This program is tailored to children whose neuromuscular and oral motor impairments prevent the natural emergence of verbal and non-verbal communication abilities.
The program’s ACC team, lead by a speech-language pathologist, evaluates the child’s current communication and cognitive readiness, and develops an individualized communication plan that is just right for the child’s developmental level. We identify the best communication materials, which may include picture symbols or speech generating devices. Our department carries a library of switches, mounting hardware, environmental control technology, static and dynamic display speech generating devices, which helps us to determine the best solution for each family. We build the parents’ competence in communicating with their child using the principles of guided participation and aided language stimulation.
School and daycare teams are supported in the implementation of the communication plan in all environments. Assistance with the preparation of communication materials is available to help parents, school team members and the student to get started with a new communication system.
This program is intended for children who have yet to discover the earliest social motivations to communicate.
The service delivery model we use is called Relationship Development Intervention® Our consultants focus on coaching parents in techniques that will guide their pre-verbal child through developmental levels of thinking and communicating.
Families are taught to use guided participation, which is a natural, highly effective means of incorporating remediation into all aspects of daily life. Children in this program first learn to understand and use non-verbal communication, beginning with the meaning in emotions, movement and gesture. Once they are developmentally ready, they are graduated into the AAC Program or a traditional speech language program.
Education is key in the Relate Program; school and daycare teams, as well as extended family members are invited to participate in the program by attending workshops, and through individual consultations.
The Relate Program is currently a pilot project of SCRC; new referrals are not being accepted at this time.
For more information visit Specialized Communications Resources for Children or Community Resources.