For the second blog I decided to focus on the second client I am working with. J is a 23 year old female who is diagnosed with a syndrome called Cavum Septum Pellicidum and delayed speech and language. She was in therapy from 1989-1996 and then returned in 2001 until the present.
I have 3 goals with J. For the first 2 goals, I use J’s personal communication notebooks to enhance receptive language. Our third and main goal is to work with the Vantage (AAC device) and a program called Literacy Through Unity.
With J’s notebooks I ask her to point to words or Velcro words in the front of the notebook to make phrases and I try to use as many different words in her notebook as possible. When using the Vantage, I present word cards to J that show the word spelled out and a picture of the icon. I then read J the directions and a sentence using that word.
In a presentation from the ASHA Convention 2007, the presenters support the literacy based technique I use with J. The recommendations for individuals with use AAC are that they have knowledge of letter-sound correspondences and sight word recognition skills. The instructor should also demonstrate the skill, provide support and cues, have the individual rehearse the word in their head and provide feedback when the individual performs the skill independently.
These are all techniques I use with J. I show J each word multiple times and she points to the word when I am saying it. Some lessons I use the individual speech sounds and J seems to respond better when the sound is made and not just the letter read. When I read the directions, J rehearses the word in her head, then points to the word, and spells it on her device. When she is incorrect, I model the correct sequence and provide verbal and visual cues. I am always giving J feedback on her performance.
J has really been progressing through the lessons this semester. Each lesson gets a little harder and J has been doing really well. A few seem to confuse her but usually we try it again another day and she does better. All of the cues, models, and reinforcement I have given her have really seemed to help her learn how to use the Vantage. Some days you can even tell that she is enjoying looking at the new words and learning how to produce them on her device.
Light, J. & McNaughton, D. (2007). Evidence-based literacy intervention for individuals who require AAC. Retrieved April 13, 2008, from www.asha.org.
