Implementing augmentative and alternative communication at a rehabilitation & educational center (specialists’ inteinteraction with the family)

Abstract

Close cooperation between the home environment and the educational setting is an important element of the effectiveness of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The author’s aim was to examine the quality of this cooperation using the example (case study) of one of Poland’s Rehabilitation and Education Centers (OREs) in Wrocław. The author carried out an evaluation study in parallel with the center’s internal evaluation. She used a survey addressed to teach- ers, specialists, and parents, as well as individual conversations, docu- ment analysis, and observation. The practical effect of the evaluation study was the formulation of detailed recommendations for the cent- er. The author stated that the effectiveness of implementing AAC in work with children and young people—OREs’ participants—is low, mainly due to the inharmonious cooperation between the families and the educational center. The second important factor is the uneven use of AAC in both settings. Teachers and specialists use almost all situations during the day to establish communication with the ORE participants—they employ a variety of communication meth- ods and utilize the most modern devices—while parents, who have difficulties adequately using AAC at home, point to the high costs of the communication devices.

Keywords

• child with severe intellectual disability
• augmentative and alternative communication
• educational evaluation
• parental cooperation with the school
• Rehabilitation & Education Center