Linguistic and occupational therapy support for augmentative and alternative communication in young adults
Empowerment for an adult life
At a glance
- Project leader : Prof. Dr. Christiane Hohenstein
- Co-project leader : Prof. Dr. Brigitte Gantschnig
- Project team : , Kathrin Brunner, Dr. Iris Hübscher, Dr. Martina Spiess, Larysa Zavgorodnia
- Project budget : CHF 300'000
- Project status : completed
- Funding partner : Federal government (Eidgenössisches Büro für die Gleichstellung von Menschen mit Behinderungen EBGB)
- Project partner : Active Communication AG, b-at AG Beratung assistive Technologien, Stiftung Humanus-Haus, Gesellschaft für Unterstützte Kommunikation e.V. / Regio Schweiz, buk Bildung für Unterstützte Kommunikation
- Contact person : Christiane Hohenstein
Description
Persons who are using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) often do not receive new communication devices after compulsory schooling, and they do not receive further speech therapy support. As young adults, they are at a threshold into an important stage of their life, and into vocational education or employment, where they also develop new communication needs. In order to empower them to expand their language skills after compulsory schooling, the project aims for an inclusive concept of language support centering on the needs of (young) adults using AAC. It also takes into account that AAC users can only exercise their linguistic rights if their environment is trained in the linguistic needs of (young) adults in life, occupation and employment and if tools are available for an age- and language-appropriate support.
There is currently a knowledge gap for informed practice in Switzerland. Applied linguistic findings on language acquisition and easy language as well as occupational therapy findings on support in adulthood are combined in the project and linked with findings and practices of social work and public service professionals. Persons using AAC are participating in the project’s inclusive setting. They are involved via interviews, self-observation and evaluation of practices in developing supportive tools.
Further information
Publications
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2023.
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Hübscher, Iris; Hohenstein, Christiane; Spiess, Martina; Gantschnig, Brigitte,
2023.
In:
18th International Pragmatics Conference (IPrA), Brussels, Belgium, 9-14 July 2023.
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Hübscher, Iris; Spiess, Martina; Hohenstein, Christiane; Gantschnig, Brigitte,
2022.
Gemeinsam junge Menschen ermächtigen : wie Linguistik und Ergotherapie zusammenspannen.
In:
7. UK Symposium: "Mitten im Leben", FHNW Olten, Schweiz, 31. August 2022.
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Spiess, Martina; Hübscher, Iris; Hohenstein, Christiane; Gantschnig, Brigitte,
2022.
Empowering young augmentative and alternative communication-users in their transition into adulthood [poster].
In:
RehabWeek, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 25-29 July 2022.
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2021.
In:
Participation through Language: Actors, Practices, Ideologies. Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Winterthur, 25-26 March 2021.
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Kollmar, Anja; Hohenstein, Christiane; Sabatino, Adriana; Gantschnig, Brigitte,
2018.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication : scoping review.
International Journal of Health Professions.
5(1), pp. 91-108.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.2478/ijhp-2018-0010