Literacy Development & AAC Flashcards

A practitioner implements 'Comprehensive Literacy Instruction' for an AAC user. This approach differs from traditional literacy instruction primarily because it:

Answer: Integrates reading, writing, spelling, and communication within authentic literacy contexts

Comprehensive literacy instruction integrates all components—reading, writing, spelling, and communication—within meaningful, authentic contexts.

When assessing phonological awareness in a child who uses AAC, the practitioner should FIRST:

Answer: Ensure the child has a reliable response mode before interpreting results

Establishing a reliable response mode ensures that assessment results reflect the child's phonological knowledge rather than motor or access limitations.

Which of the following best describes the relationship between AAC proficiency and literacy development?

Answer: AAC proficiency and literacy development are mutually reinforcing and should be built concurrently

AAC proficiency and literacy development are mutually reinforcing—literacy supports AAC use and AAC use supports literacy learning—and should be pursued simultaneously.

A family asks whether their child who uses AAC can benefit from reading bedtime stories at home. The BEST response from an AAC practitioner is:

Answer: Encourage shared reading as it builds vocabulary, print concepts, and language comprehension

Shared reading at home builds vocabulary, print concepts, and language comprehension and should be strongly encouraged for AAC users.

Which type of text is MOST beneficial to include in early literacy instruction for AAC users to build vocabulary and background knowledge simultaneously?

Answer: Informational texts on topics of personal interest alongside narrative texts

Informational texts on topics of personal interest build domain vocabulary and background knowledge while narrative texts support comprehension strategies.

The 'presumption of competence' principle in AAC literacy instruction means that practitioners should:

Answer: Provide access to age-appropriate literacy instruction and assume the potential for literacy learning

Presuming competence means providing access to age-appropriate literacy instruction and assuming literacy learning potential rather than ruling it out a priori.

Which factor has research identified as the strongest predictor of literacy success in individuals with complex communication needs?

Answer: The quality and consistency of literacy instruction received

Research consistently identifies the quality and consistency of literacy instruction as the strongest predictor of literacy outcomes for individuals with CCN.