Ask the Expert: Take CHARGE with Total Communication!

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Presenters, Kathryn Bleczinski, Christine Cammisa, Neha Sharma, and Amber Skerry are Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in the Deafblind Program at Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, MA. They specialize in addressing the complex communication needs of students with CHARGE Syndrome, deafblindness, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and those with significant global challenges due to complex diagnoses. The SLP team is passionate about providing therapeutic services via a Total Communication approach to facilitate the development of receptive and expressive communication. They value an interdisciplinary approach to encourage generalization of skills across the school day, at home, and in the community.

Total Communication is an approach that uses a combination of verbal speech, sign language, symbols (e.g., photo/picture symbols, tactile symbols), meaningful use of whole objects, gestures, actions, facial expressions, communication devices, etc. This approach exposes students to multiple modalities to support both receptive and expressive language. A student may communicate using one or a combination of modalities, and we honor and shape all modes. During this presentation, we will discuss the benefits of using a Total Communication approach with our students who are diagnosed with CHARGE. We will discuss the possible ways communication can develop along with the strategies we have implemented to facilitate communication growth. Overall, we use creativity to individualize equipment and accommodations to optimize access to communication. We work together as an interdisciplinary team to implement each child’s educational program and incorporate a developmental approach. The development of language and communication through individualized instruction is paramount. Attendees will leave our presentation with the knowledge and tools necessary to support students with CHARGE and implement various communication strategies at home.