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Collection DIY Low Tech Communication Systems

Date Created: 12/3/2018

Posts: 5

The importance of including low tech communication supports as an aided strategy for AAC users is paramount. The goal of this collection is to share information from a variety of sources on creating low tech communication systems.

collection curator

Deirdre Galvin-McLaughlin

deirdre.e.mclaughlin@gmail.com

Deirdre Galvin-McLaughlin is a speech language pathologist at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. She is a research associate at the REKNEW lab and has research interests in designing augmentative and alternative communication supports especially in the area of brain computer interface. She also works at a clinician at the child development and rehabilitation center at OHSU and serves on the Go Baby Go Oregon committee with the goal of integrating early AAC supports with early mobility aids.

Quote The importance of including low tech communication supports as an aided strategy for AAC users is paramount. Devices break. Devices can’t go hiking, to the beach or to the pool. Devices lose battery. Devices have technical issues (back up all custom programming!) Having a low tech system that either complements or supplements a high tech AAC system is best practice.

DIY Low Tech AAC: Introduction to this collection

Deirdre Galvin-McLaughlin. - 12/3/2018

Creating a communication system for a patient, client, or family member that meets their needs after many iterations and much time spent planning, creating, and training is perhaps the most rewarding ...

Quote The tangible object symbol as an speech and language pathologist with limited prep time or as a family member with a busy schedule can be the most intimidating to create in spite of all the benefits this representation may have. This guide is intended to help with this DIY process. Leave comments with additional suggestions!

DIY Tangible object symbols

Deirdre Galvin-McLaughlin. - 12/3/2018

The tangible object symbol as an speech and language pathologist with limited prep time or as a family member with a busy schedule can be the most intimidating to create in spite of all the benefits t...

Quote These are a few of my favorite things...cue the sound of music! Materials that are so handy when crafting low tech systems of all kinds! People including far more crafty individuals than myself have trialed and errored many materials over the years so you don’t have to! This is what I know of. If others have suggestions comment below to share!

These are a few of my favorite things! All the things you need for DIY low tech!

Deirdre Galvin-McLaughlin. - 12/5/2018

These are a few of my favorite things...cue the sound of music! Materials that are so handy when crafting low tech systems of all kinds! People including far more crafty individuals than myself have t...

Quote The low tech communication book included in this post involves presenting one symbol per page within consistent categories using partner assisted auditory visual scanning. When using this book, the communication partner first scans through each category, until the user makes a yes/no responses to a category choice. Then, the user selects a choice from within each category using the same partner assisted auditory visual scanning process.

DIY CVI-adapted low tech picture symbol book

Deirdre Galvin-McLaughlin. - 12/5/2018

There are many considerations when designing a low tech communication for individuals with cortical visual impairment. A previous collection by Kayley McDonald, OT, Denee Kroeger OT, and myself outlin...

Quote To refer to my earlier statement that devices break, devices can’t go hiking or swimming, and devices have batteries that aren’t always charged or whose battery life is diminishing - low tech “back ups” are a great way to complement a patient's current speech generating device and may be the easiest method for a clinician to create a low tech system. The goal whenever possible for AAC systems is to create consistency across systems!

DIY low tech "back up" systems to complement high tech speech generating devices

Deirdre Galvin-McLaughlin. - 12/6/2018

To refer to my earlier statement that devices break, devices can’t go hiking or swimming, and devices have batteries that aren’t always charged or whose battery life is diminishing - low tech “back up...

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