Changing overlays resulting in gains in literacy and confidence
by Anthony Arnold, PRC-Saltillo Ambassador and Remote Service Technician, PRC-Saltillo
I’m Anthony Arnold, a veteran augmentative and alternative communicator from Coolidge, Arizona. When I started using Minspeak to communicate over 40 years ago, it was done on mechanical keys with paper overlays. No one likely envisioned it would evolve into a touchscreen device, where it has become a more powerful tool in certain ways, depending on a person’s deficits and what they want to gain throughout life.
It typically had 128 locations and usually included a keyguard, which worked for most users. In the late 1990s, Minspeak started using touchscreens, where we could add embellished icons and labels; we were often told this wasn’t beneficial, and that changes on the screen were likely problematic for some, and that we should have already ingrained motor plans without requiring visible clues, which may have been ideal for a number.
I may have seemed like a bright individual, always advancing my horizons. Still, many didn’t know I was working with a vocabulary comparable to an upper elementary school student, which made adult life challenging at times.
I continued communicating with Unity 128/144 until a few years ago, when I began experiencing spasticity that was more intense at times, depending on the situation. My desire to communicate was slowly dying due to my motor challenges worsening, with no end in sight, something I wasn’t comfortable with, especially since I have always had a strong interest in communicating and participating in various activities. So I went down to Unity 84, where I could use bigger keys to hopefully bring back some of my desire.
While I have eased my physical access, the other things I have gained from switching to Unity 84 are more notable. After a while, I noticed my vocabulary becoming richer and deeper. I credit leaving embellished icons enabled, which let me familiarize myself with more words, build a more extensive vocabulary, and gain confidence.
I have always been good at math, primarily because, as a child, I practiced with flashcards, which gave me a visual that I’m still remembering til this day. Without realizing it until now, I applied the same strategy to building my language and literacy by leaving embellished icons and labeling enabled.
Now, after a few years of using Unity 84, my vocabulary and confidence in language delivery keep expanding, making it feel like a natural progression.
With school starting, I wanted to share this. I may have described your student. They may be smart, but they aren’t making gains in literacy or confidence. You may need to introduce language more visually. You may see an explosion in this area, meeting goals that were unimaginable previously and that will carry them through life.
Have a wonderful school year!
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