Communication is a skill we all need to function in our various environments. In the school environment, communication is an access skill. Access skills refer to skills a student needs to access the curriculum but are not explicitly represented by the academic standards. Other access skills include gross and fine motor skills and skills referred to as executive functions (Beninghoff, 2022 pp.99-100).
Access skills refer to those skills we need to access the curriculum.
Anne M. Beninghof
To become a skilled communicator, one needs a village of people in which to communicate. Students with complex communication needs often need lots of practice to improve their ability to communicate what they know, want, and need. Educators, therapists, and families have advocated for this for years. This year, the Virginia Governor, Virginia House and Virginia Senate have joined the effort. The Governor signed House Bill 2219 and Senate Bill 1034, which will be effective July 1, 2025. These identical bills establish requirements for the training and implementation for supporting the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices by a student in school. They require training on AAC be provided to staff prior to the provision of instruction or support to accommodate the student’s unique communication access who uses AAC. This means the training on AAC needs to be individualized to the specific student.
IEP teams are already tasked with determining if training and assistive technology devices, such as AAC, are needed to help their student learn and for organizing the training needed. While IEP teams are determining the appropriate trainings to support a specific student, all staff can increase their knowledge of AAC this summer by reviewing these suggested resources:
- What is AAC? – AAC – Virginia’s Assistive Technology Priority Project
- How do I get started with Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), which may be necessary for individuals with complex communication needs? (VDOE’s Assistive Technology Network) – TTAC Online
- Supporting Nonspeaking Students on the Spectrum: Training Opportunities and Resources
- TA Communication – VCU Autism Center for Education
- Module 7: Teaching Communication During Academics – Professional Development Modules – Project Core
- OCALI Autism Internet Modules on AAC – Search | Autism Internet Modules
References:
Beninghof, A. M. (2022). Specially designed instruction: Increasing success for students with disabilities. Routledge.
