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2/28/2025 4:49 AM
I am new to this community and have never used the communication matrix for assessment, so please be kind with your responses! :-)
I have been asked to do an evaluation on a first grade student with a degenerative and terminal syndrome. She currently has a personal dynamic display speech generating device through her insurance, but there has been significant decline in her overall abilities over the last year - cognitive, behavioral, fine motor, and speech. If anyone in this community has used the Communication Matrix with a similar student who has a degenerative condition, I would love to get some suggestions of how to proceed and how to plan for device usage with a decline in abilities after the completion of the assessment. Thank you in advance!
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Hi Pamela!
That's a very nuanced situation and I'm sure there are different ways of approaching it. AAC assessment should be dynamic, meaning that systems will likely change and be modified over time. Are you anticipating access method to eventually change? For example, if she's able to direct select using her fingers now but may require eye gaze or switch access down the road.
aactheslp@gmail.com - 3/31/2025
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Many teachers require their college students in communication disorders or child development classes to complete a Communication Matrix online. Please have your students use the Test Drive site for this purpose. You may ask them to print out the Profile and Communication Skills List as proof of their work.
The only way I know that he wants something is because he fusses or whines when he's unhappy or uncomfortable, and he smiles, makes noises or calms down when he's happy and comfortable. Does this statement describe your child?
She doesn't come to me to let me know what she wants, but it's easy for me to figure out, because she tries to do things for herself. She knows what she wants, and her behavior shows me what she wants. If she runs out of something to eat, she will just try to get more, rather than trying to get me to give her more.
Does this statement describe your child?
He knows how to get me to do something for him. He uses some of the kinds of behaviors below to communicate:
Does this statement describe your child?
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
– Does this independently most of the time when the opportunity arises
– Does this in a number of di erent contexts, and with di erent people
– Does this inconsistently
–
Only does this when prompted or encouraged to do so. Only does this in one or two contexts or with one person.
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
