Table of Contents
Challenges of the Adult AAC Clinic
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Survival
Gary
Speech Assessment
Speech Pathology Issues
Gary’s Symptoms
Bulbar vs. Spinal Symptoms
Speaking Rate & Intelligibility
Intelligibility
Rate of Speech
Gary’s Rate & Intelligibility
AAC Assessment
Staging
Staging Degenerative Conditions
“We’ve learned that you never know what’s going
to happen from one day to the next. You can’t count on anything!”
Staged AAC Intervention
I. No Detectable Speech Disorder
II. Obvious Speech Disorder, Intelligible Speech
III. Reduction in Intelligibility
IV. Natural speech supplemented with AAC
V. No Functional Speech
Practice Guidelines
Classification of AAC Needs
Daily Roles
Gary’s Communication Roles
Lisa’s Communication Roles
Cindy’s Communication Roles
AAC Assessment Considerations
Degenerative Nature of ALS
ALS Intervention Timing
Communicative Contexts
Changing Access Needs
Vocational Considerations
Natural Progression of ALS
Untimely AAC Interventions
AAC Acceptance
Feedback
References |