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Now taking advanced orders for
Assistive
Technology®
The official journal of RESNA
Volume 14.1/2002
Special Issue
On August 2-4, 2001, the RERC on Communication Enhancement (AAC-RERC)
held its State of the Science Conference (SOSC) in conjunction
with the 2001 United States Society for Alternative and Augmentative
Communication (USSAAC) Conference in St. Paul, MN. White papers
were prepared in advance of the SOSC by the AAC-RERC partners
in collaboration with other AAC experts and stakeholders from
North America and Europe. A diverse group of stakeholders throughout
North America were invited to participate for three days of presentation
and discussion on the above topic areas. These individuals included
consumers and family members, manufacturers, researchers, service
providers, policy makers, educators, and other AAC experts. A
final group of 53 individuals representing the field of AAC were
selected to participate. These individuals received copies of
the eight white papers several weeks in advance of the SOSC for
review.
The SOSC was structured so that each morning presentations,
based upon the white papers, were delivered to all participants
as part of the USSAAC scientific program. This made it possible
for over 250 USSAAC participants, in addition to the 53 SOSC attendees,
to hear an overview presentation of the issues surrounding each
of the topic areas. At the end of each of these presentations,
USSAAC participants were provided a website address that posted
the presentations and allowed all participants to provide comments
or additional information for up to one month following the SOSC.
After the morning overview presentations, the 53 invited SOSC
participants reconvened for detailed, facilitated discussions
and future-direction brainstorming for each of the white papers/topic
areas. This afforded the AAC-RERC with the opportunity to achieve
some degree of consensus about issues and future directions in
the AAC field from the attending stakeholders.
Participants of the SOSC were also given the opportunity
to provide additional information on-line for one month following
the conference. At the suggestion of the SOSC participants, the
white papers were also posted on the AAC-RERC website for further
comments from the field at large. All information from the SOSC
working discussion sessions and comments submitted via the website
were incorporated into revised white papers. The revised white
papers were subsequently submitted for peer-review and final editing
revisions. This issue of Assistive Technology serves as the official
publication of the conference outcomes.
The papers that constitute this special issue of
Assistive Technology are the fruits of over a year's labor. We
hope that you find this special issue of Assistive Technology
valuable.
Kevin Caves, BSME, ATP
Project Director
AAC-RERC
Duke University Medical Center
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Accessing the World through AAC
Technology
State of the Science Report
Future AAC Technology Needs: Consumer Perspectives
Sarah W. Blackstone, Michael B.
Williams, and Mick Joyce
Improving the Design of AAC Technologies for Young Children
Janice C. Light and Kathryn D. R.
Drager
Improving AAC Use for Persons with Acquired Neurogenic
Disorders
David R. Beukelman and Laura J.
Ball
AAC Performance and Usability Issues: The Effect of AAC
Technology on the Communicative Process
D. Jeffery Higginbotham and Kevin
Caves
Enhancing Participation in Employment though AAC Technologies
David McNaughton and Diane Nelson
Bryen
Enhancing Literacy Development through AAC Technologies
Janet M. Sturm, Karen Erickson,
and David E. Yoder
Connecting AAC Devices to the World of Information Technology
Kevin Caves, Howard C. Shane, and
Frank DeRuyter
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To reserve a copy or for more information, please
email us . Please write "SOSC" in the subject line,
and send us your name and email address, along with any questions.
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