1/23/17 Darlene Daniels, Deborah Lesher Columbia Regional Program 2/6/2017 AT Now Conference, Salem, OR AGENDA ● Welcome ● What is the Communication Matrix? ● Examples of completed Matrices ● Let’s “Try it Now”! ○ Get a student in mind ● The Matrix Community ● Goal Development ● Questions? COMMUNICATION MATRIX : The Communication Matrix is a free assessment tool created to help families and professionals easily understand the communication status, progress, and unique needs of anyone functioning at the early stages of communication or using forms of communication other than speaking or writing. 1
1/23/17 COMMUNICATION MATRIX : capturing the skills of individuals operating at the earliest stages of communicative competence • Online and print versions available in: English Spanish Russian Korean Vietnamese Chinese Czech Dutch Research based The Communication Matrix was inspired by important research “pragmatic” approach to communication development that was first discussed by Elizabeth Bates and her colleagues. This approach considered what the child achieves by communication using many different behaviors, rather than just looking at speech. Another influence was the work of Heinz Werner and Bernard Kaplan. Research based They viewed the emergence of symbolic communication as a developmental process that is natural outgrowth of early relationships between mothers,infants, and the objects or events in their environment. The Matrix was developed using these principles paired with extensive hands-on clinical research involving individuals with complex communication needs,their caretakers,teachers,and speech language pathologists. 2
1/23/17 Who is the Target Population? • Individuals of all ages who are at the earliest stages of communication. In the typically developing child the range of communication skills covered by the Matrix would occur between 0 and 24 months of age. • Individuals who use any type of communicative behavior, including "augmentative and alternative" (AAC) forms of communication and pre-symbolic communication. • Individuals who experience any type or degree of disability, including severe and multiple disabilities. • Individuals of all ages. • But NOT individuals who already use some form of language meaningfully and fluently. 3
1/23/17 Where are people using the Communication Matrix? Seven Levels of Early Communication SEVEN LEVELS OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE LEVEL SALIENT BEHAVIOR I. Pre-Intentional Behavior Pre-intentional or reflexive behavior that expresses state of subject. State (eg., hungry, wet) is interpreted by observer. II. Intentional (Proactive) Behavior is intentional, but is not intentionally Behavior communicative. Behavior functions to affect (Not intentionally communicative) observer ’ s behavior, since observer infers intent.. III. Non-conventional Pre- Non-conventional gestures are used with intent of symbolic Communication affecting observer ’ s behavior. IV. Conventional Pre-symbolic Conventional gestures are used with intent of Communication affecting observer ’ s behavior. V. Concrete Symbolic Limited use of concrete (iconic) symbols to represent Communication environmental entities. 1:1 correspondence between symbol and referent.. VI. Abstract Symbolic Limited use of abstract (arbitrary) symbols to Communication represent environmental entities. Symbols are used singly. VII. Formal Symbolic Rule-bound use of arbitrary symbol system. Ordered Communication combinations of two or more symbols according to syntactic rules. 4
1/23/17 Communicative Behaviors for each Level of Early Communication Intent is Critical!!!! Read the questions carefully 5
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1/23/17 The Online Communication Matrix • An online version of the Communication Matrix (Rowland, 2004), an assessment designed for early c o m m u n i c a t o r s w h o u s e a n y f o r m o f communication is now available free of charge. • Users enter information about an individual’s communication skills and print out a one-page graphic profile and a list of specific communicative behaviors and intents expressed. • Entries may be updated for repeated assessments. • The data collected are used to develop scientific information about the communication skills of individuals with specific disabilities. This is a global service and research initiative. Mobile Devices May need to use scrolling and zoom functions 7
1/23/17 • Your Contribution • We DO NOT request any identifying information and we have no way of tracking who has used this service. • When you complete the Matrix online, the information you provide will be stored. This information will provide valuable data a b o u t t h e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s k i l l s demonstrated by individuals with various disabilities. This information may be summarized in scientific reports, professional presentations, articles in professional journals and book chapters. • Online Matrix Community From Communication Matrix website Automated Profile Results • If start at Level II, Level I is automatically highlighted as mastered. • If start at Level III, Levels I and II are automatically highlighted as mastered. 8
1/23/17 If you were completing a real matrix, you would be asked to input demographic information at this point. 9
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1/23/17 Communication Matrix Skills List Communication Matrix Custom Report Example $6 Communication Matrix Community of Practice Project Overview community.communicationmatrix.org 12
1/23/17 So, what is this new thing? It’s a 4-5 year grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education through its “Step-up” program for encouraging widespread implementation of technology to improve outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Dr. Charity Rowland Communication Matrix Community Promo Vid https://youtu.be/DwG4EoYuhlg So, what’s a Community of Practice? • “Groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis” (Wegner, McDermott & Snyder, 2002) • A virtual community of practice uses technology to create a community free of the constraints of time and place. Why Do We Need a Community of Practice? • Demonstrated need from previous Communication Matrix grants…and users • Interest from the U.S. Department of Education • Need for sustainability • Allows for "Just in Time" and "Just for Me" learning • Multiple perspectives • Sharing of resources and expertise • Especially needed for low incidence populations • Great for isolated or rural communities 13
1/23/17 “Scaling Up” an Evidence-based Practice Solving real world problems through science • Moving away from "train and fail" • Implementation links research and practice • Knowledge translation • Including all stakeholders Scaling up is our goal • Systematic and ongoing supports • Conducted and synthesizing applied research • Communities of Practice Assumptions for the Community of Practice • Assessment of communication skills in complex communication needs (CCN) is often inadequate. • Appropriate evaluation of communication skills is a prerequisite to generating appropriate educational goals. Karen Natoci Communication Matrix Community Promo https://youtu.be/DwG4EoYuhlg • Practitioners are isolated with regard to appropriate treatment for children with low- incidence disabilities and CCN. Dr. Amy Parker https://youtu.be/DwG4EoYuhlg 14
1/23/17 A Virtual Community of Practice allows more team members to participate in professional development • Multiple perspectives, including that of caregivers, are important in communication assessment. Kelly Fonner https://youtu.be/DwG4EoYuhlg More ways to include teachers in dialogue about approaches with students The community of practice is a place for teachers to be directly involved in both giving and receiving high quality, just in time information to support students with complex communication needs. Gayl Bowser More ways to engage new professionals in dialogue about approaches with students The Communication Matrix is a valid, reliable and popular instrument for assessing communication skills in individuals with severe communication disorders. Creation of a virtual community of practice will result in widespread implementation of the entire Communication Matrix Suite, including the new Custom Report function, to improve outcomes for Emily Dayle Quinn children with CCN. https://youtu.be/DwG4EoYuhlg 15
1/23/17 What does this new community look like? • It’s completely integrated into the Communication Matrix assessment web site • The Forum is a place to for post information and ask questions • The Events calendar is place to post events • Collections are created by Guest Hosts about specific topics • The Shared Science section provides data on specific populations represented in our database of assessments from around the world • It’s free and open to ALL individuals (professionals and nonprofessionals) • Anyone may view the content: but you must register as a member to post Anyone may join (it’s free): create a Profile Write a Post or Create an Event 16
1/23/17 Search for Posts related to specific components of the Matrix Collections by Guest Hosts Shared Science: Angelman syndrome 17
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