![]() ![]() ![]() Especially if this is the first time they are being invited, they may feel apprehensive. Just like the idea of a formal team meeting can feel stressful for the professionals and family members in attendance, the same applies for the AAC user. Why is it important for them to attend?.Talk to the AAC user about what these meetings will involve. Learning to navigate these kinds of meetings and advocate for yourself in front of professionals is a skill that needs lots of practice and support. However, throwing someone into a team meeting without enough preparation–on their end or the rest of the team’s–probably won’t have the best results and won’t give them a real opportunity to contribute. Having that AAC user present to share their own perspective of their needs and preferences can give meetings much more direction and ensures that decisions are made based on what truly works best for their needs. Including AAC users in team meetings, even when they are young children, can help foster the ability to make choices and the ability to communicate those choices.Īdditionally, conflict in teams often arises from situations where team members are not able to agree on what is best for the AAC user in question. “Someone else will always make the decisions for them” is not a realistic or respectful answer to the question, “How do we ensure AAC users develop the ability to make decisions about their own communication and services?” Even if an AAC user can’t communicate their decisions in a way people can understand now, they may be able to in the future. Adults generally have more control over their lives and services than children do. Think about inclusion from a lifetime perspective. Too often, we are left out of the process because people assume we can’t understand or have nothing to say. Including the AAC user teaches them that their perspective and thoughts matter.ĪAC users have a right to be included in the decision-making process for decisions about us. Even if an AAC user is not old enough or experienced enough with their device to speak much at the meeting, including them shows them that they are a core part of the team. This means all AAC users, not just those who are “old enough” or “advanced enough” to participate. It is important to include AAC users in team meetings about them. “Nothing about us without us” cannot be an empty statement AAC teams must work to include and center AAC users in every decision. Even if we are not able to make the final decision, our thoughts, feelings, and input must be considered. When at all possible, the AAC user must have the final decision-making authority in the team. AAC users are the most important part of any AAC team, yet we are too often left out of team decisions. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |