In the face of amazing strides in technology for communication for people with disabilities, we can easily forget or ignore the benefits of low tech or no tech communication. Do users of high tech devices need low tech options as backup? Definitely! Here are a few good reasons why:
High Tech systems are powered by electricity or batteries – power failures, load shedding or flat batteries should not rob a person of their means to communicate.
High tech devices are expensive and vulnerable to damage. Communication devices should be accessible at all times, even during a swimming lesson, a physiotherapy session or travelling.
We all use different ways to communicate, and we get to choose which modality we use when. These same options should be available to AAC users.
Some people might find it difficult to point using their hands. They could perhaps use their eyes to “point”. Or a partner can scan through available options and the AAC user just indicates when the preferred item is mentioned. This method is called partner assisted scanning.
Another effective tool to aid communication when a person uses gestures, manual hand signs, body movement and sounds; is to have a gesture dictionary. While the gesture dictionary in itself is not an actual communication system, it is a very good way of ensuring that the person who uses unaided AAC is “heard”. Too often we miss or do not understand a person when they rely on their bodies to aid their communication and we can misinterpret their communication. A gesture dictionary is a collection of either photographs or notes describing the persons unaided gestures, signs, body movements and sounds and it lists the meaning of each. For a person who uses a sign we are not familiar with or makes a gesture we struggle to interpret, referring to their own gesture dictionary ensures they are understood and there needs are met when their familiar communication partners and they high tech AAC system may not be available.
Another useful low tech tool is the E-Tran or eye gaze frame. This method helps those who can spell to compile any message they want. This is how it works:
If the user would like to spell the letter ‘B’ they look at the group of letters containing the 'B'. The partners now knows it is one of those four.
The person then looks at the blue circle to clarify that it was the blue letter they wanted, 'B'.
It is a good idea to practice looking back at the communication partner once you’ve chosen a letter, to indicate that you have made your selection and wait for the partner to confirm their understanding. It is also very helpful for the communication partner to write down the letters chosen by the person; while you're concentrating hard and new at using this method, it is easy to forget what has already been selected!
If your team would like to find out more about our Low Tech resources for classroom use or communication, please contact us to chat to an advisor who will be happy to tell you more.
By Desirae Pillay and Emma Emmerich