Augmentative & Alternative Communication Users
Individuals using AAC, like all of the populations, have a wide range of communication needs and capabilities. There is an extensive range of motor, cognitive, sensory perceptual, and language skills. This group includes not just those higher-level language skills, but also individuals that are at risk for impaired speech development, and individuals who use natural speech but require AAC to supplement or clarify their speech. (Beukelman & Light, 2020) What is often very hard to determine, is the person’s level of phonemic awareness. In English the are 40 sounds and over 250 letter combinations that make these sounds. In addition each letters of the alphabet has a specific name that is separate from the various sounds it makes when used in words. So for a non-verbal person, you need to use a system that has a specific representation of each sound. This is why FONEMZ is excellent to use with someone who uses AAC.
All that is needed is for the person to have a pointing method, and eye gaze works perfectly. When FONEMZ are placed individually or in an array, the person can use eye gaze to indicate what sounds are produced individually and progress to what sounds are present in words. After they demonstrate that they have phonemic awareness of the sounds in words.
They can progress to spelling. Spelling skills are essential when using devices with predictive text. The FONZABET, is made up of the over 250 letter combination that make up the sounds in English. These are color coded by the FONEMZ colors. Once a person can build words by sounds they can easily associate the correct spelling by matching color of FONZABET choices.
In addition each letters of the alphabet has a specific name that is separate from the various sounds it makes when used in words. So for a non-verbal person, you need to use a system that has a specific representation of each sound. This is why FONEMZ is excellent to use with someone who uses AAC. All that is needed is for the person to have a pointing method, and eye gaze works perfectly. When FONEMZ are placed individually or in an array, the person can use eye gaze to indicate what sounds are produced individually and progress to what sounds are present in words. After they demonstrate that they have phonemic awareness of the sounds in words. They can progress to spelling. Spelling skills are essential when using devices with predictive text. The FONZABET, is made up of the over 250 letter combination that make up the sounds in English. These are color coded by the FONEMZ colors. Once a person can build words by sounds they can easily associate the correct spelling by matching color of FONZABET choices.