How long does it take to learn to use a MinSpeak-based AAC system?

This blog post contains extracts from a message that I posted to the CM-AAC-Forum in 2009, as one of many contributors to a lengthy discussion about “Icon vs Text Based Communication Systems”. This was was one of several branches of a thread that had originated with a discussion about word prediction software.


The question, “How long does it take to learn to use a MinSpeak-based system?”,  is just as valid for any other AAC system, but there is a particular reason why I am concerned about the MinSpeak question.  This is that I have been quoted as reporting in 1989 that it took 200 hours of direct therapy to teach a cognitively intact adult to use a MinSpeak system fully.  I was a bit baffled by this as I did not recall ever have said any such thing and could not imagine where this “fact” had come from.
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#HELLO_2011 One-off Request for AAC Journeys on behalf of The Communication Trust. 2011: UK National Year of Communication @HELLO_2011

Via Anna Reeves, National AAC Coordinator, this is a one-off request for AAC Journeys/Stories on behalf of the Communication Trust…

 

Welcome and a Happy Hello to 2011! 2011 is the National Year of Communication which is run by The Communication Trust with the help of the Communication Consortium, a coalition of over 40 leading voluntary sector organisations, of which Communication Matters is a member. A whole range of activities, events, and themes are planned for the year so keep an eye out at www.hello.org.uk and for more detailed background information, go to www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/hello

To launch the Year, the Hello campaign is doing a big media push at the end of January. To raise awareness of the importance of the issue of children’s communication at the launch, they need some powerful case studies to position the human impact of speech, language and communication needs in the national media.

If anyone relates to the following journeys and would be willing to share their journeys/stories for this purpose then please contact Annie Broadbent on or 0207 843 2564.


Continue reading “#HELLO_2011 One-off Request for AAC Journeys on behalf of The Communication Trust. 2011: UK National Year of Communication @HELLO_2011”

Online survey for UK speech and language therapists (communication and acquired progressive dysarthria)

Excellent and much-needed research project! The survey can be accessed at:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SLTdysarthria

Amplify’d from health.groups.yahoo.com
Online survey for UK speech and language therapists (communication and acquired progressive dysarthria)
currently investigating UK SLT communication assessment and
treatment for people with acquired progressive neurological
conditions.
to map what people are doing and what
they believe is important (including AAC support)
online
tick box survey that takes approximately 20 minutes to complete.
The results will be made available to all once the survey
is complete and will, hopefully, influence future research
directions
Steven Bloch
University College LondonRead more at health.groups.yahoo.com