Total Communication
Total Communication (TC) refers to using both sign language and spoken language simultaneously to get a message across. This method supports the student's residual hearing through assistive listening devices (Albertini et. al 2002 p. 79).
The philosophy behind total communication encourages that any and all approaches that deaf people use to communicate can and should be used in an educational setting to aid in a student's language, as well as cognitive development. TC capitalizes on the idea that having visual and auditory input can assist in building the strengths and abilities of the deaf student, while also giving the student access to the visual, oral, and auditory elements of language (Schwartz 2007 p. 259).
Approaches used with Total Communication:
*Examples of Manual Codes for English
Questions to Ask if Investigating a Total Communication School Program:
The philosophy behind total communication encourages that any and all approaches that deaf people use to communicate can and should be used in an educational setting to aid in a student's language, as well as cognitive development. TC capitalizes on the idea that having visual and auditory input can assist in building the strengths and abilities of the deaf student, while also giving the student access to the visual, oral, and auditory elements of language (Schwartz 2007 p. 259).
Approaches used with Total Communication:
- American Sign Language (ASL)
- Manual Codes for English*
- Simultaneous Communication (SimCom)
- Fingerspelling
- Amplification and Auditory Training
- Cued Speech
*Examples of Manual Codes for English
- Signed English
- Seeing Essential English/Signed Exact English (SEE1)
- Signing Exact English (SEE2)
Questions to Ask if Investigating a Total Communication School Program:
- Which of the TC approaches above are included in the program?
- How are these components developed and integrated into the instructional program?
- Are there d/Deaf staff members to be role models for my child?
- What related support services, such as speech-language pathologists, communication specialists, or educational audiologists, are available to provide services? What training or experience do they have in working with deaf students?
- What amplification and other assistive devices are available?
- What are the options for classroom placements or environments?
- What is the plan for home-school communication?