A U G M E N TAT

I V E A N D
A LT E R N AT I V
E
C O M M M U N I C
AT I O N
S A I YU KTA
CHHETRI
Definition
AAC is used to describe system that
supplement( augment) or replace (
alternative ) communication by
voice or gesture between people.

Used as assisstive technology, it

enables individual to
communicate inways without
assisstance

Th
Thi
 • Using a pen and pencil to write
a letter to someone who is
unable to speak would not be
Example an example however when a
person who is non vocal uses
the same pen to explain he
physician that she has a sharp
pain in her left limb, then the
pen becomes AAC device
Communication disorder

LANGUAGE DISORDER SPEECH DISORDER

 Brain injury, affects Wernick's
area on left cerebral
hemisphere.
Language
disorder
Difficulty understanding
language.
 Damage to frontal cortex
Speech region, Broca's area
disorder Problem with speech
production
 • Person from language disorder
may not benefit from AAC.

• In case of damage to Broca's

area the person will be able
AAC use in those to understand and formulate
disorder message but will not be able
to speak due to difficulty in
controlling oral musculature

• This person may be well benefit

by AAC.
AAC devices ranges from Low technology to extremely high technology

Example : In ICU low tech communication board allows person maintained on a

respirator to communicate basic needs

In some cases , the entire communiation system might be an alerting buzzer to summon
the caregiver.

Low-tech communication systems can meet essential communication eeds

for individuals whose physical skills are limited to eye blinking eye-directing
movements.
• AAC seems to be focused on
1. Level of communicating basic needs
2. Transfer of information
• Transfer of info presents with difficulty
because the content of info to be
communicated cannot be predicted
• To meet these needs AAC devices must have
ability to generate concept , this is reffered as
Spontaneous Novel Utterance Generation
( SNUG).
• It is still an ongoing challenge for AAC
development.
 Parts of AAC

USE CONTROL SYSTEM MESSAGE MESSAGE

COMPOSITION SYSTEM TRANSMISSION SYSTEM
User control system

Allows user to generate message Control system

 Message
composition
• Most of times user plans before speaking,
similarly AAC device allows user to construct,
preview and edit communication utterances
before they become apparent to communication
partner

• AAC devices allow individual to assemble

complete thought and then transmit it

• AAC devices consist of display in which

messages can be viewed
• If messages come in unit, it is easy to respond to
the query
 First true AAC device,
Canon communicator was
small box included alpha
numeric keyboard

Message
transmission
When the message was
completed, it was removed The box was strapped in
from the communicator user's wrist and user
and passed to trapped out messages that
communication were printed on paper.
partner( message ( message composition )
transmission).
Communication structure

Verbal communication Graphic communication

Verbal communications

Face to face Oral

Conversation
communication presentation

Small group Conversation on

disccusion a telephone
• In the above cases rapid communication is required and the user is
expected to compose and respond immediately

• If composition is slow, the communication breaks and conversation

stops

• AAC may use telegraphic speech styles , resulting in primitive style of

language " want food". Thus, can indicate poor cognition.
• Oral presentation in which no question and
answer is included.

• In these cases, AAC has ample preparation time

to generate communication before
delivery whereby entire presentation may be
stored in communication device before time of
delivery

• Example : Stephen Hawking, use of AAC device

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND.

Graphic communications
writing using
Typewriter
paper and pencil

computer/ word
calculator
processor

drawing program
• There is a difference between time to create a message and time to
receive it.

• Historically, real-time conversation, and instant messaging were not

resent, unlike today.

• Need for fluency and immediacy of communication is required for

verbal conversation
Type of Graphic Communications

NOTE TAKING MESSAGING FORMAL WRITING

 Note Taking
• Method of recording information as it is being
transmitted from speaker, so that the listener
can recall it later.
• A note taking system must allow rapid
recording of information as it is a violation of
social convention to ask the speaker to speak
more slowly.
• Cognitively active process
• Listen for the ideas
• Record only key points
 For students, Microsoft's One Note are
able to make audio recordig of the
lecture as the individual is making note

Example
Audio that was recorded while making
notes can be played back
 Messaging

Shares many characteristics with note taking

Abbreviations and nongrammatical language is common

Doesn’t demand the speed of input of note taking because encoding and
receiving is not linked

In Twitter, a single tweet can have no more than 140 characters. Thus,
message must be balanced between being cryptic and informative.
Formal writing
• Most language intensive form
• Example: writing essay for
schools, book chapter.
• Follows rules of written grammar
• Expected to spend significant time
and effort.
• Most difficult form: Mathematical
notation
• Mathematical notations are two dimentional and nonlinear

• Simple 2+2=4 is not difficult but algebraic expressions can be much

more difficult for AAC devices.

• Similar issues are experienced in WWW, new communication

protocol ( MathML) have been developed

• If those can be incorporated in AAC, it may provide improved access

to higher mathematics
 • Mathematical markup
language
MathML • Visually descriptive language
• Not intended to be read and
written by people
• It requires great deal of motor
control to produce.
 General Computer Access
• Using of computer provides individual with
disability a degree of control that is missing
in much of the lifetime

• Computer can be considered in the same

catagories like other assisstive technologies

• Example : A Buissnessperson with mild

cognitive limitation might require computer
technologies to organize and record
informations.
 But when a blind
When a person with
individual accesses the
paraplegia acess online
same database
database for movies it
using installed
is not assisstive
screen reader, it is
technology.
assisstivetechnology.
Individual using computer can locate, organize and present
information at level of complexity that are not possible
without electronic aids

Example : Thought Q (www.thoughtQ.com) can assisst a

person with cognitive limitation in researching a topic by
suggesting related search term .

Computer based biofeedback can monitor and

enhance attention to task.
 Example : electronic
reminders were
Over time , application
developed for the
which started as
people with brain injury
assisstive technologies
who required constant
can become mainstream
reminders to manage
and no longer be
their time but now abled
assisstive technologies
bodies are using it on
daily basis