LEARNING THE ABCs OF AAC


SUMMER 2021


“This major change in service delivery model has ex- panded the ways we engage with clients and the skills that we possess as clinicians,” said Berry, interim chair of the department of speech pathology and audiology at South Carolina State University.


“It has allowed caregivers to become much more engaged. Clinicians have seen caregivers participate in sessions more because the activities are occurring in the most familiar place: their home. The results of these kinds of new experiences with telehealth have, in some cases, resulted in clients taking more owner- ship of their learning and being more focused because they are in a familiar environment,” added Berry, who offers private speech language pathology services through her practice, The Berry Institute.


Clay Hadden ’04, affectionately known to YouTube subscribers and clients as Mister Clay, takes his cues from another notable Mister.


If you watch any of Hadden’s videos dedicated to teaching neurodivergent children who need the help of communication devices and visuals aids, you will hear the same gentle, persuasive voice Fred Rogers used on his iconic show “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”


Hadden, a speech language pathologist, understands the power of communication and acknowledges the privilege of being able to speak.


“Words are so powerful… just ask someone that doesn’t have them.”


What we do with words is amazing and we have to choose them wisely,” said Hadden, who has amassed nearly 5,000 YouTube followers.


He opened his own Mount Pleasant-based speech therapy practice, Ready Set Talk, in 2016, focusing on


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augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) methods for children with speech and language disabilities. AAC teaches kids how to use alternative methods such as writing, gestures and symbols to communicate with others. In recent years, he expanded his reach online, creating fun, short videos and kid-friendly music for youngsters who need alternative methods to learn about everything from animals to sounds.


“Kids like to have fun and I like to have fun, so it was kind of natural for me,” Hadden said of his knack for relating to children. In 2020 when the pandemic hit, he was able to take the time to grow his online presence organically. Like many practitioners, Hadden had to also adjust to telehealth options for clients.


Expanding Client Engagement Opportunities Speech therapist Jessica Berry ’08 said virtual delivery of services has been challenging, yet it has offered a glimpse into how ac- cessibility could be improved for families who face socioeconomic,


racial and societal barriers. 13


Choosing What Works Access to speech therapy, Berry said, is still limited and AAC is not a one-size-fits-all approach.


For instance, some children find success with unaided systems - gestures, body language, facial ex- pressions and sign vocabulary. Others rely on aided systems that use a tool or device such as pointing to letters and pictures on a board or screen or use of a computer that speaks for the individual.


“Communities need individualized service options for their communicative needs. In particular, clients in rural and minority communities should be made aware of


LEARNING THE ABCs OF AAC


programs like BabyNet that provide early intervention services to young children to help improve their language skills before entering school,” Berry said.


Building Life Skills


Both Berry and Hadden are proponents for early expo- sure to AAC methods and believe it plays a significant factor in how well nonverbal children can independently interact and engage with the world.


“The longer we wait to start tapping into literacy, the harder it will be and the longer it will take to get children to a certain reading and writing level. You are exposing people to words and symbols that will develop into liter- acy skills but it’s much more complicated,” said Hadden, who comes from a family of educators.


Berry, also an educational consultant who partners with school districts in the Lowcountry to work with teach- ers and students to help preserve the Gullah/Geechee language, said the use of AAC devices could help ease some of the frustrations that families face while working to improve a child’s speech.


For additional insight into speech therapy, visit Hadden’s website or contact Berry on LinkedIn.

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