Overcoming Social Inequality by Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devices in Education

Abstract

For students whose different sorts of special needs restrict them to communicate with their peers, Alternative and Augmentative Communication (hereafter AAC) Devices have an important impact on overcoming social inequalities by facilitating communication, interactions, and learning outcomes. By interconnecting Assistive Technology with appropriate curriculum and methodology of teaching and learning, students with special communication needs may utilize AAC Devices and overcome some of the communication barriers they face.

The main purpose of this article is to research how the learning process occurs by implementing facilitated learning with the use of AAC Devices in United States schools, and its impact on student’s ability to communicate efficiently and to interact with their peers, teachers, and so forth. In that context, the Article investigates how AAC Devices help students with communication disabilities to overcome communication inequalities and the way students can utilize them to be engaged in the learning process. To achieve this purpose, we have used participatory structured observation as the methodology of research.

We have visited one of the New York State Schools where AAC Devices were being used, and observed students' behavior and their learning outcomes while using those devices. Besides the facilitated learning by utilizing AAC devices, students with special communication needs were able to interact with their peers and teachers more effectively and express their opinions through those devices.