1 / 23

What every direct support worker needs to know about functional communication

This article discusses various ways people communicate, including expressive communication and receptive language, and explores factors that can limit a person's ability to communicate. It also highlights the importance of listening to individuals with disabilities and provides a communication bill of rights. The article concludes with tips for selecting the most suitable communication strategy based on environmental considerations, needs of the speaker, the communication partner, and the qualities of the message.

bchristner
Download Presentation

What every direct support worker needs to know about functional communication

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. What every direct support worker needs to know about functional communication But didn't know who to ask. Hank Bersani March 7 2012

  2. Advertisement WOU has an excellent Masters degree in special education that includes an entire course on communication strategies in the classroom for students with “low incidence” disabilities. This is the 30 min. version of a 30 hour course.

  3. List some ways that people communicate

  4. scenario • You are in a foreign land where you do not speak the language. You need to find a bathroom (pretty quickly). • How can a child communicate that need? • How does an adult communicate that need? • What if you are in a high end department store trying to ask a young sales person who is dressed much better than you?

  5. How does that person tell you: • They don’t understand • There is no public restroom • Or give you directions to the rest room

  6. List some ways that people communicate • Expressive communication (encoding): • Spoken word, sign, facial expression, body posture, written word, eye gaze • (Expressive communication can be unintentional). • Receptive language (decoding) • Listening, receiving sign, reading, interpreting facial expressions and body language, etc.

  7. WHAT IS COMMUNICATION? • The exchange of information/ideas • The process of encoding - transmitting - decoding • A message sent, a message received • You speak - I understand

  8. What factors limit a person’s ability to communicate? • Sensory issues • Motor issues • Cognitive issues • Cultural issues

  9. By definition… Communication is a two way street

  10. Gunnar Dybwad said…..(1977) “I am convinced that we must listen to a far greater degree to individuals with disabilities. For a long time we thought those with severe disability could not learn; now we know we did not yet know how to teach. What we call the inability of persons with severe handicaps to communicate may well be our ineptness in listening. So we must learn to listen.”

  11. CORE ASSUMPTIONS • Everyone can communicate • Everyone does communicate • One can not not communicate • Everyone is a candidate for AAC • Life is the only prerequisite • All of us are AAC users in one sense Adapted from ABLEDATA Inc..

  12. FORMULA FOR SUCCESS Opportunities for Participation Improved Communication = + Access to a “System”

  13. NOT BEING ABLE TO SPEAK IS NOT THE SAME AS NOT HAVING ANYTHING TO SAY

  14. SOCIAL PURPOSES OF COMMUNICATION • Expression of needs/wants“Could you please give me a hand?” • Information transfer“I live at 1580 18th Street in Salem OR” • Social closeness“Hi babe, what’s your sign?” • Social Etiquette”Please pass the hot sauce.”

  15. http://www.asha.org/docs/html/GL1992-00201.html Communication Bill of Rights

  16. Six tenets of communication Communication is social behavior

  17. Six tenets of communication Appropriate communication functions enable productive participation in interactions with others

  18. Six tenets of communication Communication acts can be produced in a variety of modes

  19. Six tenets of communication Effective communication intervention must fully utilize naturally occurring interactive contexts

  20. Six tenets of communication Effective intervention must modify the physical and social elements of environments to invite, accept, and respond to communicative acts.

  21. Six tenets of communication Service delivery must involve family members working collaboratively with a cadre of professionals and paraprofessionals.

  22. Selecting the communication strategy Environmental considerations Needs of the speaker Best fit The communication partner Qualities of the message

More Related