AAC Implementation:
Steps to Success!
Based on and Adapted from "AAC Steps of Learning," by Vicki Clarke of DTA Schools
Steps: Test, Target, Train, Take In, Try It, &Talk
Step 1: Test📝
Use a tool such as the DAGG-3 to find out where your learner is currently in their communication skills. This will also help you identify goals and track progress later!
Step 2: Target🎯
Choose target vocabulary by looking at these 3 areas:
- Home Environment: Ask family what words are important to them at home by asking them to complete this questionnaire (opens in new tab).
- School Environment: Ask teachers to complete this questionnaire (opens in new tab), or the SLP can fill it out. Don't get overwhelmed by writing down ALL the words...just the most important ones!
- Daily Activities (Observation): We can find out words and messages that are needed daily by observing. The SLP can do this, or reach out to the AT consultant for help! You can use this guide (opens in new tab) to help you!
Step 3: Train🤓
In this step, we are learning where the vocabulary is on the device, and the motor patter to find and activate it. The first several parts of this step are done by the communication partners! Our AAC learners are just watching and seeing the device in action. This phase can involve both explicit and implicit teaching strategies. This step mostly occurs in speech therapy.
- Communication partner finds the word in the AAC system and activates it. (Use the search feature of the AAC system if you have trouble finding the word!)
- AAC user watches the partner and sees the word being used. The partner can show the navigation and talk through that. The partner can teach the symbol and the location through explicit teaching.
- Communication partner models the target word on the AAC system. This can occur through fun engaging activities! See below for ideas!
- The AAC user now practices the word for FUN! Again, we want to keep this training step fun and engaging! If you're bored, your student is bored! Now is their chance to activate the button following your model, giving the word a try!
Step 4: Take In👇
The partner(s) now models how the word is used in the real world! The AAC user takes in the information. No expectations are made for the student to communicate yet! This type of modeling is called Aided Language Input, and is a research backed technique for learning AAC. Tips for modeling include:
- Observe a predictable routine and see what words the other children are saying. (Examples include morning meeting and snack time.)
- Plan out what you want to model and be comfortable with finding the words.
- Don't model every word of your sentence. Just model your target word on the AAC, while saying the other words verbally.
- Download the app or software on your own iPad or computer.
- Print out copies of the homepage, or display on your Smartboard.
- Consider labeling the classroom with icons from the AAC system, using core words such as GO/STOP (by the door), OPEN/CLOSE (by the window), and ON/OFF (by the light switch).
👀Watch this video for a better understanding of Aided Language (opens in new tab).
Step 5: Try It🫠
Now it is time for our students to give the AAC target words a try during activities! (These are the same words we've been using all along!) We need to set them up for success as communication partners by doing the following things:
- Make the AAC accessible and ready. This includes setting up a plan for it being charged at the start of the day, out of the backpack, turned on and accessible for the learner to grab. The student may also need a carrying strap for easy transport.
- Engineer the environment. Set up the environment so the user must communicate to get a desired item, activity, or assistance! Some ideas are: keeping desired in view but out of reach, giving small amounts of preferred items so they have to ask for more, sabotaging an activity so they do not get a needed item and must ask, using "cloze" or pausing techniques, like "It's time to......GO," before heading out the door. For more information, check out this website (opens in a new tab).
- Start with prompting, and reduce the amount of prompting as they develop more independence. Use the AAC Prompting Hierarchy (opens in new tab) to learn how to prompt to increase independence.
- Use fun and engaging activities for students to try it! Also, using it consistently during everyday routines will give them more and more practice! (See below for a list of fun and engaging activities!)
- Acknowledge and respond to all communication attempts! If you believe the student has made an error, acknowledge what they said by repeating it back to them, and then suggest that maybe they meant to say something else. Model what they said and what they may have meant to say on the device. If they are working on discrimination and you feel they chose incorrectly, give them the item they requested and give them another opportunity to try again.
Step 6: Talk💬
This is the final step in which the AAC user can begin to use the system independently to communicate!! The goal is for our students to communicate what they want, to whomever they want, whenever they want! There will always be things to work on, and you can refer back to the DAGG-3 to consider what is next. But, give yourself a pat on the back for getting to this final phase!
STEPS to AAC Implmentation
- Test- try the DAGG-3 to find out current levels
- Target- find out what words you want to target first on the AAC by asking family, staff, etc. (Check above for links to surveys).
- Train- find the target words on the AAC. Practice yourself. Show your students by using explicit and implicit teaching strategies. Have them practice.
- Take In- focus on modeling (Aided Language Input) in and out of the classroom. No expectations for the students yet!
- Try It- it's finally their turn! Set up the environment for communication using fun and engaging activities, and build it into the daily routine! Use prompting (least to most). See the AAC promping guide linked above.
- Talk- the AAC user can start using it independently now to say what they want, to who they want! You are still there to support, guide, and prompt when needed. Go back to step 3 when you're ready to add new words!