A few years back, I needed to create a presentation about socials skills and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).  As I was putting the presentation together and creating my materials, I sat back and pondered this question…Why do students with complex communication needs (CCN) have such difficulty during social interaction?

Trying to gather as much information as I could, I began to consult the research and speak with colleagues about this issue.  I began to create a list of challenges that could possibly affect the social success of individuals who use AAC and this is what I came up with:

• Limited or no opportunity to participate in meaningful social interactions with peers
• Limited life experiences
• Low expectations of communication partners
• Limited access to appropriate social  and “current event” vocabulary on AAC systems
• Anticipation of needs/wants by caregivers and educational staff
• Communication environments that do not support learning and practicing new skills

Supporting social skills development for students with significant speech and language disabilities can be a challenging task for service providers and caregivers.  Many of these students have had limited access to social experiences.  As I look at the list above, it becomes very clear that many of these obstacles can be removed by just creating a positive communication environment.  Spending just a few minutes every day to set up situations where students have access to meaningful social interaction can make a world of difference.  This small step can provide opportunities to build and practice communication skills.

One quick way to know if you are giving your students ample opportunities to practice social skills would be to answer the following yes/no questions:

• Do I give the AAC user many opportunities to initiate interaction with others?
• Do I ask a lot of questions that elicit a yes or no answer?
• Do I give the AAC user daily opportunities to use his/her AAC system in social situations?
• Do I give the AAC user enough time to answer/comment when we are talking? 
• Do I encourage the AAC user to express his/her opinions?

 If you answered “no” to any of these questions, a social opportunities intervention plan is warranted.  Here are some great resources that can help you design a social skills implementation plan.

Beukelman, D. & Mirenda, P. (1998).  Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Management of Severe Communication Disorders in Children and Adults. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

For information about creating a positive communication environment and scripting, go to the Implementation Toolkit.   Another good tool, the Communication Partner Preparation – Selecting Activities Worksheet can also found in the Implementation Toolkit. 

Can We Chat? Scaffolding Conversations for Struggling AAC Users Linda J. Burkhart & Caroline Ramsey Musselwhite http://www.aacintervention.com/chat.pdf