Download what is communication?

What every direct support
worker needs to know about
functional communication
But didn't know who to ask.
Hank Bersani
March 7 2012
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WOU has an excellent Masters degree in
special education that includes an
entire course on communication
strategies in the classroom for
students with “low incidence”
disabilities.
This is the 30 min. version of a 30 hour course.
List some ways that
people communicate
scenario



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You are in a foreign land where you do not
speak the language. You need to find a
bathroom (pretty quickly).
How can a child communicate that need?
How does an adult communicate that need?
What if you are in a high end department
store trying to ask a young sales person
who is dressed much better than you?
How does that person tell
you:



They don’t understand
There is no public restroom
Or give you directions to the rest room
List some ways that
people communicate

Expressive communication (encoding):
– Spoken word, sign, facial expression,
body posture, written word, eye gaze
– (Expressive communication can be
unintentional).

Receptive language (decoding)
– Listening, receiving sign, reading,
interpreting facial expressions and body
language, etc.
WHAT IS
COMMUNICATION?


The exchange of information/ideas
The process of encoding - transmitting
- decoding

A message sent, a message received

You speak - I understand
What factors limit a person’s
ability to communicate?
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

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Sensory issues
Motor issues
Cognitive issues
Cultural issues
By definition…
Communication is a two way
street
Gunnar Dybwad said…..(1977)
“I am convinced that we must listen to a far
greater degree to individuals with
disabilities.
For a long time we thought those with severe
disability could not learn; now we know we
did not yet know how to teach.
What we call the inability of persons with
severe handicaps to communicate may well
be our ineptness in listening.
So we must learn to listen.”
CORE ASSUMPTIONS

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Everyone can communicate
Everyone does communicate
One can not not communicate
Everyone is a candidate for AAC
Life is the only prerequisite
All of us are AAC users in one sense
Adapted from ABLEDATA Inc..
FORMULA FOR SUCCESS
Opportunities
for
Participation
+
Access
to a
“System”
=
Improved
Communication
NOT BEING ABLE
TO SPEAK IS NOT
THE SAME AS NOT
HAVING
ANYTHING TO SAY
SOCIAL PURPOSES OF
COMMUNICATION

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Expression of needs/wants
“Could you please give me a hand?”
Information transfer
“I live at 1580 18th Street in Salem
OR”
Social closeness
“Hi babe, what’s your sign?”
Social Etiquette
”Please pass the hot sauce.”
http://www.asha.org/docs/h
tml/GL1992-00201.html
Communication
Bill of Rights
Six tenets of communication
Communication
is
social behavior
Six tenets of communication
Appropriate
communication
functions
enable
productive
participation in
interactions
with others
Six tenets of communication
Communication
acts can be
produced in a
variety of
modes
Six tenets of communication
Effective
communication
intervention
must fully
utilize
naturally
occurring
interactive
contexts
Six tenets of communication
Effective
intervention
must modify the
physical and
social elements
of environments
to invite, accept,
and respond to
communicative
acts.
Six tenets of communication
Service delivery
must involve
family members
working
collaboratively
with a cadre of
professionals and
paraprofessionals
.
TYPES OF AAC
AAC
UNAIDED
AIDED
Natural
Learned
Non-electronic
body Language
eye gaze
gestures
sign language
boards
books
cards
Electronic
Dedicated Devices
non-speech
speech
Computer-based
Devices
Selecting the
communication strategy
Environmental
considerations
Needs of
the
speaker
Best
fit
The
communication
partner
Qualities
of the
message