Noun Town Travel Advisory Notice

Are you looking for hacks to save time with planning and programming vocabulary to be included in learners’ AAC systems? Have you tried looking for a preprogrammed vocabulary page in an AAC system that contains vocabulary words that are specific to a certain subject area, holiday, or activity and become frustrated upon discovery that such vocabulary pages don’t exist?

Although it is tempting to create many different vocabulary pages in order to provide your learner with access to all the vocabulary they could possibly use, there is no need to spend time (especially time that you don’t have) and energy programming content-specific vocabulary into your learner’s AAC system. In fact, it’s better that we refrain from doing so, which is also why AAC systems with robust language don’t have themed vocabulary pages preprogrammed when they arrive on your doorstep from the device vendor.

The overarching goal of AAC and the accompanying implementation process is to allow individuals with complex communication needs to effectively and efficiently engage in all activities and interactions of their choice that life presents to them. There are four reasons why people communicate, which include expressing wants and needs, transferring information, establishing and maintaining social closeness (i.e. interpersonal relationships), and displaying appropriate social etiquette (e.g. greetings, closers, maintaining conversations, etc.) (Beukelman & Light, 2020). It has also been debated on whether communicating with oneself or conducting an internal dialogue is a communicative function - I will let you decide for yourself whether there are four or five communicative functions.

Did you notice that none of the communicative functions are “labeling” or “naming” objects? How often do you walk around labeling objects? I know I have never done such an activity and I don’t anticipate nor desire to do so. The language that is used when naming or labeling objects are nouns, which are fringe vocabulary (i.e. content-specific vocabulary). If we program content-specific vocabulary into AAC systems, such as vocabulary relating to holidays (e.g. ornament) and subject areas (e.g. photosynthesis), we are encouraging modeling and eventually habitual use of such vocabulary. This is not a functional skill and does not enhance the ability of individuals with complex communication needs to effectively and efficiently engage in all of life’s activities. It only encourages AAC support teams and their learners to eventually permanently reside in Noun Town, where labeling is the only communicative function. Hence, why there are very limited amounts of fringe vocabulary related to holidays and subject areas on their own page (themed pages) within robust language systems.

How do learners with complex communication needs talk about the holidays and specific subject areas if they don’t have access to content-specific vocabulary?

Robust AAC systems are strategically preprogrammed with core vocabulary. Core vocabulary is a subset of 80% of words that people use every day. Core words are functional across all contexts, communicative functions, and ages. Core vocabulary is used to talk about and describe all holidays and subject areas while growing the learner’s linguistic competence (as well as that of their peers without complex communication needs). If the language system in the AAC device is truly a robust one, the learner should be able to navigate through and use preprogrammed core vocabulary to say anything they want to say about any holiday and subject area in any context and environment. For instance, learners are able to say “I don’t like” only using core words. They are then able to say “I don’t like math homework” while only having to navigate to “math” and “homework” which are preprogrammed vocabulary words in most robust language systems.

So, should I avoid programming any content-specific vocabulary into learners’ AAC systems?

No. There are certainly times and circumstances that warrant adding content-specific vocabulary to AAC systems. It is important, however, to add them in the appropriate location within the vocabulary file with other related words are already located in order to maintain the existing underlying organization and motor planning principles of the vocabulary file (because they exist to maximize functionality, utterance composition rate, language learning, and motor planning pattern development). Before jumping in and adding vocabulary, it is beneficial to consider the following (Gregory, n.d.):

1. Search to make sure the vocabulary isn’t already in the AAC system (if needed)

2. Open keyboard for first letter cueing (e.g. the word ornament isn’t in your device, this word starts with o”)

3. Use/model words that are in the learner’s AAC system to describe the word (“an ornament is a thing, it rolls like a ball, but is prettier than an ornament. Say the word ornament in your head”). Consider adding a button that links to the keyboard and says “it starts with” so they can give a hint with the initial letter of the word.

4. A button should be available on the device so that the learner can request “add this to my device.” This concept/activity should be modeled so that the learner knows they can ask for this.

5. Optional: If the goal is to assess the learner’s knowledge of the word, give them a receptive task instead of a expressive one (e.g. “here are pictures of different round objects, can you find the ornament?”).

How do I know if I should add content-specific vocabulary to learners’ AAC systems?

The below questions can be used as a guide for AAC teams to determine whether or not to add certain content-specific vocabulary to AAC systems:

• Will the learner have a need or motivation to use this word in the long-term (several months to a year)?

• Can the learner demonstrate understanding by using the core words already in their AAC system? (i.e. is there another way they can express this in their own words?)

• Is this word commonly used among same-aged peers and/or do they feel it is important?

• Will this vocabulary help the learner participate in the community, home, and class and be more engaged and interactive?

• Does it support an emotional need (e.g., requesting a break)? If there are more answers to the above questions that are “yes” than “no”, it is likely appropriate to add the word to the AAC system. If there are more answers to the above questions that are “no” than “yes”, it is likely inappropriate to add the word to the AAC system.

The decision process for adding content-specific vocabulary to AAC systems should be carefully navigated and a team effort. Proceed with caution as there is a permanent travel advisory in effect for Noun Town.