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Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative

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Vol. 4, No. 4, July/August 1996

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Guide to AAC Home Grown in Delaware

Keeping up with the changes in the field of Augmentative and Alternative Communication is a challenge. The user population has expanded, intervention approaches are continually refined and redefined, and the arsenal of tools is changing constantly. To help clinicians, consumers, and funding agencies manage the massive amount of product information available, the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on AAC at the Applied Science and Engineering Laboratories has produced the Guide to Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devices, an updated and greatly-expanded sequel to its 1991 Wallchart of Portable Communication Devices.

Because the 1991 version contained only about half the number of devices as this 1996 edition, the RERC devised a new format that could accommodate considerably more information in a reasonable amount of space. This new design reflects an entirely new framework of feature headings within which devices are described. It also embraces a much more inclusive definition of AAC. This is reflected in the broad spectrum of devices profiled. The Guide includes descriptions of "traditional" AAC systems (from single-message voice output devices to computer-based systems supporting spoken and written communication) as well as descriptions for the "newcomer" categories of speech amplifiers and electronic artificial larynges.

Product information is divided into five categories corresponding to five "families" of AAC devices. "Traditional" AAC devices are subdivided according to their primary output types; there are categories for devices with primarily visual output, devices with primarily spoken output, and those with both spoken and visual output. The fourth and fifth categories contain information about speech amplifiers and electronic artificial larynges. Within each category, a unique framework of features anchors the description of the device capabilities. The frameworks address the physical characteristics of the devices, their capabilities in support of spoken and/or written communication, and purchase information including pricing, technical support, warranties, and availability of accessories. Device descriptions are enhanced with a picture of each product.

Supplementary materials include a Literature Notebook, a 3-ring binder containing manufacturer information on more than 50 products in the Guide, and a Slide Notebook, a 3-ring binder containing slides of all products profiled in the Guide, numbered and indexed for easy reference.

Pricing information is as follows:

Guide to Augmentative and Alternative
Communication Device........$25.00
Literature Notebook ........$25.00
Slide Notebook..............$60.00
Complete Set (Guide, Literature Note-
book, & Slide Notebook)....$100.00

All prices include shipping within the U.S.; add $2.00 per item for shipping to Canada. For overseas shipping, please contact the Applied Science and Engineering Laboratories. Orders may be placed by sending payment, made payable to University of Delaware, along with your name, organization, address, phone/fax numbers and e-mail address to:

Rehabilitation Engineering Research
Center on AAC
Applied Science and Engineering Labs
University of Delaware / A.I. duPont Institute
P.O. Box 269, 1600 Rockland Road
Wilmington, DE 19899-0269
(302) 651-6830 (voice)/(302) 651-6834(TDD)
(302) 651-6895 (fax)

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