What is Unity ?
®
Unified Unity 84 and 128
Tracy Custer, M.Ed., SLP
Judith Meyer, M.A., CCC-SLP
Joan Sharp, B. Ed.
n
n
n
A software program
In all PRC devices
A way to organize language with the goal of
generative communication
A seminar designed to teach the
commonalities of vocabulary
in Prentke Romich Company devices.
What is Minspeak ?
®
A way of organizing language.
Unity is a registered trademark of Semantic Compaction Systems.
Three Ways of Organizing
Vocabulary in AAC Devices
n
Spelling and Word Prediction
Single-Meaning Icons
n
Unity/Minspeak/Semantic Compaction
n
n
Short sequences of multi-meaning icons
Minspeak is a registered trademark of Semantic Compaction Systems.
Alphabet Based Systems
n
Spelling one letter at a time
n
n
n
n
Simple concept
Requires spelling skills
Slow – keystroke intensive
Rate enhancements
n
Abbreviation expansion
n
Word Prediction
n
n
n
Memory conflicts, letter conflicts
Alphabet Based Systems
n
n
Alphabet based systems require
literacy.
Spelling messages letter-by-letter (or
abbreviation expansion) produces long
symbol sequences. This is the downfall
of spelling.
Not a rate enhancement (counter intuitive)
Distracting
1
Single-Meaning Pictures
n
n
n
Each word requires a picture
Easy concept to understand
Most words are not picture producers
n
n
Each picture means one word
n
n
Requires training (Try to use without words.)
Unity Has All Three Language
Methods:
n
Spelling and Word Prediction
n
Single-meaning Icons
n
Unity/Minspeak
Not natural (Romski & Sevcik)
Severe organizational issues
n
(Three year olds have a vocabulary of over 1,000 words.)
Effective Communication
Requires:
n
Sentences
n
Phrases
n
Words
n
Letters
I need
ILY
Generative Language Is Based
On Core Words
How are you?
n
80% of what we say is CORE
n
20% is FRINGE
Money
Core
•
•
•
•
small number of words
used for most messages
usable across many situations
applicable to children and adults
Fringe/Activity-Specific
•
•
•
I would feel happy.
I will ask my mom.
large, huge number of words
mostly nouns
infrequently used
Example
•
Can we go to Starbucks © to get a latte?
2
Toddler Vocabulary Arranged
by Frequency
Core Vocabulary
n Twenty-six core words
shown here comprise 96.3% of
the total words used by
toddlers. How many of these
words are commonly seen on
language boards?
do
go
color
make
need
it
that
what
please
Vantage/Vanguard 45
n
Vantage/Vanguard 84
n
n
Pathfinder 32
Pathfinder 128
Transition to Sequenced Vocabulary
Single Hit Unity
want
eat
drink
like
sleep
stop
read
feel
play/little
come
n
I
you
he/she
we
they
Sequenced vocabularies include many words:
n
45 Unity full
n
84 Unity Sequenced
n
128 Unity Sequenced
(about 2000 words)
(about 3000 words)
(about 4600 words)
All words are organized in patterns.
Let’s start to look at patterns. . .
Unity Pattern 1: Icon + Grammar Label
VT/VG 45
Unity Pattern 1: Icon + Grammar Label
VT/VG 84
3
Unity Pattern 1: Icon + Grammar Label
Unity Pattern 1: Icon + Grammar Label
PF 32
PF 128
Unity Pattern 1: Icon + Grammar Label
Unity Pattern 1: Icon + Grammar Label
45
BOOK
APPLE
84/128
APPLE
BOOK
DICE
JUICE
SUN
JUICE
SUN
DICE
Unity Pattern 1: Icon + Grammar Label
Unity Pattern 1: Icon + Grammar Label
45
84/128
45
APPLE
84/128
BOOK
ADVERB
NOUN
MEDICAL
MONEY
JUICE
SUN
DICE
THUMBS DOWN
MASKS
4
Unity Pattern 2: Pronouns
Unity Pattern 2: Pronouns
Subject Pronouns
↑
Subject
I
you
he
she
it
we
they
Object
me
you
him
her
it
us
them
↓
↑
Possessive
Adjective
Reflexive
myself
yourself
himself
herself
itself
ourselves
themselves
my
your
his
her
its
our
their
Double hit on the same key
↓
Possessive
Pronoun
mine
yours
his
hers
its
ours
theirs
Pronouns
↑
Subject
I
you
he
she
it
we
they
Object
me
you
him
her
it
us
them
↓
Reflexive
myself
yourself
himself
herself
itself
ourselves
themselves
↑
↓
Possessive
Possessive
Adjective
Pronoun
my
your
his
her
its
our
their
mine
yours
his
hers
its
ours
theirs
“object ” in Unity 128 and 84
“object ” in Unity 45
Unity Pattern 2: Pronouns
Shorter words “float” up . . .
Object Pronouns
Unity 128/84:
Unity 45:
“object ” in Unity 45
“object ” in Unity
128 and 84
Pronouns
↑
Subject
Unity Pattern 2: Pronouns
Reflexive Pronouns
Unity 128 /84:
Unity 45:
↓
Object
I
you
he
she
it
we
they
↑
↓
Possessive
Adjective
Reflexive
me
you
him
her
it
us
them
myself
yourself
himself
herself
itself
ourselves
themselves
Possessive
Pronoun
my
your
his
her
its
our
their
mine
yours
his
hers
its
ours
theirs
Unity Pattern 2: Pronouns
Possessive Adjective
Unity 128/84:
Unity 45:
“object ” in Unity
128 and 84
“object ” in Unity 45
Pronouns
↑
Subject
I
you
he
she
it
we
they
Object
me
you
him
her
it
us
them
↓
Reflexive
myself
yourself
himself
herself
itself
ourselves
themselves
Pronouns
↑
Possessive
Adjective
my
your
his
her
its
our
their
↓
Possessive
Pronoun
mine
yours
his
hers
its
ours
theirs
↑
Subject
I
you
he
she
it
we
they
Object
me
you
him
her
it
us
them
↓
Reflexive
myself
yourself
himself
herself
itself
ourselves
themselves
↑
↓
Possessive
Possessive
Adjective
Pronoun
my
your
his
her
its
our
their
mine
yours
his
hers
its
ours
theirs
5
Unity Pattern 3: Pronoun Phrases
Unity Pattern 2: Pronouns
(Declarative)
Possessive Pronouns
Unity 128/84:
Unity 45:
Pronouns
↑
Subject
I
you
he
she
it
we
they
Object
me
you
him
her
it
us
them
↓
Reflexive
myself
yourself
himself
herself
itself
ourselves
themselves
↑
↓
Possessive
Possessive
Adjective
Pronoun
my
your
his
her
its
our
their
mine
yours
his
hers
its
ours
theirs
Unity Pattern 3: Pronoun Phrases
Unity Pattern 3: Pronoun Phrases
(Interrogative)
(Negative)
Unity Pattern 4: Nouns
Unity Pattern 4: Nouns in Unity 84
ICON + ACTIVITY ROW
n
The following chart shows some of the available categories and examples of nouns.
Continued
6
Unity Pattern 4:
Additional Nouns in Unity 84
Unity Pattern 4: Double Hit Nouns
n
Unity Pattern 4: More Nouns
n
A unique feature of the Pathfinder is “double hits’ for more nouns.
Unity Pattern 5: Grammar Label + Icon
Category + Sub-Category
INTERJECTION
HAMMER
WANTED
SUN
APPLE
MASKS
Unity Pattern 5: Grammar Label + Icon
Unity Pattern 5: Grammar Label + Icon
CONJUNCTION
DETERMINER
FAMILY
DETERMINER
CONJUNCTION
REMEMBER
BED
DICE
MOUNTAIN
DICE
LOVE
7
Unity Pattern 5: Grammar Label + Icon
Unity Pattern 5: Grammar Label + Icon
45
84
84
128
QUESTION WORD
PREPOSITION
RAINBOW
JUICE
HAMMER
TV
45
FAMILY
128
84/128
WANTED
THUMBS UP
WATCH
BOOK
ISLAND
Unity Pattern 5: Grammar Label + Icon
45
84/128
45/84
128
ADVERB
MUSIC
Speeding up communication . . .
RETURN
84/128
45
EXIT
SUIT
REMEMBER
Single Hits for Unity 128 and Unity 84
Indefinite Pronouns
. . . Unity 128 and Unity 84
n
NO
n
n
n
Coded with one icon
Used frequently
And said quickly
YES
Start with . . .
is
were was
on
to
End with . . .
any
n
n
every
n
n
some
n
n
no
n
Unity 84
are
n
n
Unity 128
n
n
n
n
not
an
the
a
n
time
body
how
more
one
thing
way
what
where
8
Indefinite Pronouns: Unity 45
Pre-stored Sentences
n
Unity 128 and 84 use the sentence icon
and a subcategory icon
Select DETERMINER, then select A, E, S, or
N and all Indefinite Pronouns will be on the
Activity Row.
Examples: anybody, everybody, somebody, nobody
Pre-stored Sentences
n
Unity 45 uses the sentence icon, then
goes to Activity Row
Activity-Based Sentences
n
Vocabulary in the Activity Row
+ Activity Row = Sentence by category to sub-category
(Wants, Protests, Questions)
More Activities
Jokes and Songs
9
Give a man pre-programmed messages
And he talks only in THAT activity
Teach a man language
And he talks in ALL activities.
Chinese Proverb
Sources for Therapy Materials
n
PRC website
n
n
PRC Picture Set CD
n
Unity® Enhanced Writing with Symbols for
Vantage/Vanguard
n
Gail VanTatenhove website
n
n
www.prentrom.com
Support for Vantage/Vanguard
www.vantatenhove.com
Developer’s Assistant for
Vantage/Vanguard
n
Russell Cross web site
n
www.roughmagic.net
Unity Training and Assessment Curriculum
n
Visit www.prentrom.com for more product information.
Support for Pathfinder
n
n
n
n
n
PRC Picture Set CD
Gail VanTatenhove website
Russell Cross website
Unity® for Writing with Symbols
Semantic Dictionary
Prentke Romich Company
n
n
Email:
[email protected]
Funding/Insurance Help
n
n
n
800-262-1984
Email:
[email protected]
n
n
n
n
800-262-1933
Email:
[email protected]
n
n
800-848-8008 for
schedule and registration
Tech Support/Service
n
Sales/Rentals
n
Seminars (on site and
e-Trainings)
800-262-1990
Email:
[email protected]
Website
www.prentrom.com
Visit www.prentrom.com for more product information.
10