AAC for All: Culturally & Linguistically Responsive Practices
Mollie Mindel M.S. CCC-SLP
Jeeva John M.S. CCC-SLP
Plural Publishing
(2021)
Purchase on Amazon
Purchase on Plural Publishing
Mollie Mindel M.S. CCC-SLP
Jeeva John M.S. CCC-SLP
Plural Publishing
(2021)
Purchase on Amazon
Purchase on Plural Publishing
Talk Like Me: Supporting Students who are African American Using AAC
Mollie Mindel M.S. CCC-SLP
Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups 12
December 17, 2020
With the changing demographics, speech language pathologists (SLPs) are increasingly supporting diverse caseloads. Research and discussion within the profession often look at culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) populations as a monolith, and may provide heightened focus on the complexity of bi/multilingual communicators who require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC); however, an exclusive focus on African Americans who use AAC is limited within the published body of research. This article aims to open discussion around the unique and specific supports needed to provide ethical services for African Americans who require AAC systems. A review of published literature across disciplines, including communication disorders, health and medicine, education, and social sciences across the last two decades was synergized with analysis of government and professional organization data sets, and professional reflection based upon clinical experience. Articles and resources were searched with the following terms and phrases in isolation or as various combinations: augmentative alternative communication, AAC, African American, culturally linguistically diverse, CLD, culture, disability, perspectives on disability, cultural competence, culturally responsive practice, medical bias, institutional racism. Method: The search engines used most commonly by the author to locate appropriate peer-reviewed articles included: ASHAWire, EBSCO, JSTOR, Google Scholar, and Google. Additionally, texts sited were either purchased or access through the University of California library system. Websites accessed for information were reviewed critically for biased content, with priority given to government websites. Results: SLPs developing a practice embedded with cultural competence and client advocacy will support not just the AAC user but their family as primary communication partners. Analysis of the institutional barriers, and how to mitigate the impact, will lead the clinician to culturally responsive intervention strategies. Conclusion: Clinicians developing their cultural competence to better support African American students using AAC will lead them to utilizing a family-centered and culturally responsive practice. It is imperative to use culturally responsive techniques from the stage of referral through the assessment and into intervention. This paradigm shift will reduce the impact of institutional barriers for African Americans using AAC and increase the participation of both the AAC user’s and their family communication partners’ engagement. Evidence-based practices already being implemented for supporting African Americans with communication disorders can be extrapolated to support the specific subgroup who require AAC for functional communication.
Mollie Mindel M.S. CCC-SLP
Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups 12
December 17, 2020
With the changing demographics, speech language pathologists (SLPs) are increasingly supporting diverse caseloads. Research and discussion within the profession often look at culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) populations as a monolith, and may provide heightened focus on the complexity of bi/multilingual communicators who require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC); however, an exclusive focus on African Americans who use AAC is limited within the published body of research. This article aims to open discussion around the unique and specific supports needed to provide ethical services for African Americans who require AAC systems. A review of published literature across disciplines, including communication disorders, health and medicine, education, and social sciences across the last two decades was synergized with analysis of government and professional organization data sets, and professional reflection based upon clinical experience. Articles and resources were searched with the following terms and phrases in isolation or as various combinations: augmentative alternative communication, AAC, African American, culturally linguistically diverse, CLD, culture, disability, perspectives on disability, cultural competence, culturally responsive practice, medical bias, institutional racism. Method: The search engines used most commonly by the author to locate appropriate peer-reviewed articles included: ASHAWire, EBSCO, JSTOR, Google Scholar, and Google. Additionally, texts sited were either purchased or access through the University of California library system. Websites accessed for information were reviewed critically for biased content, with priority given to government websites. Results: SLPs developing a practice embedded with cultural competence and client advocacy will support not just the AAC user but their family as primary communication partners. Analysis of the institutional barriers, and how to mitigate the impact, will lead the clinician to culturally responsive intervention strategies. Conclusion: Clinicians developing their cultural competence to better support African American students using AAC will lead them to utilizing a family-centered and culturally responsive practice. It is imperative to use culturally responsive techniques from the stage of referral through the assessment and into intervention. This paradigm shift will reduce the impact of institutional barriers for African Americans using AAC and increase the participation of both the AAC user’s and their family communication partners’ engagement. Evidence-based practices already being implemented for supporting African Americans with communication disorders can be extrapolated to support the specific subgroup who require AAC for functional communication.
Bridging the School and Home Divide for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families using Augmentative and Alternative Communities Systems
Mollie Mindel M.S. CCC-SLP
Jeeva John M.S. CCC-SLP
Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups 12
September 18, 2018
This article’s purpose is to increase the competency of school-based speech language pathologists who are increasingly working with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) student populations using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. The interplay between 2nd language acquisition, culture, family, and communication creates challenges for the professionals in successful implementation of AAC systems with CLD students. Successful acquisition of the competencies students need to communicate with an AAC system requires numerous communicative opportunities within the day, every day, within naturalistic settings and with multiple communication partners. To best facilitate
these opportunities, the students need to have access to their AAC system, not just at school but also within the home. For families of CLD backgrounds, and particularly CLD families from low–socioeconomic status homes, there are added challenges. Cultural mismatch between the professional and the families is common within our field, and as a result, misunderstandings regarding family values, needs, priorities, and resources may occur.
Mollie Mindel M.S. CCC-SLP
Jeeva John M.S. CCC-SLP
Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups 12
September 18, 2018
This article’s purpose is to increase the competency of school-based speech language pathologists who are increasingly working with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) student populations using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. The interplay between 2nd language acquisition, culture, family, and communication creates challenges for the professionals in successful implementation of AAC systems with CLD students. Successful acquisition of the competencies students need to communicate with an AAC system requires numerous communicative opportunities within the day, every day, within naturalistic settings and with multiple communication partners. To best facilitate
these opportunities, the students need to have access to their AAC system, not just at school but also within the home. For families of CLD backgrounds, and particularly CLD families from low–socioeconomic status homes, there are added challenges. Cultural mismatch between the professional and the families is common within our field, and as a result, misunderstandings regarding family values, needs, priorities, and resources may occur.
Disproportionality of African-American Children in Special Education within the San Francisco Bay Area
Mollie Mindel, M.S. CF-SLP
San Francisco State University - Graduate Thesis Work
January 2013
In speech-language pathology, there is a need for greater understanding of the process of identifying, assessing, and serving the speech-language needs of African-American children in public schools. The purpose of my research study is to gain greater specificity in understanding the process of identifying and placing African-American children in special education within the San Francisco Bay Area, and thereby gaining insight into the cause of historic and persistent disproportionate identification and placement of African-American children is special education programs. The focus of this work is on the dichotomy between the over-representation of African-American children within special educational programs for children with high-incidence disabilities, and the under-representation
of African-American children in programs for children with autism. This paper will look at peer-reviewed research, publicly accessible government data, and a
survey looking at self-efficacy of San Francisco Bay Area speech-language pathologists. The etiological focus of the disproportionality with be: professional bias, assessment bias, socioeconomic status effect, parent-professional relationships, and cultural differences regarding disability.
Mollie Mindel, M.S. CF-SLP
San Francisco State University - Graduate Thesis Work
January 2013
In speech-language pathology, there is a need for greater understanding of the process of identifying, assessing, and serving the speech-language needs of African-American children in public schools. The purpose of my research study is to gain greater specificity in understanding the process of identifying and placing African-American children in special education within the San Francisco Bay Area, and thereby gaining insight into the cause of historic and persistent disproportionate identification and placement of African-American children is special education programs. The focus of this work is on the dichotomy between the over-representation of African-American children within special educational programs for children with high-incidence disabilities, and the under-representation
of African-American children in programs for children with autism. This paper will look at peer-reviewed research, publicly accessible government data, and a
survey looking at self-efficacy of San Francisco Bay Area speech-language pathologists. The etiological focus of the disproportionality with be: professional bias, assessment bias, socioeconomic status effect, parent-professional relationships, and cultural differences regarding disability.
