Can You Make 200 of Them?

Research indicates that we need to provide at least 200 opportunities each day for aac users to become effective communication system users. This seems like a lot to many people, but looking at all of the possibilities that exist in the average classroom for requesting, answering, asking, greeting, commenting, giving opinions, and more communication functions makes it more believable.

Many students are easily observed making requests and either rejecting or accepting. But other functions are less easily observed. Many students miss multiple opportunities every day.

This variety of communication functions was taken from another author (Carrillo, 2009):

Initiate or Call Attention Comment on action/object
Greet/Close Express feelings
Accept Assert independence
Reject Ask questions
Protest Share information
Request Objects Relate events
Share/show Objects Talk about past/future
Request Information Negotiate/bargain
Name Tease
Acknowledge Threaten
Answer Make up stories
Express manners Identify same/difference

There are many opportunities within the school day to engage kids in the practice of using their AAC systems. While some of these may be more “academic test” type interactions, rather than genuine communication interactions, they do provide some practice time. As much as possible, keep the interactions ‘real.” Give kids the opportunities to say what they want to say (not just respond to what you ask them). Make communication fun and interesting.

Looking for some examples? Try these:

Cooking and Snack Activities:

Make Choices, Ask How Much, Ask for More, Give Opinion (tastes good/bad, too salty - all comments), Give Directions

Game and Leisure Time:

Whose Turn, Count Spaces, Comment on the activity, Ask for More, Ask to Stop, Request Items and Actions, Ask for Help, Tell to Hurry Up or Wait, Give Directions or Ask For Them

Story Time or Shared/Guided Reading:

By using a Before-During-After format to book reading, Teachers create multiple opportunities for students to use AAC to respond to questions, identify story elements (character, setting, action), predict what’s next, give an opinion, ask teacher to turn the page or read it again. Within each of those activities (B-D-A), multiple chances for using the AAC system to respond, comment, request, and ask are created.

For a copy of this information, and more, in a handy handout, go here.