We are so lucky to have so many Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) methodologies available to children and adults who communicate in nontraditional ways! Children, across all settings, use materials and strategies such as; Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and Core Boards/Motor Pathways Learning incorporated into high-tech, low-tech and static boards, to make their needs, wants and ideals known to others. Through my role as Assistive Technology Coordinator for Stafford County Public Schools (Stafford, Virginia) and my experiences as a Speech Language Pathologist, in both the public school system and private, pediatric therapeutic settings for 26 years, I have created a library of strategies, ideas and communication materials that incorporate the most beneficial features of the two most often used AAC Learning Methods; Object-Based (as used in PECS) and Natural Language (Core). Materials included both no-tech boards and books and adapted low-tech devices. I strive to create communication systems that use naturally developing vocabulary, allow for easy vocabulary expansion of specific items or actions, include engagement with a communication partner, all presented in a well organized format that can be used for a variety of pragmatic purposes. Most importantly, any tool has to be easy to use!

Object-Based communication systems, such as PECS, have many aspects that aid our students and clients in expressing their needs and wants. However, Natural Language Learning, used in Core, is also pretty great! Neither Object-Based or Natural Language AAC Systems are“right”, but rather both contain a plethora of “right” aspects. The social interaction and initiation in an Object-Based system is crucial in teaching our students who struggle with interacting with others to understand that people are needed to participate in a communication interaction. Object-Based systems also allow for easy vocabulary expansion for choice making and to express specific needs and wants. The Natural Language concepts embedded in Core systems lead to greater numbers of communication opportunities, due to the use of more generic language. These systems also incorporate vocabulary that is being used most by neuro-typical peers. It is important that we, as Speech Pathologists, use a variety of tools, including combinations of different AAC methodologies, in order to meet the individualized needs of our AAC users.

Bridging the gap between Object Based and Natural Language can be a difficult transition for both students and staff, thus I created easy to use materials and teaching strategies that employ the most beneficial of both language learning strategies. Over the past two years, I, with the support of my school division, have been able to implement no-tech and low-tech communication systems that include aspects of both Object-based and Natural Language in classrooms. I also created a no-tech communication system, nicknamed “The Multi-Comm”, as it takes elements from both Object Based and Natural Language learning systems, that is now used across the county.

Strategies from Natural Language included in Multi-Comm include a period of modeling, to increase Motor Pathways Learning, for Receptive Language learning and invitations to exchange pictures, prior to the exchange being required, to obtain preferred objects. An increased use of verbs and naturally occuring words are also included. Object Based strategies include the use of concrete, preferred objects and the physical exchange of pictures with a communication partner.

The Multi-Comm is a no-tech board that is placed on the top of a student’s current no-tech communication, typically a PECS Book, or used as a stand alone board. The board is created in grids containing as few as two, to as many cells as needed for the students. While the layout of the boards is mostly standardized throughout the county, adaptations are made to personalize the boards for each student’s individual needs. The far, right side of the board is purposely left as one empty cell. A copy of the Core Board is created with each individual cell cut out and velcroed on top of the corresponding picture on the Core Board. The empty space on the Core Board includes a velcro strip. Familiar Fringe vocabulary from a student’s current Communication book, specific to an activity, can be placed in the empty cell. This allows students to continue to use familiar pictures and to create sentences using the sentence strip, as they would using a traditional PECS book, while being introduced to Core Vocabulary and Motor Pathways Learning with the inclusion of the Core board on top of a communication book. Together this creates a no-tech AAC system that combines Object-Based Communication, with which teachers in our county are most familiar and introduces Core Language Learning.

Empirical data throughout our school division has shown an increased willingness in teachers and staff to introduce Core Language Learning Systems and an overall increase in the expressive language output of students. Teachers and Therapists have commented that they like the Multi-Comm system as an effective means for students who benefit from more natural vocabulary, however, continue to require the feedback from the physical exchange of pictures. Teachers and SLP’s have also reported on surveys that students using the Multi-Comm system were creating longer sentences, learning to direct select more easily and transitioning more seamlessly to high tech AAC systems. This has also led to a significant increase in the use of higher tech communication systems throughout the school division as students are being introduced to girds and Core words along with their Object-Based communication books.

Throughout my career, I have taken advantage of all that I love about Natural Language and Object Based communication methodologies and combined them into a group of strategies and boards that have proven, through an analysis of empirical data, to be beneficial to teachers, SLP’s, students and families in my school division. Most importantly, the students in Stafford, Virginia are “talking” more and, isn’t telling a student using AAC to stop talking and listen during an activity the best feeling in the world?

Multi-Comm Board Examples using Boardmaker

Multi-Comm Board Examples using Symbol Stix

Multi-Comm Book Examples