Communication Matrix
(Rowland, 1996)
What does it assess?
- Cognitive and early communication skills.
Who is it suitable for?
- Children at early stages of communication – unintentional to early symbolic.
Who is it not suitable for?
- Adults.
- Anyone who has an extensive spoken, signed or picture vocabulary and demonstrates linguistic ability (i.e., flexible combination of symbols).
How is it administered?
- Speech pathologist conducts interview of the primary carer then conducts observations of the child within naturalistic settings.
How is it scored/ interpreted?
- Speech pathologist examines data to determine if the child has communicative intent.
- Determines the communication functions and modalities of intentional communicative acts.
What is its availability?
How does it contribute to a communication assessment for someone with behaviours of concern?
- Identifying the person’s stage of early communication will inform the level and type of communication supports that are likely to effectively replace problem behaviours and allow positive environmental and social supports.
- Must be done in conjunction with a functional behaviour assessment.
References
Rowland, C. & Schweigert P. (2003) Cognitive Skills and AAC: Where we've been, what we know and the questions we should ask. In J.Light, D. Beukelman & J. Reichle (Eds.) Communicative Competence for Individuals Who Use AAC. Baltimore: Paul Brookes.
