AAC-RERC Mission Statement
www.aac-rerc.com

Mission

To assist the users of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) technologies in achieving their goals by advancing and promoting AAC technologies and supporting the individuals that use, manufacture, and recommend them

NIDRR Objective

The NIDRR objective for the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on  Communication Enhancement is to improve Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) technologies that further the development of communication, language, natural speech, discourse skills, and literacy of persons with significant communication disorders.

The RERC conducts research, sponsors/conducts conferences, develops technology, provides technical assistance, conducts training seminars, facilitates technology transfer, and evaluates technology.

Research Assumptions

There is a healthy computer technology industry active worldwide that is developing technical capability important to the AAC field: speech synthesis, inexpensive memory, high quality dynamic screens, small electronic components, efficient batteries, inexpensive storage, touch screen technology, and so on.

2.  There is a healthy AAC commercial community that has demonstrated during the past decades that they are able to design, market, distribute, and support AAC technology.

3.  That an RERC should focus on those activities that are important to persons with significant communication disorders that probably will not be developed or researched by the computer technology community and may be difficult for commercial manufacturers in RERC.

Research and Development Emphasis

The primary emphasis of the research and development aspects of the AAC-RERC is to focus on 1) an understanding of the cognitive-linguistic issues between an individual with a severe communication disorder and AAC technology, as well as between AAC technology and communication partners (listeners). 2) the use patterns of  individuals with severe communication disorders of AAC technology in employment, by the elderly, in school, and in literacy activities.  During the past decades, considerable AAC technology has been developed.  Because the research base for many of these developments was quite limited, the commercial community was forced to create design specifications with largely anecdotal and personal information.  However, as the AAC field has matured, the opportunity is now present for a RERC to be developed that brings modern day research skills to these questions.

The Virtual Center Approach

The AAC RERC was designed as a virtual center, rather than the "single location" center of the past.  The NIDRR RFP presented absolute priorities involving improving AAC technology for children, the elderly, persons who were employed, and literacy.  Such a broad mandate required a new approach that took advantage of existing expertise in the AAC field.  Therefore, six major research and development centers (Duke University, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Pennsylvania State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of New York at Buffalo, and Temple University) have been brought together as a "virtual AAC-RERC Center" to focus on the research and development aspects.  In addition, this collaboration also includes dissemination groups that are well established  including Augmentative Communication News (the most widely distributed newsletter in the AAC field), Alternatively Speaking (a newsletter for AAC users), and ACCLOG (a listserv chat room for anyone interested in AAC).  By collaborating with a variety of existing resources, the AAC-RERC is able to leverage resources that far exceed that which is provided by the RERC grant award itself.