COMD 4450 EXAM 2 STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE 2026
Myths of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) - Answers 1. AAC should be viewed as a
last resort
2. AAC hinders or stops speech development
3. certain cognitive skills are needed prior
4. speech-generating device is only for children with intact cognition
5. chronological age is not a factor in consideration for AAC
6. no hierarchy of symbols to real objects to photos to line drawings (choose based on child's needs)
Assessment for AAC - Answers -Multidisciplinary team
-Assess nonverbal skills, expressive skills, receptive skills, literacy skills, pragmatic skills, play skills
Aided AAC sytstem - Answers speech-generating device, picture communication symbols, line
drawings
Unaided AAC system - Answers manual signs, gestures, finger spelling (use only own body)
High Tech AAC system - Answers utilize microcomputers, tablets, and specialized software
Low Tech AAC system - Answers no electronic parts, Picture Exchange Communication Systems, letter
boards, schedule boards, symbol boards
Accessing a Speech-Generating Device - Answers -direct selection: touch is easiest
-switch access: scanning
*scan pattern: linear, circular, row-column, block, auditory (impaired vision)
*scan mode: automatic, inverse, step (efficient)
-Head tracker
-Eye tracking
Patient Populations - Answers Children or adults with: CP, Intellectual Disability, Autism, apraxia and
dysarthria, TBI, locked-in syndrome, guillain-barre syndrome (paralysis for weeks), severe language
delays
Barriers to AAC - Answers -opportunity barriers
-policy barriers (legislature)
-practice barriers (school procedures, device @ school)
-knowledge barriers (lack of info about use)
-skill barriers (communication partner has trouble with strategy)
-attitude barrier (towards AAC, keeps them from participating)
-access barrier (limitation in child's capability or communication system)
Normal Distribution of Scores - Answers -Bell curve
-range of normal: mean of 100, SD of +/- 15 (85 and 115)
-90-95% standard of error
-10th percentile is the standard cutoff for diagnosis and services of lang. disorder (some use 7th)
Language Delay - Answers language skills are slow to emerge or develop, hope for improvement
Language Disorder - Answers deviance in usual rate, trajectory, and/or sequence with which specific
language skills emerge
Verbal Pragmatic skills - Answers conversational skills (maintain, repair breakdowns, initiate, end)
Nonverbal Pragmatic skills - Answers eye contact, gestures, facial expressions, proximity
Prelinguistic/Early Language Skills - Answers 1. localization: start of cause/effect relationship
2. joint attention: shared focus between caregiver and child
3. mutual gaze: infant and caregiver look at each other when communicating
4. joint action: peek a boo, patty cake
5. vocalizations: reflexive, cooing, laughter, vocal play, early babble, reduplicated, variegated, jargon
6. communicative intentions: pre-verbal and single word
7. nonsymbolic play: use object for intended purpose
8. symbolic play: substitute object for others
Direct Intervention - Answers -individual vs. group
-group leads to more social interaction
-normal vs. disordered or a combination of children in the group (can be role models)
-depends on needs of children and parent wishes
Indirect Intervention - Answers -get parents/caregivers involved
*enhance environment to facilitate change
*responding within the environment in optimally facilitative manner
Myths of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) - Answers 1. AAC should be viewed as a
last resort
2. AAC hinders or stops speech development
3. certain cognitive skills are needed prior
4. speech-generating device is only for children with intact cognition
5. chronological age is not a factor in consideration for AAC
6. no hierarchy of symbols to real objects to photos to line drawings (choose based on child's needs)
Assessment for AAC - Answers -Multidisciplinary team
-Assess nonverbal skills, expressive skills, receptive skills, literacy skills, pragmatic skills, play skills
Aided AAC sytstem - Answers speech-generating device, picture communication symbols, line
drawings
Unaided AAC system - Answers manual signs, gestures, finger spelling (use only own body)
High Tech AAC system - Answers utilize microcomputers, tablets, and specialized software
Low Tech AAC system - Answers no electronic parts, Picture Exchange Communication Systems, letter
boards, schedule boards, symbol boards
Accessing a Speech-Generating Device - Answers -direct selection: touch is easiest
-switch access: scanning
*scan pattern: linear, circular, row-column, block, auditory (impaired vision)
*scan mode: automatic, inverse, step (efficient)
-Head tracker
-Eye tracking
Patient Populations - Answers Children or adults with: CP, Intellectual Disability, Autism, apraxia and
dysarthria, TBI, locked-in syndrome, guillain-barre syndrome (paralysis for weeks), severe language
delays
Barriers to AAC - Answers -opportunity barriers
-policy barriers (legislature)
-practice barriers (school procedures, device @ school)
-knowledge barriers (lack of info about use)
-skill barriers (communication partner has trouble with strategy)
-attitude barrier (towards AAC, keeps them from participating)
-access barrier (limitation in child's capability or communication system)
Normal Distribution of Scores - Answers -Bell curve
-range of normal: mean of 100, SD of +/- 15 (85 and 115)
-90-95% standard of error
-10th percentile is the standard cutoff for diagnosis and services of lang. disorder (some use 7th)
Language Delay - Answers language skills are slow to emerge or develop, hope for improvement
Language Disorder - Answers deviance in usual rate, trajectory, and/or sequence with which specific
language skills emerge
Verbal Pragmatic skills - Answers conversational skills (maintain, repair breakdowns, initiate, end)
Nonverbal Pragmatic skills - Answers eye contact, gestures, facial expressions, proximity
Prelinguistic/Early Language Skills - Answers 1. localization: start of cause/effect relationship
2. joint attention: shared focus between caregiver and child
3. mutual gaze: infant and caregiver look at each other when communicating
4. joint action: peek a boo, patty cake
5. vocalizations: reflexive, cooing, laughter, vocal play, early babble, reduplicated, variegated, jargon
6. communicative intentions: pre-verbal and single word
7. nonsymbolic play: use object for intended purpose
8. symbolic play: substitute object for others
Direct Intervention - Answers -individual vs. group
-group leads to more social interaction
-normal vs. disordered or a combination of children in the group (can be role models)
-depends on needs of children and parent wishes
Indirect Intervention - Answers -get parents/caregivers involved
*enhance environment to facilitate change
*responding within the environment in optimally facilitative manner
