Glossary

• AAC system -  The group of communication strategies that a person uses as an alternative or to supplement their speech.
• Acquired disability - A disability that has occurred after the time of birth.
• Advocacy - The process of defending a person’s rights.
• Aided AAC - Communication, other than speech, that involves the use of a device or aid eg. Board, book, wallet, folder. 
• Aids and Equipment Program - A Victorian government funded project, which aims to provide eligible adults with funding for a range of electronic communication aids.
• Alternative communication - A means of communication that is used instead of speech.
• Asperger’s syndrome - A developmental disorder commonly referred to as a form of high functioning autism. People with this syndrome usually have normal intelligence but poor social skills.
• Augmentative communication - A method of communication that supplements speech. Augmentative communication methods include manual sign, gestures, use of pictures, spelling, word/phrase boards, etc. Augmentative communication systems may be used on electronic and non-electronic communication aids.
• Auslan  (Australian sign language) - The language of the Australian Deaf community. Auslan has a word order that is distinct from spoken and written English. Auslan has been adapted and simplified for use by people who have complex communication needs.
• Autism - A developmental disorder that is often diagnosed in early childhood and continues throughout adulthood.  It affects three main areas: communication, social interaction, and creative or imaginative play.
• Autism spectrum disorders - A broad term which includes autism, Asperger’s syndrome and other closely related developmental disorders.  These are characterised by developmental difficulties in verbal and non verbal communication, social interaction, and play activities.* 
• Body language - Movements and posture of the body used to communicate a message.
• Button - A simple mechanism for controlling a part/function of a machine. They are usually made out plastic or metal and shaped for the finger or hand, so they can be easily pushed. When the button is pushed, an event (usually electrical) takes place (e.g. an item might be selected activating voice output on a communication aid).
• CAUS - CAUS Inc. Communication Rights Australia is a self-help group that provides advocacy, or training for self-advocacy, for people who identify themselves as having speech or communication difficulties.
• Cell - An area on a device that corresponds to a vocabulary item, and can be selected and activated.
• Cerebral palsy - A disorder affecting body movements, which is caused by damage to the brain.  This damage usually occurs before birth or in early infancy.* 
• Chat book - Specific items which relate to activities, events and/or objects the person has experienced or enjoys. They provide a topic of conversation for the communication partner. The text is written in a way to prompt interaction, such as the use of open-ended questions for example ‘How was that?’ or ‘Where have you been today?’*
• Chores chart - A visual support that uses photos, pictures, and words to display routine tasks and the person(s) responsible for them.*
• Communication aid/display (wallet, board, folder) - A visual display of photos, pictures, words and/or letters of the alphabet that are used as a way of communicating.*
• Communication partner - A person who you communicate with.*
• Complex communication needs - Difficulty communicating using speech alone.
• Day centre - A centre that provides care and recreational options during the day for people who have disabilities.*
• Developmental delay - A term used when a child’s skills are acquired at a later age than expected.
• Digitised speech - Recorded human voice.
• Direct access - Pointing directly to a vocabulary item on a communication aid (e.g. using a hand, foot, or eyes).
• Down syndrome - A genetic disorder caused by the presence of an extra chromosome. The most common cause of a developmental or intellectual disability.
• Dynamic screen devices - Electronic AAC devices that have multiple pages of vocabulary options, which are shown, by scrolling through pages, on a computer screen.  The computer screen changes according to the page that the person is using.
• Early intervention - Services that generally provide assessment and intervention for children up to the age of six years who have special needs in multiple areas of development.
• Eye pointing - A communication technique, in which a person looks at their communication partner to gain his or her attention and then at a desired item or vocabulary selection.
• Facial expression - Movements and postures of facial features that are used to communicate a message (e.g. frowning, smiling, raising eyebrows).
• Finger spelling - The use of hand shapes that represent individual letters of the alphabet, to spell words.
• Functional speech - Ability to use verbal language to meet communication needs.
• Gesture - Can include fine and gross body movements (eg. waving, shaking hands, pointing, giving the thumbs up).
• Head pointer - An aluminium pointer that is attached to the centre of the forehead via a headband made of thermoplastic or similar material.
• Human rights - Apply to all human beings and refer to the basic standards, which people need to live with dignity.  They include things such as the right to life, freedom of thought, food, shelter and communication.
• Indirect access - Used when a person cannot directly point to items on a communication aid.  Involves the selection of vocabulary options from a number of choices presented visually or audibly.
• Infra-red pointing - A very thin beam of red light that can be used to point to vocabulary items on a communication device.
• Intellectual Disability (ID) - Includes difficulty understanding, learning new skills or information and solving problems. An ID varies in severity from person to person and can be mild to profound.
• Intentional communication - Deliberate actions used to get a message across to another person.
• Keyboard - An input device similar to a typewriter, for the entry of text, numbers and punctuation.
• Key guard - A plastic divider used to separate keys or cells on a communication device, preventing a person with poor motor skills from pressing the wrong key or cell.
• Light pointers - A beam of light that can be used to point to a vocabulary item on communication aid.
• Line drawings - A two-dimensional representation of a concept or an object. They may be in black and white or colour.*
• Literacy - The ability to read and spell.
• Magna-doodle© board - A magnetic writing board used for drawing and writing.  Messages may be erased in between uses.
• Makaton (key word sign) - Use of sign and gesture with people who can hear but cannot talk, are difficult to understand, or have difficulty understanding other people. The Makaton principles are to: Speak and sign concurrently; Sign only the key words in the sentence; Use directionality and placement; Use the signs of the host country (Auslan).
• Mime - Acting out a message using only gestures and body movements.
• Modelling - Demonstration of a target behaviour, with the goal of that behaviour being imitated.
• Motor impairment - Difficulties with movement of parts of the body.
• Motor Neurone Disease (MND) - A group of neurological diseases, which involve deterioration of parts of the brain leading to muscle weakness and wasting.
• Multi-level devices - Electronic AAC devices, which have multiple pages of vocabulary options, arranged in topics or grammatical groups.
• Multiple message devices/systems - Electronic AAC devices, which have more than one message that may be chosen and activated by the user.
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) - A chronic, often disabling disease that affects the central nervous system.
• National Relay Service (NRS) - An Australia-wide telephone access service that is available to people who have a hearing or speech problem, allowing them to make and receive phone calls.
• Non-Electronic Communication Aid Scheme (NECAS) - A Victorian government funded project, which aims to provide funds for eligible adults to purchase individualised non-electronic communication aids.
• Occupational therapist - An allied health care professional that specialises in the evaluation and rehabilitation of activities of daily living.
• Parkinson’s Disease (PD) - A degenerative condition caused by changes in the brain. Symptoms include tremor and muscle rigidity.
• Personal response systems - Personal alarms worn around the neck, on the wrist, or on a key ring, which allow people who have complex communication needs to access help in an emergency situation.
• Physiotherapist - An allied health professional who specialises in the assessment and management of physical injury or disability.
• Pictographs - A two-dimensional representation of a concept or an object. It may be black and white or coloured.  Commercially available sets include: COMPIC, PCS, widgit.
• Picture-based recipe book - A book incorporating photos or line drawings of the ingredients and the steps involved for a range of recipes.  Picture-based recipe books allow people with complex communication needs to participate in cooking activities.
• Picture-based shopping list - Cards or booklets displaying pictures, logos or photos of items to be bought.
• Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) - A system that requires a person to hand over a card displaying a picture/photo of an item or activity in order to receive the item or participate in the activity.*
• Progressive neurological disorders - Conditions that affect the nervous system, which become more severe over time.  Some examples of progressive neurological disorders are Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis.
• Psychologist - A professional that specialises in the function of the human brain, and related behaviour and experience.
• Rehabilitation - The restoration of, or improvement in, a person's health and ability to perform daily tasks. It usually involves a program of clinical and vocational services with the goal of returning a person to work.
• Respite care - A service that provides arrangements to allow carers a short-term break from their care commitments. Respite care may be planned or used in an emergency or crisis situation. Respite care services may be in a facility such as a nursing home, residential unit or a hospital.
• Scanning - A person systematically looks at or listens to a range of options presented sequentially, and selects the desired option.
• Signed English - A type of sign language that has been used in Australia in the past.  Signed English uses the same grammar as spoken English by translating each spoken word into a manual sign.
• Single message devices - An electronic device that has one recorded message.
• Social stories - A series of related pictures that present alternative options for behaviour.  They are used to reduce a person’s inappropriate behaviours, or to teach the steps in a routine. They are accompanied by the written words.
• Special schools - Schools that cater for children with special needs.
• Speech pathologist - Allied health care professional that evaluates and treats people with communication and swallowing problems.
• Stroke - Failure of blood supply to the brain that results in injury to part of the brain.
• Supported accommodation - A living environment for children or adults who have disabilities or high support needs.  Staff assist residents with activities of daily living.
• Switch - A control consisting of a mechanical, electrical or electronic device for making or breaking or changing the connections in a circuit.  It enables a person to operate a battery powered or electrical item.*
• Synthesised speech - Artificial, computer-generated voice.
• Telephone typewriter (TTY) - A telecommunications device, which allows people to type phone messages into a keyboard instead of using speech.
• Text output communication aid - An electronic AAC device that displays a printed or typed message.
• Touch-screen - A special screen that the user touches in order to make selections on a computer or device.
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI) - Permanent or temporary brain damage caused by trauma to the head. 
• Unaided AAC - Communication, other than speech, that does not require any props or devices. 
• Visual timetable - The use of pictures, photos, line drawings or objects to show the sequence of activities within a set time period e.g. before school, during a day, across a week.*
• Vocabulary - The set of words/ pictures/ line drawings/ photographs used in a person’s everyday communication
• Voice banking - A person’s voice is recorded while they still have functional speech so that it can be used with an AAC device later.
• Voice Output Communication Aid (VOCA) - Device that generates spoken words using synthesised speech (artificial voice) or digitised voice (recorded human voice). Some VOCAs may also generate text.  Also known as Speech Generating Device (SGD), and Electronic Communication Devices (ECD).

 *Adapted from: Scope. (2004). InterAACtion: strategies for intentional and unintentional communicators. Melbourne: Communication Resource Centre