Page 209 - Handbook of Electronic Assistive Technology

Chapter 7 • Alternative and Augmentative Communication 197

confident in supporting them. Since all AAC systems involve some level of set-up, editing
and customisation for the individual user, provision of training for family members and
professionals is a vital component of the provision of an AAC system. Establishing appro-
priate support channels in the event that a system requires maintenance or repair is also
an important component of ongoing provision.
It has been noted that interactions involving AAC users differ significantly from con-
versation between two or more speaking partners in regard to their pacing, structure and
content (Clarke and Kirton, 2003; Higginbotham and Caves, 2002). Since the use of any
AAC system is likely to be markedly slower than spoken conversation, the attitude of the
communication partner toward the system can play a significant role in how these inter-
actions proceed. Communication partner training can therefore play a role in how those
interacting with an AAC user respond and take part in an interaction. The provision of
vocabulary to allow an AAC user to control the conversation or to provide a conversation
partner with information about how best to facilitate the interaction can be helpful strate-
gies that should be considered by clinicians.

Personal Factors

Personal factors within the ICF framework are defined as being ‘characteristics of the indi-
vidual that are not a direct result of disability’. These factors might include gender, race,
age, other health conditions, fitness, lifestyle, coping styles and life experiences (WHO,
2001a,b). While the impact of personal factors on the use of AAC systems can be hard to
measure, it has been noted that personal attitudes such as high levels of determination
and persistence have a positive effect on the outcome of AAC provision (Lund and Light,
2007), as well as high expectations of the user and support team and the sociability and
opportunities for social interaction of an individual.

Communicative Competence

There is a second framework to guide provision of an appropriate AAC system. Using an
AAC system is a complex process that relies on a number of different abilities or com-
petencies. The application of a communicative competence approach to AAC is best
attributed to Janice Light’s work (Light, 1989; Light and McNaughton, 2014). Light herself
draws on the following definition of competence as the quality or state of being function-
ally adequate or of having sufficient knowledge, judgement or skill (Webster’s Third New
International Dictionary of the English Language, 1966, p. 463).
Several issues underpin this definition. In terms of functionality, competence is
relative and context dependent. The functionality of an individual’s communication
should be judged against real outcomes in real-life situations rather than, for example,
abstract ability tests. Crucially, it is an interpersonal construct, dependent on the abili-
ties of communication partners as well as of people who use AAC. Also, it is important
to note that it is a dynamic process. Competency can vary over time and in different