Young Adults with Complex Communication Needs: Research and Development in AAC for a “Diverse” Population

ABSTRACT A successful transition to adult society requires attention to four major goals: (a) have a safe and supportive place to live; (b) participate in meaningful activities; (c) maintain access to needed services; and (d) develop friendships and intimate relationships. For young adults with complex communication needs (CCN), access to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) plays a critical role in the achievement of these valued outcomes. This article discusses what is known about the use of AAC to support communication by young adults with CCN, and identifies areas for future research and development in AAC technology.

[1]  Niall Boyce.  Give me shelter , 2011, The Lancet.

[2]  Pat Mirenda,et al.  Post-school quality of life for individuals with developmental disabilities who use AAC , 2006, Augmentative and alternative communication.

[3]  Janice Light,et al.  The effects of message encoding techniques on recall by literate adults using AAC systems , 1990 .

[4]  Blyden B. Potts,et al.  Job-related social networks and communication technology. , 2006, Augmentative and alternative communication.

[5]  Diane Nelson Bryen,et al.  Ending the Silence: Adults who Use Augmentative Communication and their Experiences as Victims of Crimes , 2003 .

[6]  David McNaughton,et al.  “Reach for the Stars”: Five Principles for the Next 25 Years of AAC , 2008 .

[7]  V. Rideout,et al.  Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds , 2010 .

[8]  Joseph Reddington,et al.  Trap Hunting: Finding Personal Data Management Issues in Next Generation AAC Devices , 2011, SLPAT.

[9]  D. NelsonBryen,et al.  Job-related social networks and communication technology. , 2006 .

[10]  T. Shakespeare,et al.  Editorial , 2011, Disability and rehabilitation.

[11]  Constantine Stephanidis,et al.  Universal access to ambient intelligence environments: Opportunities and challenges for people with disabilities , 2005, IBM Syst. J..

[12]  Martine Smith,et al.  The Dual Challenges of Aided Communication and Adolescence , 2005 .

[13]  Stephane Jacobzone,et al.  Ageing and Health Care Costs , 2002 .

[14]  L. Moreira.  Message from the Editor , 2013, Arquivos brasileiros de cardiologia.

[15]  Sheryl Larson,et al.  Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Analysis of Survey Data on Uptake of Aided AAC, and Loneliness Experiences , 2010, Augmentative and alternative communication.

[16]  Teresa Iacono,et al.  Crews,Wusses, and Whoppas: core and fringe vocabularies of Australian meal-break conversations in the workplace , 1999 .

[17]  Volunteering and Paid Work for Adults Who Use AAC , 2010 .

[18]  Diane Nelson Bryen,et al.  Augmentative Communication Employment Training and Supports (ACETS): Some Employment-Related Outcomes , 2004 .

[19]  Audrey A. Trainor,et al.  Summer Employment and Community Experiences of Transition-Age Youth with Severe Disabilities , 2010 .

[20]  R. Stancliffe,et al.  Residential supports for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. , 2007, Mental retardation and developmental disabilities research reviews.

[21]  Brian Roark,et al.  The Application of Natural Language Processing to Augmentative and Alternative Communication , 2012, Assistive technology : the official journal of RESNA.

[22]  Janice C Light,et al.  Transition through multiple augmentative and alternative communication systems: a three-year case study of a head injured adolescent , 1988 .

[23]  Jeffery D. Higginbotham,et al.  Design Meets Disability , 2009 .

[24]  David Chapple,et al.  The Evolution of Augmentative Communication and the Importance of Alternate Access , 2011 .

[25]  Kathryn Drager,et al.  AAC technologies for young children with complex communication needs: State of the science and future research directions , 2007, Augmentative and alternative communication.

[26]  D. Mcnaughton,et al.  Health transitions for youth with complex communication needs: The importance of health literacy and communication strategies. , 2010, Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicine.

[27]  David McNaughton,et al.  AAC technologies to enhance participation and access to meaningful societal roles for adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities who require AAC , 2007, Augmentative and alternative communication.

[28]  S. Balandin,et al.  The Loneliness Experiences of Young Adults with Cerebral Palsy who use Alternative and Augmentative Communication , 2009, Augmentative and alternative communication.

[29]  Norman Alm,et al.  Using NLG to Help Language-Impaired Users Tell Stories and Participate in Social Dialogues , 2009, ENLG.

[30]  Michael Williams,et al.  The AAC Mentor Project: Web-based instruction in sociorelational skills and collaborative problem solving for adults who use augmentative and alternative communication , 2007, Augmentative and alternative communication.

[31]  David McNaughton,et al.  “When I First Got It, I Wanted to Throw It Off a Cliff”: The Challenges and Benefits of Learning AAC Technologies as Described by Adults who use AAC , 2005 .

[32]  H. McConachie,et al.  Views of young people using augmentative and alternative communication systems. , 2001, International journal of language & communication disorders.

[33]  Joanne M. Cafiero,et al.  The Effect of an Augmentative Communication Intervention on the Communication, Behavior, and Academic Program of an Adolescent with Autism , 2001 .

[34]  Opening Up a ‘Whole New World’: Employer and Co-Worker Perspectives on Working with Individuals who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication , 2003 .

[35]  Diane Nelson Bryen,et al.  Vocabulary to Support Socially-Valued Adult Roles , 2008, Augmentative and alternative communication.