School: Education

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Complex Communication Needs: Being an Effective Communication Partner
  • Unit Code

    EDU6311
  • Year

    2021
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr John Andrew O'ROURKE

Description

This unit examines the impact of complex communication needs on a persons participation and inclusion in education. It explores relationships, community activities and future employment within the context of current definitions of communication, complex communication needs, communicative competency, as well as Alternative and/or Augmentative Communication (AAC). The aims of AAC education, as well as the factors that serve as barriers or supports for AAC will be discussed. Explicit and practical learning skills that facilitate competent communication with people with complex needs in a variety of settings will be investigated. In addition, a range of AAC instructional strategies, linked to teaching and learning techniques will be analysed with respect to the impact these strategies have on student learning, participation and relationships.

Non Standard Timetable Requirements

Weekend seminars and workshops with appropriate intervals of reflection time.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded EDU5310.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Evaluate the impact of culture societal attitudes, beliefs and expectations on the education of individuals from varying indigenous and cultural backgrounds.
  2. Provide solutions that address barriers or supports to the success of AAC interventions on the lives of individuals with complex communication needs.
  3. Critically analyse, evaluate and transform showing autonomy and well-developed judgement in exploring the efficacy of communication partner strategies.
  4. Transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to select and apply methods to the teaching and learning of AAC strategies.
  5. Solve complex problems with theoretical concepts, methods and models of AAC intervention to enhance participation and inclusion.

Unit Content

  1. AAC support networks for AAC users, families, communities and professionals.
  2. Aided Language Stimulation techniques in both classroom and community settings.
  3. Aims of AAC teaching and learning.
  4. Behaviours, attitudes and skills of competent communication partners.
  5. Critical analysis of the research on the teaching and learning of multi-modal AAC strategies for education and health professionals, individuals with complex communication needs and members of their families and community networks.
  6. Current definitions of communication, language, complex communication needs, alternative and/or augmentative communication (AAC) and communicative competence.
  7. Factors that support the learning and embedding of successful communication partner techniques into daily practice.
  8. Impact of complex communication needs and successful AAC intervention on learning, relationships and participation.
  9. Major supports and barriers to AAC success including the Communication Bill of Rights.
  10. Supporting multimodal communication for teaching and learning outcomes.

Learning Experience

Students will engage in learning experiences through ECUs LMS as well as additional ECU l

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentVideo of practice60%
Research PaperCreating a communication accessible learning environment40%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentVideo of practice60%
Research PaperCreating a communication accessible learning environment40%

Core Reading(s)

  • Beukelman, D. (2013). Augmentative and alternative communication : supporting children and adults with complex communication needs (4th ed.). Baltimore: Paul H Brookes Pub. Retrieved from http://www.ECU.eblib.com/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=1787388

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

EDU6311|1|1

School: Education

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Complex Communication Needs: Being an Effective Communication Partner
  • Unit Code

    EDU6311
  • Year

    2021
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr John Andrew O'ROURKE

Description

This unit examines the impact of complex communication needs on a persons participation and inclusion in education. It explores relationships, community activities and future employment within the context of current definitions of communication, complex communication needs, communicative competency, as well as Alternative and/or Augmentative Communication (AAC). The aims of AAC education, as well as the factors that serve as barriers or supports for AAC will be discussed. Explicit and practical learning skills that facilitate competent communication with people with complex needs in a variety of settings will be investigated. In addition, a range of AAC instructional strategies, linked to teaching and learning techniques will be analysed with respect to the impact these strategies have on student learning, participation and relationships.

Non Standard Timetable Requirements

Weekend seminars and workshops with appropriate intervals of reflection time.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded EDU5310.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Evaluate the impact of culture societal attitudes, beliefs and expectations on the education of individuals from varying indigenous and cultural backgrounds.
  2. Provide solutions that address barriers or supports to the success of AAC interventions on the lives of individuals with complex communication needs.
  3. Critically analyse, evaluate and transform showing autonomy and well-developed judgement in exploring the efficacy of communication partner strategies.
  4. Transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to select and apply methods to the teaching and learning of AAC strategies.
  5. Solve complex problems with theoretical concepts, methods and models of AAC intervention to enhance participation and inclusion.

Unit Content

  1. AAC support networks for AAC users, families, communities and professionals.
  2. Aided Language Stimulation techniques in both classroom and community settings.
  3. Aims of AAC teaching and learning.
  4. Behaviours, attitudes and skills of competent communication partners.
  5. Critical analysis of the research on the teaching and learning of multi-modal AAC strategies for education and health professionals, individuals with complex communication needs and members of their families and community networks.
  6. Current definitions of communication, language, complex communication needs, alternative and/or augmentative communication (AAC) and communicative competence.
  7. Factors that support the learning and embedding of successful communication partner techniques into daily practice.
  8. Impact of complex communication needs and successful AAC intervention on learning, relationships and participation.
  9. Major supports and barriers to AAC success including the Communication Bill of Rights.
  10. Supporting multimodal communication for teaching and learning outcomes.

Learning Experience

Students will engage in learning experiences through ECUs LMS as well as additional ECU l

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentVideo of practice60%
Research PaperCreating a communication accessible learning environment40%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentVideo of practice60%
Research PaperCreating a communication accessible learning environment40%

Core Reading(s)

  • Beukelman, D. (2013). Augmentative and alternative communication : supporting children and adults with complex communication needs (4th ed.). Baltimore: Paul H Brookes Pub. Retrieved from http://www.ECU.eblib.com/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=1787388

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

EDU6311|1|2