LAMP

What is LAMP?
Language Acquisition through Motor Planning (LAMP) is a therapeutic approach based on
neurological and motor learning principles. The goal is to give individuals who are nonverbal or
have limited verbal abilities a method of independently and spontaneously expressing themselves
in any setting.

LAMP focuses on giving the individual independent access to vocabulary on voice output AAC
devices that use consistent motor plans for accessing vocabulary. Teaching of the vocabulary
happens across environments, with multisensory input to enhance meaning, with the child's
interests and desires determining the vocabulary to be taught.

The LAMP approach was developed by utilizing motor learning principles along with the
Unity language system for the treatment of nonverbal individuals who use an augmentative
device to communicate.

When LAMP strategies were used with nonverbal children with autism, they were found to
increase the ability of the children to communicate spontaneously in any environment using
unique combinations of words to express themselves.It was often noted that as communication
skills improved, social engagement increased, problematic behaviors declined, and some
individuals exhibited increased verbal speech.
Why LAMP?
Individuals with autism may have dysfunction in motor planning and sensory processing which
are addressed with this approach. The LAMP approach continues to be enriched with the
emergence of new information in neurology and motor learning and through the successes and
struggles shared by parents, therapists, and emerging communicators. We are learning together!

The Goal

As a result of intervention using the LAMP approach, it is hoped that the individual will gain the
ability to independently and spontaneously communicate whatever they want to say.

Learning a language takes many years for the neurologically typical individual. LAMP is not a
cure. LAMP is a method for providing an individual with a language system that can progress
from first words to fluent communication.

Many individuals using the LAMP approach have demonstrated success with some becoming
very communicative and some increasing the amount of their verbal speech.

Information for parents: Advocating For Your Child

The most common concern heard from parents when an AAC device is suggested is: Will it keep
my child from talking?

Reviews of published studies have found that AAC in general, and the use of speech-generating
devices in particular, have a positive effect on speech production. There were no reports of
decreases in speech production (Millar, Light, and Schlosser, 2006), (Schlosser and Wendt,
2008).

Even if using a voice output device had no effect on the acquisition of verbal speech, there
remain a multitude of reasons for giving your child a way to express himself. Giving children a
way to communicate allows them to become active participants in language development and
learning in general. A method of communication allows them to be more engaged socially,
decreases frustration and aberrant behaviors, and allows others to see your child's true potential!

Helpful hints for educators: Helpful Hints:

1. Know the vocabulary available on the child's device: print it out and keep it on your desk.
Know the locations of words on the device so that you can teach them.

2. Frame activities and questions so that child can answer with available vocabulary.
3. Don't expect the child to answer in full sentences; accept telegraphic utterances and
interpret them in context

4. Accept all forms of communication: gestures, facial expressions, intelligible

verbalizations. If you understand what the child is saying, don't make him "say it on your
device."

5. Modify teaching activities based on the individual child's sensory needs and language
skills

o A child with poor receptive language skills and/or poor sensory modulation will
need a lot of one-on-one teaching. Teaching opportunities should be multi-sensory
to address sensory needs and teach meanings of words in context.

o The more receptive language skills gained, the more the child will be able to do
more traditional teaching tasks. These should be added slowly as the child's
ability to sit, attend, engage, and understand increases.

6. Teach concepts before you test them: Kids with language delays have difficulty learning
concepts by being told what they mean. They need to see it and experience it! Initially,
give them an opportunity to use words and see a response without a right or wrong
answer. Ask open ended questions. Examples are listed below.

o Days of the week: Let them say any day, then the teacher or class sings a song
about that day

o Kid can say a feeling and other kids have to act out that feeling

o Teach names of other students by having all the kids hide and then pop out when
their name is said on the device.

o During circle time, let them choose whatever they want to say about themselves.
Once they say it, the teacher could say, "That's right, you live in Memphis," and
show them a picture of their home or "That's right! Your name is Joe," and show a
picture of the child.

o The child could practice "go" and "stop" to start and stop music, get the other kids
to start and stop when walking down the hall, to tell the other kids when to start
and stop dancing, etc.

o Literacy Activities: When writing stories, ask the child what he wants the story to
be about. After reading a page/story, ask the child to tell you a word about the
story.
7. Build expressive vocabulary. Do not temporarily program words into the device for a
particular lesson. Give the child a way to say the words he will need to say for the rest of
his life.

8. Teach the meaning and location of vocabulary to the emergent communicator: Don't
worry about categories, meanings of symbols, etc. Just show where it is, model its use,
and give him a fun and rewarding reason to use it.

9. A consistent motor movement - hearing the word- seeing something happen: As a child's
language skills improve, an awareness of the meanings of symbols, categories, and
organization of the language system may broaden and enhance the child's language skills.

10. Give the AAC communicator a chance to communicate for a variety of reasons, not just
labeling and requesting (greeting, rejection, commenting, directing, describing, etc.)

11. Generalize vocabulary. Teach a word during different activities so that the child fully
understands the meaning.