Augmentative Communication Devices at Home and in the Community

In order for augmentative communication devices to be fully effective, students need to generalize their skills in all environments of daily life. I’ve already discussed strategies teachers can use for incorporating the augmentative communication technology into the classroom, so now I am ready to focus on augmentative communication devices in the home and the community.

Provide direct instruction on how to use the system to a select group of family members who will be able to share this knowledge with the student’s wider family circle.

Identify vocabulary that is relevant to the home environment such as religious or cultural language that will allow the student to participate in celebrations and activities.

Family members also need to be taught how to give the child regular and frequent opportunities to use their device in the home and community environments. 

Provide the family with a simple way to keep a record of the student’s use of the device. This could be in the form of a simple data sheet or an excel file.

The most important thing the teacher can do to help the family adjust is be supportive of any progress being made through all the changes that might be taking place in their home.