"Choose you this day whom ye will serve" Joshua 24:15
Types of Choices
Each individual benefits from communicating in different ways. Individuals can answer questions or express thoughts by picking from options such as: objects, pictures, printed or written words, etc. The follow clip will give you more examples and details of some low tech options:
ONE OPTION TO BUILD CONFIDENCE For anxious individuals, student who impulsively pick, or when first starting, using just one option (so the student can't get it wrong) is a way to begin.
Here is additional information on some other ways students could indicate responses:
NOTE:
Talk with parent and caregivers about ways the individual communications already.
If an individual can't move at all so that communication isn't possible with the resources available to you, assume they understand you and treat them with respect. This is the safest assumption.
Planning the Questions to Ask
1) Decide how many questions you want to ask the individual(s) who is nonverbal or limited verbal. 2) Think of some fact based questions and opinion based questions to ask. If the student is very inaccurate, then you can focus on fact based questions, including having both answers correct at times.
3) Some feel self-conscious about communicating in an alternate way. To help them feel more normal, you might prepare choices for others to answer using choices as well. Help the whole class show acceptance of how they communicate.
References:
Beukelman, D.R., Mirenda, P. (2005). Augmentative & Alternative Communication. Baltimore: Paul H. Brooks Publishing
Mukhopadhyay, S. (2008). Understanding Autism through Rapid Prompting Method. Denver: Outskirts Press, Inc
**A special thanks to Jean Unger M. Ed, a special educator with a focus on individuals with severe to profound disabilities, deaf-blindness, and medically fragile, who contributed to the information on this page.