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Updated: Sep 20, 2026

Assessment and Communication for People with Disorders of Consciousness
Published on: August 1, 2017
Augmentative and alternative communication
Debora Downey1, Richard Hurtig
1Center for Disabilities and Development, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA.
Abstract:
With the help of a knowledgeable interdisciplinary team, individuals can find the best AAC system to meet their needs and enrich their quality of life. A new-found ability to communicate often significantly improves a person's overall prognosis and may prevent serious problems in the areas of behavior, learning, reading, and social development. However, because an AAC system is just one component of multimodal communication, it should not inhibit the use of speech by individuals who have some usable or functional speech. It is important to understand that AAC is a process and that an AAC system will evolve over time to meet the changing preferences, dislikes, and abilities of the user as that individual strives to accomplish communication goals.
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