NONTRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES FOR ALTERNATIVE COMMUNICATION

THIS PROJECT WILL PRESENT A DETAILED GUIDELINE (IN NOTEBOOK FORM) FOR THE TEACHING OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS TO HANDICAPPED INDIVIDUALS, REGARDLESS OF AGE. THIS NOTEBOOK WILL CONTAIN PROCEDURES FOR CRITERION-REFERENCED ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION TECHNIQUES USING DETAILED RELEVANT ACTIVITIES. THESE TECHNIQUES WILL INCORPORATE VESTIBULAR STIMULATION, TACTILE AND SENSORY INTEGRATION, AND GROSS MOTOR ACTIVITIES INTO A COMMUNICATION ACQUISITION PROGRAM. THIS IS A DEPARTURE FROM GUIDELINES CURRENTLY BEING USED IN FIVE WAYS: 1. EMPHASIS WILL BE ON THE SEQUENCING OF NECESSARY/FUNCTIONAL SKILLS RATHER THAN NORMAL/DEVELOPMENTAL SKILLS. 2. ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES WOULD BE INITIATED AT AN EARLIER AGE THAN CURRENT DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMS. 3. TECHNIQUES ARE A SYNTHESIS OF SPEECH/LANGUAGE, OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL THERAPIES, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. 4. IMPROVEMENT OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS WOULD BE POSSIBLE REGARDLESS OF THE INDIVIDUAL'S ACHIEVEMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES. 5. IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR CROSS-DISCIPLINARY USE BY THERAPISTS, EDUCATORS, AND PARENTS IN A VARIETY OF SETTINGS. WHEN COMPLETED, THESE NONTRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES FOR ALTERNATIVE COMMUNICATION WOULD BE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE TO SCHOOL SYSTEMS, INSTITUTIONS, PRIVATE PRACTICE THERAPISTS, AND PARENTS.