Supporting Communication Through Shared Reading

By Elizabeth (Libby) S. Rush, MA, CCC-SLP, CPM

AAC and AT Consultant in Private Practice

Assistive technology devices used in education, therapy and at home

Part 1

Are you anticipating the wants and needs of those persons with limited communication skills? Do you dominate interactions with your Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) users? Are you still asking 20 questions? So, your AAC users are responders and you want them to be initiators. Let’s explore a multitude of strategies and the communication devices that can support AAC in both learning and leisure situations.

Enabling Devices produces a large number of communication devices with many different features to meet the wide diversity of needs demonstrated by those with limited communication skills.

Current trends in communication suggest that learning, practicing and using a communication system is best achieved in naturalistic environments. The context of these day-to-day situations can be greatly enhanced by the strategic placement of communication devices and creative application of approaches for supporting functional communication. Shared reading is one of the most familiar and meaningful experiences that occurs in natural situations. Shared reading occurs in both learning and leisure environments and can provide a powerful situation in which to support communication and facilitate language development.

The single most important activity for developing the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is shared story reading. The shared reading experience is dynamic, can easily be adapted and stimulates give and take interactions. Thus the shared reading experience can easily be manipulated to meet the interests and level of communication skills of the AAC user. To assure that this activity is motivating, it is essential to identify activities that lead to positive interactions. Now let’s discover strategies and devices that can lead to and support functional communication through emergent literacy activities.

Books with repeated lines and predictable stories help individuals to gain language competences. The repetition and predictability provide opportunity to listen, anticipate, predict and produce patterns within comfortable circumstances. That comfort zone frees the listener to participate in the reading experience.

Using single message voice output devices such as the Mini-Com #9151 permit individuals to actively participate in the reading experience. Simply program a single message into the device that has 20 seconds of recording time. A very powerful message is the repeated line in the story. TIP: On the device, place a symbol or a picture to represent the repeated line. Book pages can be scanned into the computer and manipulated to a size to fit on the device.

Other messages for single message devices might include “Turn the page.” “The End.” “Read it again.” or comments and interjections such as “Wow.” “Oh, no.” or “Cool.” Enabling Devices offers a wide selection of single message voice output devices available to suit the access needs of various individuals. Those devices include the Single Message Communicator #1414 , the Talking Picture Card Holder #9150, or the Side Swiping Communicator #9152.

To support those who use objects for communication or who learn best through motions or who may need to make communication exchanges, the One Take N’ Talk #8708 can be employed. The user either removes or places the object onto the device to activate the message. TIP: Use an object that is closely related to the repeated line. For instance, use a model or toy duck for a story about ducks.

The Say It Play It series of talking devices are excellent for employing cause and effect and engaging the interest of the user. Touching the Say It Play It Switch Plate #1313 activates both a 20 second message and a battery operated device or toy connected by the provided cord. The repeated line or another significant message in a story can be recorded into this device to be played at the appropriate time and will also activate a device that is reinforcing to the user. TIP: Use a toy or device related to the story. For instance use Baby Biff Bear #21 with “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” Enabling Devices has a large selection of battery operated devices and toys that can be used as supports and props during shared reading activities. TIP: Props serve as very effective tools for engagement in the reading process. The Koosh Say It Play #881, the Saucer Dome Say It Play It #9158 or the Talking Pin Say It Play It #9157 provide different textures and shapes to encourage use of the devices .

A sequencer is a voice output communication device that usually has one activation site. Each time the device is activated, it plays a series of pre-recorded messages in sequence, one at a time. Hit one plays the first message. Hit two plays the second message and so on. These devices are excellent for supporting the shared reading experience. The Step Talking Sequencer Switch Plate #1355 and the Triple Play #4202R both have 300 seconds of pre-recording time and can be used to “tell” whole stories. Pre-record the entire book into the device and have an individual read the story to the group or pass the device around to let different persons take part in reading the story . TIP: The text can be recorded so that each page is recorded as a single message. When the reader uses the device, each switch hit then reads the next page of the book. For visual support, place an image of the book cover on the device. A wide array of sequencers is available to meet the access and sensory needs of individuals and include the Textured Roller Step Talking Sequencer #653, Textured Sensiball Step Talking Sequencer #668, and Gooshy Step Talking Sequencer #673.

Individuals develop language and communication through active engagement with others and the environment. In this article we have explored and sorted through a variety of strategies and devices using single message devices and sequencers to support communication during literacy activities. Enabling Devices offers a wide variety of single message voice output devices and sequencers to meet the multiple needs of AAC users. In Part 2, we will discuss how to stimulate communicative interactions and language using multiple message systems during the shared reading experience.


The author is an AAC and AT Consultant. You can reach her at 919-471-2819 or libbyrush@aol.com .