In Shared Science we present the data that collects in the Communication Matrix database to provide new information about how people with complex communication needs may communicate.

The people who use the Communication Matrix – professionals and family members – contribute valuable information to our database. We use this anonymous data to learn more about communication skills in various populations of people with severe communication disorders. Together, we develop a new and more complete understanding of how people communicate. This is where we share that information with the world.

Share Science Includes:

• Demographics of our samples so you can see the makeup of the sample that we are pulling- most of the time we look at individuals between 0-21 years old, residing in the U.S., who were assessed by a professional. (As our database expands we hope to add samples from nonprofessional assessments and from other countries)
• Functional impairment charts show the percentage of individuals in this sample who experience specific functional impairments
• The Big Picture shows composite Matrix Profiles based on the entire sample. The Mastered view shows the percent of each sample for whom the highest score for each cell was mastered. The Mastered + Emerging view shows the percent of each sample for whom the highest score for each cell was EITHER mastered or emerging (this view gives a complete picture of behaviors used to communicate, regardless of proficiency).
• Here you can see the communication skills of individuals in this sample in relationship to the 7 levels of communication and 4 reasons to communicate
• Behaviors Used for Intentional Communication allows you to go into even more depth as to exactly what behaviors this sample uses to communicate intentionally (at Levels 3-7).

The forum provides an opportunity to connect with professionals and families of individuals with complex communication needs. Speech-language pathologists, teachers, other professionals, and family members can connect, share information, learn from the field, and offer and receive support.

In the Forum you may browse through all the posts and events that Community members have created.

you may order the posts in the way that is most useful to you by click the arrow next to “Newest Posts.” You can also sort by “Most Liked” or “Most Viewed.”

There are many ways to find posts you might be interested in. To filter using the familiar Communication Matrix profile image, click the arrow next to All Posts. From here, click “Matrix Filter.” You can then choose any portion of the Matrix Profile to see posts about that topic.

Our website has a very powerful search function. Type any topic of interest into the search bar. You can search for users, topics, and tags. Tags function like hashtags in Twitter or Facebook. Authors of posts designate the subjects of their posts using tags. This is a great way to search for multiple posts about a specific topic.

Once you are logged in you can create a post or event.

From the forum, simply click “Write a Post” at the top of the page. As you hover over the button, you will see that you have the option to create a post or share an event that you think the community would be interested in.

We will start with the post. Here you can enter your title and text. If you include URLs in the text, they will be clickable when you post.

Next, you can add files: pictures, videos, and pdfs by clicking the “Choose File” link. From here you will choose your file from your computer. Once you have added a picture, for example, you will be prompted to add a title for the visually impaired and a destination URL, if desired.

If you have a YouTube video you would like to share, you can click on this link to enter the YouTube URL and a title. Please make sure the video is captioned before posting to the site.

Next, you can pick tags to specify what your post is about. Much like hashtags on Twitter or Facebook, these help other users search for content they wish to explore. If you would like it to show up on the Matrix Profile search filter, you can add Matrix based tags from Communicative Behaviors, Reasons to Communicate, or Communicative Intents.

You can also add a tag by typing one in here and clicking “Add.”

The last step is to click this box to confirm that you understand this will be posted publicly and you have not included any information that you do not have permission to share.

Click publish post and you can now see your post on the forum.

You can create an event in much the same way. The only difference is that you need to provide a start and end date/time for the event.

Collections bring together the best of the Communication Matrix Community posts. Guest hosts select posts on a specific topic and annotate them to help you get the most out of the Community.

You can browse or search topics. Type your interest into the search box to see if someone has created a collection about it.

If you know someone who would create a great collection, please nominate that person by clicking “Suggest a Guest Host” and fill out the form with their email address, name, and why you think they would make a great collection.