The importance of augmentative communication systems at home and in the community

In the last two blog posts, I talked about the importance of a non verbal student using AAC devices in the classroom, but it's equally as important for them to use their device to communicate with there family and community. When students use it in place other than school it helps to reinforce what they've learned at school. In order for this to work, there needs to be a collaboration between students and parents so the carryover is appropriate. This means the teacher needs to know what the students actives are, places they frequent within the community, and a little bit about their culture. School and home/community have different communication demands. Training for family is vital to the success of the child in his or her home and community. 


Here is a picture of a little boy with autism using his AAC device to communicate with his grandfather.

Assistive Technology in the Classroom Enhancing the School Experience of Students with Disabilities