Assessing Student's Needs for Assistive Technology (ASNAT)

Chapter 4 – Assistive Technology for Communication
cardboard. There is power in having voice. Each student deserves the opportunity to experience that
power. The student also deserves the right to reject it, if it has no appeal. Students with Autism
Spectrum Disorder may prefer low tech communication techniques rather than voice output. That should
be their choice.
Included in this chapter is a continuum of Augmentative Communication devices. Although the devices
are listed in a continuum, this is really a continuum for consideration. Any given student may be using a
system that is composed of items from more than one category of the continuum at the same time. In
fact, that is the reason for using the term augmentative/alternative communication system. A single
device does not a system make. The typical AAC user requires multiple components in a system to meet
his/her communication needs throughout the day in various environments and in differing situations.
The particular device used to participate in academic activities within a regular education class may
differ from the device or low tech tool used to communicate at lunch, on the playground, or during
swimming lessons.
c. When trying to determine exactly which device or devices will work best for a specific student
use Feature Match.
The systematic matching of features on a device with the specific, unique needs of a given student is
called feature match. Device issues include the following (Muller & Oberstein, 1995):
θ Access -How the student will activate and continue to operate the desired system:
θ Direct Selection with hands, head, or toes
θ Switch Access/Scanning-Access method where the user activates simple or multiple switches to
choose among selection possibilities presented in groups or one at a time. Scanning requires less
motor ability but higher cognitive and attending skills than direct selection. Typically a
developmental level of four years is recommended for visual scanning and six years for auditory
scanning.
θ Scan Pattern-This refers to the movement pattern of the scan indicator. Frequently used patterns
include:
• Linear-indicates movement item by item in line fashion.
• Circular-scan indicator moves item by item using a circular movement.
• Row-Column-one row at a time is presented, when the row with desired item is indicated, the
user activates the switch and each item in that row will be individually scanned.
• Block-is similar to Row-Column, but instead of a row, a particular group of items is presented,
when that group is selected, the device presents a smaller group such as a row or individual
items for selection.
• Auditory-used in conjunction with visual scan pattern, the user selects a message after listening
to a verbal prompt.
♦ Scan Mode refers to the way the switch is used to start, stop, and maintain the scan and to select the
target item.
• Automatic Scanning-The user activates and releases the switch to start the scan and then waits
while each item is presented. When the desired item is indicated, the user activates a switch
again to make a selection.
Assessing Students’ Needs for Assistive Technology (2004) 106