Assessment & Evaluation Tools

Direct assessments can be used to select vocabulary within an AAC system.

Direct assessments can allow AAC users to demonstrate their own knowledge, skills and behaviour. They can also help to determine an AAC user’s current skills and abilities.

 Examples of direct assessments for selecting vocabulary to use within an AAC system, include the following:

In this approach vocabulary is introduced that is relevant to the AAC user and meets their immediate needs based on their current environment and situation. This includes an AAC user’s preferences and interests, current skills and abilities and functional needs.

Studies have shown that a just-in-time approach can be easy to use for high tech AAC systems, such as speech generating devices (see types of AAC systems). They can also enhance an AAC user’s communication and social interactions.

Dynamic assessments are approaches that look at an individual’s current learning skills and abilities and their learning potential. DA often involve support (e.g., models and gestures) from adults (teachers, professionals) and can help individuals demonstrate their learning potential.

DA can help select vocabulary to use within an AAC system that aligns with an AAC user’s individual preferences and interests, current skills and abilities, social communication and functional needs. DA can also ensure the vocabulary within an AAC system can be used in many environments. DA can help provide AAC users with support to help learn and use new vocabulary, increasing their language and communication skills. The assessment can also help to understand the vocabulary the AAC user is able to use on their own with minimal support and can help identify when vocabulary within the AAC system needs to be changed.

Various research has used DA within AAC systems.

One study that used DA found that grid and visual scene AAC displays on speech generating devices (SGD) (see types of AAC systems), helped AAC users increase their use of function words (see types of vocabulary and their usage). AAC users who used grid and visual scenes were skilled at requesting nouns and showed progress at requesting other types of vocabulary, such as verbs.

DA example for selecting vocabulary to use within an AAC system:

    1.    Collaborate with communication partners

Gather information from communication partners (AAC user, parents/families and teachers) to find out the AAC user’s current skills and abilities, individual preferences and interests and functional needs (see collaboration).

2.   Preference assessments:

-     Present the AAC user with their preferred items/objects. Observe which item/object the AAC user reached for and/or pointed to. Create 20 opportunities for the AAC user to request these items.

3.  Graduated Prompting:

Use a least-to-most prompting hierarchy throughout the process. This involves a step by step guidance from the smallest to the highest level of support to correct non-responses and/or incorrect responses. This will determine the level of support that is needed.

  For example:

• Wait six seconds for the AAC user to respond

• Give a spoken reminder

• Model (show and speak)

• Physical prompt (guide the AAC user’s hand to press the correct word/symbol)

4.  Knowledge of vocabulary:

Show the AAC user pictures of words and ask them to identify the words, such as verbs. This will help show what words the AAC user knows already.

5.  Identify new words:

Continue to show the AAC user pictures of words until enough new words (that the AAC user does not know) have been identified.

6.   Dynamic assessment sessions:

Provide opportunities for the AAC user to practice using vocabulary, such as verbs in specific environments they will use them in.

Positive reinforcement of correct responses:

• For every correct response, praise the AAC user with positive feedback.

7.  Review support needs:

Look at how much support the AAC user needs to use the words/symbols correctly on their AAC system. This will help guide decision-making on what vocabulary is suitable for the AAC user within their AAC system.

The verbal Behaviour Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) is an assessment tool that is administered across a number of tasks. It is commonly used with individuals who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The VB-MAPP aims to determine an individual’s current language and social skills which can help guide intervention and individual support plans.

The VB-MAPP can be used to help select what vocabulary to use within an AAC system. This is because the VB-MAPP can determine an AAC user’s current language and communication abilities.

The VB-MAPP is divided into five components:

1.    Milestones assessment:

• The milestone assessment examines the individual’s current verbal skills and abilities.

• It is made up of 170 language skills grouped by developmental age:

Level one: 0-18 months

Level two: 18-30 months

Level three: 30-48 months

• The skills examined include asking for help, naming items/objects, repeating sounds and playing with others.

2.    Barriers assessment:

• The barriers assessment can help Identify challenges an individual may face in learning and communicating.

• It examines 24 common issues, such as difficulty with social skills or trouble staying focused.

• It helps communication partners (teachers, professionals, parents/families) come up with strategies that will be used to support the individual.

3.    Transition assessment:

• The transition assessment can help to determine whether an individual is ready for an independent learning environment.

• It measures skills such as social interactions and classroom behaviour.

4.    Task analysis (breaking down tasks) and supporting skills:

• Breaks down tasks into smaller steps to make it easier for an individual to learn and reach their goals.

5. Placement and IEP (individual education plan) goals:

• After completing the assessment, results guide the creation of individualised goals and further support.

The VB-MAPP reports can be created and shared with communication partners (AAC user, parents/families, teachers, professional). For accurate results, trained professionals should administer the assessment.

The VB-MAPP has been widely recognised in research. It has also been used in several studies presented at conferences.

Indirect assessments can be used to gather information, including opinions and behaviours to make a decision about an individual’s current skills and abilities. Examples of indirect assessments include interviews and questionnaires.

Indirect assessments are recommended for individuals who have early language communication abilities and individuals who use other types of communication other than verbal speech to communicate, such as AAC systems.

A challenge of indirect assessments are the lack of assessments for teenagers and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Personal experiences or influences from the assessor could also affect the results.

Examples of indirect assessments for selecting vocabulary to use within an AAC system, include the following:

The ages and stages questionnaire (ASQ) is an assessment tool that can be used to help select what vocabulary to use within an AAC system.

The ASQ can identify an individual’s current skills and abilities and functional needs.

Research has shown that the ASQ is seen as an accurate, low cost tool for screening and monitoring. It is also easy to administer and a recommended tool for the early identification of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

The ASQ can be completed by parents/families or by professionals who know the individual well.

Research highlights how ASQ has been examined across many different cultures and communities across the world. It has shown to be useful in many settings, including schools, homes and health settings.

The communication matrix is an online assessment tool that can be used to help select what vocabulary to use within an AAC system. The communication matrix is a free/low cost assessment tool. It was created to help communication partners (parents/families, teachers, professionals) easily understand the communication skills and abilities and needs of an individual who communicates at an early language level. The assessment is commonly used to assess children in home, school and community settings.

The assessment involves 24 questions mostly comprising “yes” or “no” questions and can be done off-line or online. The questions are based on the assessors observations and experiences with the individual. Assessors answer questions about the individual’s ability to use expressive communication (vocabulary to get functional needs met). These include refusing and obtaining objects, engaging socially and providing or obtaining information. An individual’s progress can be tracked using the communication matrix. The assessment includes many different types of communication with or without speech, including types of AAC systems, such as speech generating devices and picture exchange communication systems (see types of AAC systems). The results from the communication matrix can help to create individual goals.

The communication matrix was created based off several years of communication research. A wide range of research recommends the use of this tool.

One study highlighted how the communication matrix was the only assessment for communication skills that was recommended by parents and received the highest five star rating on all of the questions.