The ultimate goal of this chapter is to provide parents, speech-language
pathologists, educators, personal care assistants, and others with a sufficient orientation
to Enhanced Natural Gestures (ENGs) to enable them to administer the program on
their own. ENGs are intended to serve as one component of a broad augmentative and
alternative communication (AAC) system that includes multiple modes of communication.
ENGs consist of intentional behaviors that individuals are already using or can
be easily taught given their existing cognitive, language, and motor skills. Unlike other
gestural systems, including sign languages, ENGs are easily acquired by individuals
with AS and readily understood by a broad range of communication partners. ENGs
often differ from one individual to the next. Readers are acquainted with the two
primary methods for teaching ENGs: Mand-Model with Time Delay (MMT) and
Molding-Shaping. These techniques take advantage of naturally arising opportunities
for communication that occur at school, home, and other settings.
Keywords: AAC, Alternative, Angelman Syndrome, Augmentative, Communication,
Candidacy, Disability, Education, Enhanced, Genetics, Gestures,
Handicap, Intellectual, Intervention, Natural, Severe, Sign, Speech, System.
