Using AAC Device Features to Enhance Teenager's Quality of Life.

The subject of the attached case study is Sara, a 17-year-old high school honors student who communicates using a DynaVox 3100, which she accesses via single- switch visual scanning. A team of education and engineering specialists at DynaVox Systems LLC collaborated with Sara to identify and maximize her use of device features and accessories that would allow her to use the computer, telephone and other electronic equipment in the home environment without assistance. This team also worked to increase the efficiency of Sara's communication. Essential to achieving this goal were the DynaVox's environmental control and rate enhancement features, the DynaBeam wireless computer access component, and the pages for visual scanners on the Word Power-2 application developed by Inman (2003). Using this combination of technology, Sara can communicate effectively and efficiently, and operate a variety of consumer electronic equipment on her own, enhancing her quality of life.