies, Communication Difficulties & Support

This assignment delves into augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategies, essential for individuals with speech and language impairments. It defines AAC and provides examples such as Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) and keyword signing. The document explores nonverbal communication methods including facial expressions, gestures, and paralinguistics. It identifies factors contributing to student communication difficulties like peer pressure, personality differences, and speech impediments, further discussing ways to support students who cannot communicate verbally, emphasizing good communication and listening skills. The assignment also examines how brain damage affects communication, specifically addressing aphasia and cognitive transmission complexities. It highlights the role of educators in facilitating communication through various techniques, including expansion of student talk and the use of media for listening practice. The assignment concludes with references to relevant research and resources.

Running head: AUGMENTATIVE & ALTERNATIVE COMMUNICATION. 1
Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Student’s Name
University Affiliate

AUGMENTATIVE & ALTERNATIVE COMMUNICATION.
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Part A
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is a technique used to change
speech or writing into a spoken language. It is applied by those with myriad language as well
as speech impairments (Fossett & Mirenda, 2007). Like cerebral palsy and intellectual
impairment. The symbols used in AAC are photographs, gestures or pictures. Example of an
AAC is the Digital attainable information system is a complex standard for digital
audiobooks, journals, and computerized text. Modern AAC was introduced back in the 1950s
for people that had lost the potential to speak. Daisy Talking Book is drafted to be a complete
audio proxy for copy material for those with writing disabilities, including blindness,
diminished vision, and dyslexia. Stationed on the MP3 and XML styles, the DAISY style has
facilitated characteristics in incorporation to those of tradition audiobook. Keyword singing is
a form of AAC that uses manual singing as an additional mode of communication.
Nonverbal Transmission; it involves sending or receiving information without the use
of words. It was inaugurated in 1956 by psychotherapist Jurgen Ruesch and writer Weldon
Kees and includes the use of visual intimation such as body language (kinesics), interval
(proxemics) and physical situations. It can also comprise the use of time (chronemics) and
eye contact and the action of looking while talking/listening, the recurrence of glances,
patterns of addition, pupil dilation and blink rate (oculesics). According to Matsumoto and
Juang, this nonverbal action motion of dissimilar people stipulates an essential channel of
transmission. Other examples of nonverbal transmission comprise smile, wink, blink, smile
or wave. Facial Expression is responsible for a huge proportion of nonverbal communication.
A gesture is a kind of non-verbal transmission in which visible violently actions interface
particular messages. It includes movement of hands, heads, shaking, shrugging, and facial
expression, among others. Paralinguistic is the research of vocal signs beyond the basic oral
messages of speech. It comprises articulation, modulation, volume, speech momentum, and

AUGMENTATIVE & ALTERNATIVE COMMUNICATION.
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fluency. Haptics is the science of exerting touch (tactile) feeling and control to interaction
with computer approaches.
Communication symbols; these are words gestures, visual images or sounds used to
convey ideas or information. For example, a blue line on a map may indicate a water body.
Why Students May Have Communication Difficulties
Peer pressure; it affects communication difficulties especially when students respond
to inquiries either by acting funny or by feeling disengaged. Here, learners might fail to
create a good relationship with their tutors which not only affects their freedom of expression
but also their academic excellence (Fossett & Mirenda, 2007). Essentially, peer pressure
affects learners as early as in their first grade. However, a good way to overcome this
problem is to reward good behaviour.
Personality differences: learners who are not interested in connecting with their
tutors at personal levels avoid communicating with them. Such behaviour irritates people
who try to connect with students, only their efforts to be fruitless. Personality differences
cause both miscommunication and unhappiness between learners and their close associates
(McNaughton & Light, 2013). Therefore, learners should reorganize as well as understand
personality differences, by finding a healthy balance without expressing favouritism to
anyone.
Speech and language problems; learners with this problem struggle communicating
in any setting. Often, they shut and isolate themselves due to fear. The challenge is overcome
by having personal education plans for learners with language problems.
Supporting those who cannot communicate verbally

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The things to consider when supporting learners who cannot communicate verbally are good
communication and listening skills. They include simple interactions, being aware of the
body language and personal differences among others.
Ways Brain Damage Affects Communication.
Speech impairment-aphasia (frequently and called dysphasia). Encloses difficulties
with interpretation of language and communicating ideas through language. Also encloses
difficulties with reading and writing. Language difficulties entail disorders of speech that can
arise after brain injury. Cognitive transmission complexity enfolds some of the difficulties
with communication induced by cognitive problems, for example, mind impairment,
awareness difficulties, faulty social ability, and fatigue. One of the many roles of English
teachers in the classroom is facilitating communication. Expansion of students talk is a type
of clause complex in logic-semantic relation of systemic functional linguistics. Listening
subject provides students with the materials of oral communication by English native
speakers. It needs learner to have listening practice a lot, either outside or in the classroom.
Media can be used to provide students with listening activities to improve their listening
ability. Watching movies students are introduced to the real context of language and myriad
vocabularies. According to McNaughton and Light (2013), recording students reading a
chosen line or videotaping class exhibition is a magnificent technique for determining their
transmission strength and imperfection.

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References
Fossett, B., & Mirenda, P. (2007). Augmentative and alternative communication. Handbook
of developmental disabilities, 330-348.
Loncke, F., Clibbens, J., Arvidson, H., & Lloyd, L. (2009). Augmentative and Alternative
Communication. Whurr, London.
McNaughton, D., & Light, J. (2013). The iPad and mobile technology revolution: Benefits
and challenges for individuals who require augmentative and alternative
communication.