The Speech Therapy Department works in assisting our children and adults to improve their receptive and expressive communication abilities. The use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) promotes this learning. With many people requiring assistance to express themselves, the Speech Therapy Department provides continual updating of communication books and reassessment of communication devices, schedule picture development, monitoring of direct activation switches, and computer software. Those individuals with significant visual impairments utilize tactile symbol systems. The Speech Therapy staff provides the needed resources to classroom teachers and adult specialists on communication skill development. Some of our children and adults work on pre-linguistic skills of cause and effect and object permanence, while others are able to independently access AAC devices such as Tech Talk and Mighty Mo. Speech therapy services also address oral motor stimulation to encourage swallowing and articulation skill development.
There are students from the Children's Program who are learning letter and sound recognition and shape matching by using several computer programs, while others are learning to use Mayer Johnson symbols from their communication book to request objects and activities. Some individuals in the Adult Program work on oral motor exercises and articulation to improve their speech, while others use AAC devices to request items.