EDEX 785

Language Impairment in Children:
Assistive Technology and Augmentative Communication

I.          Descriptive Information

A.        Catalog Description:  The neurophysiological and psychological bases of language disorders in children.  Differential diagnostic and educational-rehabilitative procedures for treatment of language-impaired children.

B.        Current Description:  The content of this course involves issues and intervention strategies that influence the communication development of individuals with severe physical and mental disabilities.  Topics covered include describing the relationship of communication development, social skills, and challenging behavior; teaching communication through direct instruction and milieu techniques; programming for the generalization of language targets; and selecting and implementing alternative and augmentative communication approaches. The focus of this course will be on the use of augmentative communcation devices- low to high tech. Candidates will discuss aspects of being a contributing member of an Assistive Technology team and factors in the consideration of AT.

C.        Course Credit:  3 semester hours

D.        Prerequisites:  Consent of instructor

E.         Course Instructor:    Cheryl Wissick           Office:  235-D Wardlaw

Phone:  777-8859        email:  cwissick@sc.edu

Office Hours:  One email, After class or by appointment

II.        Statement of Course Goal and Objectives

A.        Goal:  For students to acquire competence to increase the language and communication skills of students with severe or multiple disabilities

III.       Required Texts

King, T. W. (1999). Assistive Technology: Essential Human Factors, Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Sigafoos, J.Arthur-Kelly, M. & Butterfield, N. (2006) Enhancing Everyday Communication for Children with Disabilities, New York: Brookes, Cole

IV. Academic Course Requirements

A.        Each candidate will be responsible for designing one communication program derived from a communication assessment. Each candidate will use a case study provided by the instructor or from previous or current experiences with a student. The program must include

B.             Each candidate will review two articles. The first article can be selected from the list of supplemental readings. The second article must discus the use of assistive technology, software, or augmentative communication for students with severe disabilities. Each candidate will present the reviews to the class using PowerPoint, Web Worksheet or other media.

C.            Each candidate will compare and contrast selected software or devices. Candidates can propose to evaluate three devices or software programs.

D.            There will be one final exam.  The exam format will be a case study of a student and development of an AT plan.

E.         Participation is very important in this class and will be worth 10 points.

V.        Administrative Course Requirements

Students are expected to attend class regularly, to participate in class discussions, and to complete all assigned work promptly.  Absence from more than 10% of the scheduled class sessions is excessive and the instructor may chose to exact a grade penalty for such absences.    Missed tests must be made up within 48 hours and no late assignments will be accepted unless there is a valid reason for their lateness.

VI.       Evaluation and Grading

            The total amount of points in this class is 150.  The point values for each assignment and test are as follows:

VII.      Class Schedule See Calendar for Due Dates & Specific Topics

Class 1 -          Overview and background

Topics:            Definitions, identification, and descriptions of people with severe and multiple disabilities; incidence and prevalence information; deficit model vs. level of support; learning characteristics, human factors perspective

Class 2 -          Language structure and language acquisition, Stages of language acquisition:

Topics:  Read Chapter 1 Key Concepts: Language and language use; pragmatics. Typical and atypical language development; effect of language delays on overall development; expressive and receptive language; impact of disabilities on auditory skills of student with severe and multiple disabilities, Changes and trends in language intervention, person-centered language instruction, Tools, Transparency and AT,

Class 3-         Assessment - AT teams,Making language intervention successful,

Topics:  Read Chapter 2: Assessment Individualized assessment; exceptionality-specific assessment; adapting and modifying assessment tools and methods, Reliability of assessment; triangulation; using multiple sources of information for assessment, Human Factors and AT Goals

Class 4-          Intervention strategies:

Topics:  Chapter 3: Intervention Incidental (i.e., student-centered) teaching model; mand model; delay model; environmental arrangement; natural environment teaching techniques, Switches and Controls, CRT, LCD,

Class 5-          Intervention strategies: Replacing problem behavior with socially acceptable behavior, Technological aspects of AAC, Why AT fails,

Topics: Chapter 4 Instructional Procedures and Chapter 5: Replacing Problem Behavior Selecting and combining models to teach rejecting, requesting, and commenting, Embedding use of technology across multiple environments and activities; advanced selection and programming

Classes  6, 7, 8, 9 -    Alternative and augmentative communication, Selecting an alternative or augmentative system: Specialty presentations

Topics: Chapter 6: Monitoring Progress Types of communication modalities; assistive technology; programming devices, Assessing modality preferences; meeting the communicative needs of the student; portability and audience

Classes 10, 11, 12-        Enhancing symbolic development through AAC use Developing a communication system

Topics:  horizontal and vertical development; generalized vs. generic vs. explicit requesting; contact vs. distal communication

Class 13 -        Putting it all together: Concluding thoughts on Language Impairments and Assistive Technology

Class 14 -        Presentations of Individual Case Studies

VIII.    Mode of Instruction

     100%

Appendix A: Selected Readings for Review

Candidates will each choose one article to present to the class on the day of the topic.

Bates, E., Camaioni, L., & Volterra, V. (1975).  The acquisition of performatives prior to speech.  Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 21, 205-226. class 2

Bird, F., Dores, P.A., Moniz, D., & Robinson, J. (1989). Reducing severe aggressive and self-injurious behaviors with functional communication training. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 94, 37-48. class 5

Brady, N. C., & Halle, J. W. (1997).  Functional analysis of communicative behaviors.  Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 12, 95-104. Class 2

Bricker, D. (1993).  Then, now, and the path between:  A brief history of language intervention.  In A. P. Kaiser & D. B. Gray (Eds.), Enhancing children's communication:  Research foundations for intervention (pp. 11-27).  Baltimore, MD:  Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.    Class 2

Carpenter, R. L., Mastergeorge, A. M., & Coggins, T. E. (1983).  The acquisition of communicative intentions in infants eight to fifteen months of age.  Language and Speech, 26, 101-116. Class 2

Carr, E. G., Binkoff, J. A., Kologinsky, E., & Eddy, M. (1978).  Acquisition of sign language by autistic children.  I:  Expressive labeling.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 11, 489-501. Class 2

Carr, E. G., & Durand, V. M. (1985).  Reducing behavior problems through functional communication training.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 18, 111-126. class 5

Cirrin, F. M., & Rowland, C. M. (1985).  Communicative assessment of nonverbal youths with severe/profound mental retardation.  Mental Retardation, 23, 52-62. Class 3

Drasgow, E., Halle, J. W., Ostrosky, M. M., & Harbers, H. M. (1996).  Using behavioral indication and functional communication training to establish an initial sign repertoire with a young child with severe disabilities.  Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 16, 500-521. Class 3

Drasgow, E., Halle, J. W., & Sigafoos, J. (1999). Teaching communication to learners with severe disabilities:  Motivation, response competition, and generalization.  The Australasian Journal of Special Education, 23, 47-63. Class 4

Dowden, P., & Cook, A. M. (2002).  Choosing effective selection techniques for beginning communicators.  In J. Reichle, D. Beukelman, & J. Light (Eds.), Exemplary strategies for beginning communicators: Implications for AAC (pp. 395 -432). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. Class 4

Hemmeter, M. L., Ault, M. J., Collins, B. C., & Meyer, S. (1996).  The effects of teacher-implemented language instruction within free time activities.  Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 31, 203-212. Class 4

Horner, R. H., & Day, H. M. (1991).  The effects of response efficiency on functionally equivalent competing behaviors.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24, 719-732. Class 5

Houghton, J., Bronicki, G. J. B., & Guess, D. (1987).  Opportunities to express preferences and make choices among students with severe disabilities in classroom settings.  Journal for the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 12, 18-27. Class 5

Losardo, A. & Bricker, D. (1994).  Activity-based intervention and direct instruction: A comparison study.  American Journal on Mental Retardation, 98, 744-765. Class 4

Ostrosky, M. M., Drasgow, E., & Halle, J. W. (March/April 1999).  "How can I help you get what you want?"  A communication strategy for students with severe disabilities.  Teaching Exceptional Children, 56-61. Class 4

Pinker, S. (1995). Language acquisition. In L.R. Gleitman & M. Liberman (Eds.), Language: An invitation to cognitive science (2^nd edition), volume 1 (pp. 135-182). Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. Class 2

Quist, R. W., & Lloyd, L. L. (1997). Principles and uses of technology.  (Chapter 8).  Augmentative and Alternative communication:  A handbook of principles and practices.  Boston, MA:  Allyn and Bacon. Class 4

Reichle, J. (1997).  Communication intervention with persons who have severe disabilities.  The Journal of Special Education, 31, 110-134. Class 2

Reichle, J., Halle, J.W., & Johnston, S. (1993). Developing an initial communicative repertoire. In A.P. Kaiser & D.B. Gray (Eds.), Enhancing childrenÕs communication: Research foundation Class 4

Siegel, E. B., & Cress, C. J. (2002).  Overview of the emergence of early AAC behaviors:  Progression from communicative to symbolic skills.  In J. Reichle, D. Beukelman, & J. Light (Eds.), Exemplary strategies for beginning communicators: Implications for AAC (pp. 25-58). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. Class 4

Sigafoos, J., Drasgow, E., & Schlosser, R. (in press).  Evidence-based strategies for beginning communicators.  To appear in R. Schlosser (Ed.), The efficacy of alternative and augmentative communication: A close look at its research base.  New York, NY: Academic press. Class 4

Sigafoos, J., O'Reilly, M., Drasgow, E., & Reichle, J. (2002).  Strategies to achieve socially acceptable escape and avoidance.  In J. Reichle, D. Beukelman, & J. Light (Eds.), Exemplary strategies for beginning communicators: Implications for AAC (pp. 157-186). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. Class 5

Wetherby, A. M., & Prizant, B. M. (1989).  The expression of communicative intent:  Assessment guidelines.  Seminars in Speech and Language, 10, 77-91. Class 3

Appendix B: CEC Knowledge and Skills Related to this Course