Purpcom Week 5

Communication aids help individuals communicate effectively with people around them
(Sadiq, 2017). These aids are also called augmentative and alternative communication
(AAC) devices, which are defined as a large range of techniques that support or replace
spoken communication. These aids include gestures, signs, symbols, word boards,
communication boards and books, and voice output communication aids (VOCAs).

Different Types of Communication Aids

1. Comprehensive Expressive Aids: These types of aids are designed to cater to

the daily communication needs of a person (Sadiq, 2017). Examples of these
aids include alphabet boards, communication boards, and books that contain
multiple messages that are shown through words, letters, symbols, and photos.
2. Targeted Expressive Aids: These aids, such as community request cards or
object symbols to allow a person to make basic requests, are designed for
certain situations when limited message sets are needed (Sadiq, 2017).
3. Visual Supports: The purpose of visual supports is to help individuals make
sense of their day, recall events, and complete their tasks (Sadiq, 2017). Some
individuals have complex communication needs as it is difficult for them to recall
their memories and understand abstract information. Examples of visual supports
are picture or object calendars, picture shopping lists, and picture social stories.
4. Supports for Communication Partners: These types of support “provide details
about an individual with complex communication needs, their means of
communication and other routine related information that assist a communication
partner to consistently support them throughout the day” (Sadiq, 2017, para. 7).
Examples are a book about me, a personal communication dictionary, or a
personal history.
5. Technical Aids or Assistive Technology Devices: The technical aids for
communication must allow the client to reach a significant level of independence.
Regular, off-the-shelf equipment may occasionally compensate efficiently for
certain disabilities and be considered assistive technology devices, but the
program does not systematically cover them.

❖ The assistive technology devices covered by PMATCOM fall into the

following five categories:

A. Speech aids are devices designed to enhance the use of natural speech.
B. Augmentative and alternative communication aids are devices
designed to replace or augment speech and are mostly used with
communication software.
C. Adapted telephones are equipment or accessories that allow telephone
use and adapted phone services at home for people over 12 years (e.g.,
adapted telephones with breath control tubes, adapted telephones with
scanning access software).
D. Computer access is a device or accessories that enable the functional
 use of the computer for writing or communication activities. This type of
technology is booming. Regular keyboard and mouse have many
alternatives, such as an oversized keyboard, keyguards, on-screen keyboard
software, and head-pointing devices.
E. Environmental control devices are a kind of technology that allows
users to control electronic or electrical devices at home remotely (e.g., lights,
TV, sound systems, etc.). These aids improve the user's autonomy and help
him stay home with few caregivers.

Types of Traditional Visual and Audio Media:

1. overhead transparencies
2. flip chart
3. whiteboard/chalkboard
4. document camera
5. video
6. handouts
7. sound recordings

1. An alphabet board may be suitable for people who have literacy skills. It can be
explicitly designed to suit the person’s needs, such as using either an ABC or
QWERTY format, with direct access or partner-assisted auditory scanning. A
nontech option is also helpful as a backup for individuals who may have an
existing electronic communication device; remember, batteries do not last
forever!
2. A book about me may be suitable for people who can understand photos or
pictures but is the most useful for support workers. It contains current relevant
 information about a person’s needs and abilities. It can provide support to people
with information about a person’s daily routine and how to support them
consistently with activities of daily living, such as during mealtimes. It may also
provide communication partners with information on the person’s likes and
dislikes.
3. A multilevel communication book allows access to an extensive vocabulary.
The first pages cover the index and will enable the user to “go to” a range of
topics. Tabs make navigating through the pages easy. Each page allows the user
to return to the index. The content may be a picture, word, or photo. Several
people also include the alphabet if they have spelling skills. The vocabulary
should be personalized to reflect the individual’s skills and interests.
4. A personal communication dictionary is helpful for partners unfamiliar with
how a person communicates. It contains information about unique or
idiosyncratic communication behavior. It provides information about what the
person does, what this means, and what the other person should do in response
to the communication behavior seen. A gesture dictionary can also be developed
to include the signs and gestures that people understand or use to communicate.
5. A personal history provides communication partners with information and
photos about a person's life and family history. They include past and present
skills and interests, likes and dislikes, and future aspirations and dreams. It can
be used as a conversation starter or to gain information about the person,
especially when they have difficulty expressing themselves and telling their own
story.
6. A cues book can be helpful for people who need additional information to make
sense of the “here and now” in their world. Supporting people in the environment
can provide several consistent sensory cues to the person during their daily
routines. Cues can be visual, tactile, olfactory (smell), or auditory. A cues book
helps present these cues in a user-friendly format for communication partners to
ensure that consistent signals are used to show the person that an event or
activity will occur.

Three Main Elements of an Oral Presentation:

1. the words you say

2. how you say them
3. the visual support you provide

Guidelines for visual presentation:

✔ be creative but keep infographics simple; make your design but keep it as simple and
professional as possible;
✔ use good fonts, such as Arial, and its size should be at least 20 pt to be read easily
from a distance;
✔ use a high-contrast color scheme (e.g., black on white or white on dark blue
background);
✔ each slide must contain one main point or message;
✔ bullet points are preferred instead of full sentences; and
✔ use graphs and charts to present complex information but make sure to explain their
relevance and significance thoroughly.

Tips for Using Presentation Media:

✔ practice with your media
✔ consider your room and audience
✔ speak to your audience and not your media

Always Remember:
✔ 10-20-30 – 10 slides, 20 minutes, and 30 pt font size
✔ 1-6-6 – 1 main idea, 6 bullet points, and 6 words per bullet
✔ 7-7 –7 lines and 7 words
✔ 9 Ps – Prior Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance of the Person Putting on
the Presentation

The following are the reasons for avoiding these mistakes:

 Overusing display fonts will make your audience cringe; the text is
hard to read.
 Lengthy line spillover throws off the alignment of your slide.
 Using multiple random images makes your presentation look
disorganized.
 Formatting inconsistency distracts your audience.
 Slapping solid text boxes over busy images messes up the visual
flow.