You may have thought that once the AAC evaluation was done, the next step was to complete the paperwork required by insurance to request purchase of the device. Instead, you have just been told there needs to be a trial period. What is a trial period? At its core, it is exactly what it sounds like: a period of time after an AAC evaluation where an individual can use a communication device that they don’t yet own.
Looking a Little Deeper
You’ll find that trial periods:
- Provide access to the one device that was recommended during the AAC evaluation
- Typically use equipment from the device manufacturer
- Give the individual more time to show their communication potential
- Allow the team more time to document
- Typically last around 4 weeks but may be longer or shorter
- May be required by a funding source before they will pay for a communication device.
Since many individuals end up doing a trial period, Control Bionics wants to help you make the most of it. We want to make it easier for the team to see the kinds of things they are hoping for during the trial: increased interest and usage of the device, evidence of intentional communication, and a decreased need for prompts. We also want to support the team as they plan the trial period and collect data.
Control Bionics has introduced the first in a series of Trial Period Resources for Success! This resource is designed for individuals who are learning how to use a switch for scanning on a Control Bionics communication device like the NeuroNode Trilogy or NeuroNode Duo.
What do you get with the Trial Period Resources for Success?
Pre-Trial Worksheet and Trial Summary: The Pre-Trial Worksheet helps teams set expectations, review device information from the evaluation, and decide on goals for the trial period. After the trial period is over, the team can use the Trial Summary to review trial goals and observations about things like access, communicative functions, and the places and people involved in the trial. The document also provides examples of written summaries that could be provided to insurance to request purchase of the device. As a bonus, much of the Pre-Trial Worksheet and the Trial Summary can be used during trial periods with any device and with any access method!
Lesson Plans and Grid 3 pages: Four lesson plans provide an overall goal (e.g., focus on access, adding choice making); describe a variety of activities designed to target the goal over a few days, a week, or longer; and provide tips to make adjustments as needed. Because of the flexibility, the lesson plans can be used during a four week trial period or one that is longer or shorter. To set individuals up for success, each lesson plan comes with matching Grid 3 communication pages. Team can still access the many, many pages that come with each trial device as well as the custom pages.
Interested?
Download all of the PDFs, watch a video on how to use them, and request a trial device at our website.
Questions or suggestions for other resources?
Contact us at [email protected].
