THE 5 W’S OF THE
COMMUNICATION MATRIX
MANDI PEDERSEN & DEB STRONG
OUTCOME
• STAFF WILL COMPLETE A COMMUNICATION MATRIX FOR A
STUDENT THEN DISCUSS HOW THE INFORMATION CAN BE
USED TO PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION
WHAT?
• WHAT IS THE COMMUNICATION MATRIX?
• A FREE ONLINE ASSESSMENT TOOL CREATED TO HELP PROFESSIONALS AND FAMILY MEMBERS
SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH SEVERE COMMUNICATION DISORDERS IN THEIR JOURNEY TOWARD
GREATER SELF-EXPRESSION.
• WHAT DOES IT DO?
• BY ANSWERING A SERIES OF QUESTIONS, ONE CAN PINPOINT EXACTLY HOW AN INDIVIDUAL IS
COMMUNICATING NOW AND CRAFT REALISTIC GOALS FOR THE FUTURE.
• WHAT INFORMATION COMES FROM IT?
• A CUSTOM REPORT (COST IS $6) WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH EDUCATIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
AND PROGRESS MONITORING GUIDELINES.
WHO?
• WHO IS IT FOR?
• STUDENTS, PARENTS, EDUCATORS, SLP'S, AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS
• WHO COMPLETES IT?
• PARENTS, EDUCATORS, SLP'S, OTHER PROFESSIONALS
• WHO BENEFITS FROM IT?
• EVERYONE
WHY?
• WHY FILL IT OUT?
• TO DETERMINE THE PRECISE COMMUNICATION COMPETENCIES OF AN INDIVIDUAL, AND TO
DEMONSTRATE ANY CHANGE IN COMMUNICATION FOLLOWING THE ADMINISTRATION OF MORE
THAN ONE MATRIX.
WHEN?
• WHEN DO YOU DO IT?
• ANY TIME YOU'RE WORKING WITH AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS COMMUNICATION NEEDS.
• MAIDEN CHOICE SCHOOL TEACHERS COMPLETED THE COMMUNICATION MATRIX FOR STUDENTS
THREE TIMES DURING THE 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR; OCTOBER, FEBRUARY, AND MAY.
• THIS WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE ADMINISTRATORS IN EACH OF YOUR BUILDINGS
WHERE?
• WHERE CAN YOU ACCESS THE COMMUNICATION MATRIX?
• WWW.COMMUNICATIONMATRIX.ORG
REGISTER FOR AN ACCOUNT
WWW.COMMUNICATIONMATRIX.ORG
• PLEASE REGISTER AS A NEW USER, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A COMMUNICATION MATRIX
ACCOUNT
• BATTLE MONUMENT STAFF, PLEASE SET YOUR PASSWORD AS: BMS1215
• RIDGE RUXTON STAFF, PLEASE SET YOUR PASSWORD AS: RRS0922
• MAIDEN CHOICE STAFF, PLEASE SET YOUR PASSWORD AS: MCS0111
• USE ALL CAPS FOR THE LETTERS OF THE PASSWORD
• IF EVERYONE HAS THE SAME PASSWORD, TEACHERS CAN ACCESS ALL STUDENT PROFILES.
HELPFUL WHEN STUDENTS MOVE CLASSES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR WHEN CLASSES CHANGE; ETC.
AFTER REGISTERING…
• PLEASE TAKE THE NEXT 10 MINUTES TO EXPLORE THE WEBSITE
• DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START?
• SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM AND CLICK ON LINKS UNDER
COMMUNICATION MATRIX
AND
THE MATRIX COMMUNITY
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…
• YOU WILL NOW BE GIVEN THE TIME TO UPLOAD ONE STUDENT’S INFORMATION INTO THE
MATRIX.
• MAIDEN CHOICE STAFF, PLEASE SIT WITH STAFF MEMBERS THAT HAVE NOT USED THE MATRIX
BEFORE. YOU ARE THE EXPERTS TO HELP GUIDE TEACHERS THROUGH THEIR FIRST MATRIX.
• STUDENT INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED FROM TIENET.
FINISHED?
• LET’S LOOK AT A MATRIX…
WHAT DOES IT SHOW? 4, 24, 7, 9
• THE MATRIX IS ORGANIZED INTO FOUR MAJOR REASONS TO COMMUNICATE THAT APPEAR
ACROSS THE BOTTOM OF THE PROFILE.
• UNDER EACH OF THESE FOUR MAJOR REASONS ARE 24 MORE SPECIFIC MESSAGES THAT PEOPLE
EXPRESS. EACH OF THESE MESSAGES CORRESPOND TO THE 24 QUESTIONS YOU ANSWER AS YOU
COMPLETE THE MATRIX.
• THE SEVEN LEVELS RANGE FROM LEVEL 1, “PRE-INTENTIONAL BEHAVIOR” THAT REFLECTS A GENERAL
STATE (THINK OF THE WAY A BABY SHOWS IT IS SLEEPY OR UNCOMFORTABLE) ALL THE WAY UP TO
LEVEL 7, USING LANGUAGE.
• 9 CATEGORIES OF COMMUNICATIVE BEHAVIOR
• LET’S GO TO HTTPS://WWW.COMMUNICATIONMATRIX.ORG/MATRIX/PAGES/RESEARCHBASIS FOR
MORE INFORMATION
WHAT’S NEXT?
• LOOK AT YOUR STUDENT’S MATRIX
• WHAT HAVE THEY MASTERED?
• WHERE DO THEY NEED TO GO?
• WHAT GOALS/OBJECTIVES OR ACTIVITIES CAN YOU DO TO GET YOUR STUDENT MOVING
“DOWN AND TO THE LEFT” ON THE MATRIX?
• HOW CAN YOU PLAN YOUR INSTRUCTION TO MEET THE NEEDS OF YOUR STUDENT, WITH THE
KNOWLEDGE OF HIS/HER COMMUNICATION MATRIX?