Modeling Augmentative and Alternative Communication for Students with Complex Access Needs

(upbeat music) - The technique of modeling or aided language stimulation can really have a powerful impact. Modeling is when a speaking person actually uses the student's augmentative communication device to supplement his or her own spoken language. So if I were talking to you, and I had an augmentative communication device here, and I were modeling for for someone, I might say, "Hi, Shannon, are you today?" I probably wouldn't find every single word that I was saying, but I would be modeling with my own finger, exactly where that language is on the student's communication device. The expert in the augment community field, Dr. Pat Miranda, says that we should be modeling with students with complex support needs at least 20 times an hour. So who needs training in that? Peers, para educators, special ed teachers, I mean everyone who, families, everyone who is around the student with disabilities.