Further development of an Augmentative and Alternative Communication symbol taxonomy

Abstract

This paper is a continuation of the Lloyd and Fuller (1986) manuscript that proposed the aided/unaided dichotomy as the superordinate level of an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) symbol taxonomy. Possible categories for the proposed subordinate levels of the taxonomy are based on three sources: (1) previously published AAC symbol selection considerations, (2) the recently published output/input modalities scheme (van Balkom & Welle Donker-Gimbrere, 1988), and (3) the static/dynamic classification, which was discussed in the previous taxonomy paper. Using six criteria (the five mentioned in Lloyd & Fuller, 1986, in addition to a sixth criterion), the static/dynamic, the iconic/opaque, and the set/system classifications are proposed as subordinate levels under the superordinate “aided/unaided.” This taxonomy is proposed to stimulate further discussion and research in an attempt to expand our field's clinical/educational and research/theoretical base.

• Aided symbols
• graphic symbols
• iconicity
• model
• selection considerations
• symbol sets
• symbol systems
• taxonomy
• terminology
• theory
• unaided symbols