I Love Assistive Technology!

Join augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) expert Nicole Lilienthal, M.S. CCC-SLP for an exciting glimpse into the world of assistive technology. See first hand how multiple alternative communication strategies are implemented to assist a nonspeaking adult, "Mr. P", with his goal of achieving communication independence. Examples of partner assisted scanning on a low tech communication device (lap tray) and 4 quadrant row/column scanning on a high tech voice output communication device (Prentke Romich ECO-14) are demonstrated.

Hello.

Please take a moment
to watch this video

and learn about the technologies
I use that help me communicate.

I promise I will only take
a few minutes of your time.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

I communicate using a high
tech voice output communication

device called the
ECO-14, manufactured

by the Prentke Romich Company.

This is my primary
means of communication.

I also use a low tech lap
tray communication board

as a backup to ensure I always
have a way to communicate.

In high school I
learn how to use

a voice helpful
communication device called

The Liberator, also manufactured
by the Prentke Romich Company.

But after graduation,
I did not have

the support I needed to
keep using my Liberator.

I was unable to use my
communication device,

and that meant I had
to rely on other people

to ask me yes and no questions.

I can answer yes
and no questions

by opening my eyes to
answer yes and closing

my eyes to answer no.

The only other way
I could communicate

was to use my low
tech communication

board on my lap tray.

Because I cannot point
to the pictures myself,

I must rely on other people to
help me using an access method

called partner
assisted scanning.

I will now demonstrate
partner assisted scanning.

You.

Me.

Finished.

Bathroom.

You need to use the bathroom?

No?

Am I finished going
to the bathroom?

Am I finished with the bathroom?

In my house?

Oh, you're asking, am I finished
with the bathrooms in my house?

Oh, my gosh, yes.

We're finished.

It's a story.

It was-- it was a story.

But yes, we are
finished with them.

Partner assisted
scanning is very

difficult for people
who don't know

how to use the board with me.

It can be frustrating
for me and the people who

are trying to use my board
to communicate with me.

After about five years of
being dependent on other people

to help me communicate, I began
to receive speech therapy.

Through speech therapy, I
learned to use the ECO-14,

and now I have the
support I need to keep

using my communication device.

I am now able to communicate
independently using my ECO-14.

I cannot use my hands
to point to the device,

so I must use a switch
positioned at my head to access

my ECO-14.

I use my switch to make choices
through a method of selection

called "scanning."

Another obstacle I face
that affects my ability

to communicate is not being
able to read and spell.

I was not taught to read as
a child so now I am trying

to learn to read as an adult
because I cannot spell out

my messages.

I choose pictures
of my ECO-14 that

represent words and put them
together to make sentences.

I will show you
how I do this now.

Want to hear a knock-knock joke?

Yes, I would love to
hear a knock-knock joke.

Knock-knock.

Knock-knock.

Who's there?

Nose.

Nose who?

I knows plenty more
knock-knock jokes.

Oh, good.

You know knows plenty
more knock-knock jokes.

Tell me one more.

Knock-knock.

Who's there?

Pencil.

Pencil who?

Your pants will fall down
when you wear them so low.

[LAUGHING]

That's great.

All right, that was awesome.

That was a good one.

Good, good.

OK.

That was a good
example of scanning.

Is there anything else
you wanted to say?

I love my ECO-14.

I love my ECO-14.

As you can see, it
takes some time for me

to write a sentence.

I need people to be patient
and wait for me to select

the words I want to say.

I understand everything
that is said to me,

but it takes time
for me to respond.

The ECO-14 has made a
big change in my life

because I am no longer
dependent on others

to be able to communicate.

People can see I am intelligent
and I have important things

to say.

Thank you for taking the
time to watch this video.

[MUSIC PLAYING]