Complex Communication and Intellectual Disabilities

Professional Development Manual Home | Special Event Offerings | 2024-25 Learning Opportunities

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I-1 Building Communication Opportunities Throughout the Day for Students with Complex Communication Disorders

Presenter

• Michelle Austin, M.A., CCC/SLP Speech-Language Pathologist/Assistive Technology Specialist

Intended Audience

Educators, Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), School Psychologists, Paraeducators and Parents

Time

3 hours

Format

Virtual

Summary

This session will discuss building communication into everyday environments for students with limited verbal language or students who may utilize augmentative communication devices. A naturalistic language approach will help these students generalize specific communication strategies and build upon functional communication.

Participants will be able to

• Understand naturalistic language approaches.
• Develop a communication script.
• Infuse language opportunities into everyday activities.

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I-2 Students with Complex Communication and Intellectual Disabilities…Avoiding the Impact of Learned Helplessness

Presenter

• Michelle Austin, M.A., CCC/SLP Speech-Language Pathologist/Assistive Technology Specialist
• Laura Lavery, M.A., Education Specialist/Assistive Technology Specialist

Intended Audience

Special and General Education Teachers, Speech Pathologists, School Psychologists, Parents, Adapted Physical Education Specialists, Program Specialists, Paraprofessionals

Time

3 hours

Format

Virtual

Summary

Students with complex communication needs require specialized interventions. These individuals may suffer from a sense of powerlessness arising from a persistent failure to succeed. For students with moderate severe and severe profound disabilities this may be further impacted by over prompting and ineffective assistance. As a result of this learning, an individual surmises that any response will be pointless; they learn that they have lost control and so they give up trying. This training will provide participants with factors to consider in avoiding learned helplessness and strategies to address these factors. "With the appropriate amount of guidance, a student can become more independent and confident in their skills, negative attributions for success and failure can be replaced…learned helplessness can be removed."

Participants will be able to

• Assess barriers to student independence.
• List two intervention strategies to overcome learned helplessness through empowerment and expectations.
• Develop an appropriate plan to address motivation and effective teaching strategies to reduce learned helplessness.

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I-3 Evidence-Based Practices that Support Students with Complex Communication and Significant Cognitive Disabilities

Presenter

• Michelle Austin, M.A., CCC/SLP Speech-Language Pathologist/Assistive Technology Specialist
• Laura Lavery, M.A., Education Specialist/Assistive Technology Specialist

Intended Audience

Special and General Education Teachers, Speech-Language Pathologists, School Psychologists, General and Special Education Administrators, Parents, Program Specialists, and Paraprofessionals

Time

3 hours

Format

Virtual

Summary

Individuals with complex communication and significant cognitive disabilities require specialized instruction to support their diverse learning needs. Specialized instruction can include specially designed and differential instruction, assistive technology/augmentative alternative communication, and engineering the learning environment.

Participants will be able to

• Discuss assistive technology tools/augmentative alternative communication strategies to support individuals with complex communication needs and significant cognitive disabilities.
• Discuss evidence-based practices to support individuals within the learning environment.
• Describe strategies and develop goal matrices and opportunities within the learning environment.

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I-4 Developing a Language Enriched Environment

Presenter

• Michelle Austin, M.A., CCC/SLP Speech-Language Pathologist/Assistive Technology Specialist
• Laura Lavery, M.A., Education Specialist/Assistive Technology Specialist

Intended Audience

Special Education Teachers, Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), School Psychologists, Parents, School Nurses, Adapted Physical Education Specialists, Special Education Administrators, Program Specialists, and Paraprofessionals

Time

3 hours

Format

Virtual

Summary

Research has shown that individuals with complex communication needs have less opportunities to communicate. When developing a language enriched environment, the selection of functional and motivating vocabulary is critical for effective use of an augmentative alternative communication device. To build on communication opportunities, communication partners must have guiding beliefs: presume competence, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is a right, a communication system is always available, and learning AAC language should be fun. AAC language should focus on core vocabulary and include individual fringe vocabulary as well. Communication opportunities should focus on multiple language functions (i.e., comment, greet, ask/answer, direct, argue, protest, share, social communication, express emotions, and gain attention).

It has been proven that students use their communication systems in the way they were first trained to use them. If the student is taught to use the system in a structured, stimulus-response format, they tend to use the system only when asked to do so. However, if the student is trained in a highly interactive format, he/she tends to use the system in a spontaneous and interactive manner. This technique can be used with individuals who demonstrate complex communication and intellectual need. Constant exposure to the symbols will encourage them to learn and use the symbols appropriately.

Participants will be able to

• Delineate and prioritize classroom environment and activities to develop language enriched environments.
• Analyze the environment to use core words to access multiple communication opportunities throughout the day.
• Create a list of activities conducive to interactive communication.