TouchChat provides English, Spanish and French options in one app, and is a universal app supporting iPhone®, iPod®, and iPad®. TouchChat is designed for individuals with Autism, Down Syndrome, ALS, apraxia, stroke, or other conditions that affect a person’s ability to use natural speech. So let’s be consistent, let’s be clear, and let’s keep it simple.TouchChat is a full-featured communication solution for individuals who have difficulty using their natural voice. The key features of the actions that need to be taken are in the name of the strategy. This means that a communication partner needs to interact with the user and model communication using the new system. I propose a new term for our beloved strategy: Interactive Modeling. What about a new word altogether? Something that makes sense, something that doesn’t take ten minutes to explain. Can we reduce the barrier of speaking in jargon for our users and their families and caregivers? “Aided Language Stimulation” feels like it means nothing. If we have to spend so many minutes explaining the strategy, are we just creating another barrier for effective implementation? “Aided Language Input” is a mouthful. Not only does inconsistency breed confusion, so do the existing names themselves. The current inconsistency for the name of our best, most evidence-based strategy is creating a barrier for users of AAC. We remove barriers, we don’t create them. We help the team use the tool and make it successful. We paint the picture of the current access or communication issue. To me, the field of AT (and AAC) is so practical. I value the opportunity to provide and elevate the voices of individuals who need AAC. I am so passionate about AAC because I believe that communication is a human right. We need to do better.ĭear AAC World: Can we please just agree on one name? As a field, we need to be doing everything we can to reduce the burden on users of AAC and their communication partners. Our practices are literally making it more difficult. The last time I checked, speech pathologists and assistive technology specialists are trying to make communication easier and more functional for everyone. When we use many names for the same thing, we are creating inconsistency. However, from researchers to AT specialists to speech pathologists, we are all inconsistent with what we actually callit. The more a user can observe their communication partners functionally and organically communicating using the new AAC, the faster they can learn the messages and the modality. What has been shown again and again in practice and in research is that the communication partners’ use of the system with the user is the key to success. The only change in the way that the parent and the child are reading together is the addition of buttons (words) activated on the parent’s iPad. Essentially, the parent reads the book with the child but adds on the use of key words ( core vocabulary!) on the iPad. As the parent and child read the book together, the parent focuses on using the AAC system to supplement their verbal speech. In this ideal scenario, the parent would have their own iPad with the exact same language app and file. Let’s say the vocabulary file is Word Power 60 Basic. In this scenario, the child is using a new AAC system - let’s say an iPad with the app TouchChat HD with Word Power. Imagine a parent reading a book with their child. One example of this strategy might look something like the following.
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