Beyond communication:Enhancing language and literacy in education with tailored AAC and technology solutions

In order for an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) user to make the most out of education and training opportunities, it is essential to have an AAC system that is personally-relevant and customised to one’s individual needs and preferences. However, having the AAC system is only a first step in being able to learn and communicate as easily as other students. This is because the communication challenges in higher education can be extremely varied and dynamic. These challenges become even larger when reading and/ or writing difficulties are also present, such as those associated with dyslexia. As a team of presenters, we share a case study that showcases a collaborative approach to solving these challenges, ensuring access to a university curriculum and demonstrating learning and knowledge by an expert eye-gaze AAC user who has dyslexia. The AAC user will describe their experience of overcoming these literacy-related challenges in higher education. A technology consultant and postgraduate researcher will explain how technology was used to do this. We will present some of the processes we have developed for streamlining the identification of new specialist vocabulary and keeping the student’s AAC device up to date, as well as supporting dyslexia-related literacy challenges. We discuss ways we worked on to overcome specific spelling difficulties so that the AAC device's word prediction functionality could be used more confidently with unfamiliar words. We finally present insights relating to wider study skill challenges, and considerations to be kept in mind as this evolving intervention package moves forward.<br/>