Gateway to Language and Learning© is a series of pages sets designed for children and adults who communicate through the use of a augmentative and alternative communication devices (AAC). Created in 1997, Gateway© was the first core word page set designed for use on a dynamic display device. It continues to be the only communication page set designed from a developmental perspective. Authored by Joan Bruno, Ph.D., Gateway was developed as an outcome of her clinical work with several young, bright physically-impaired children who were learning to use AAC to communicate. It has evolved over the years reflecting both advances in technology and the growing communication and educational needs of these children, some of whom have since moved onto college. Gateway© is available exclusively in the DynaVox Technologies line of products. It is seamlessly incorporated into the DynaVox V InterAACT Page Set and also available within a separate Gateway User.
Gateway's strength comes from its poweful core vocabulary combined with its efficent organization. A core word vocabulary allows for spontaneous and novel message creation about a wide range of topics. A core that is well-designed provides the user tranparent access to that core. Efficient organization minimizes the number of key activations needed to create novel messages and thus reduces the cognitive demands assoicated with retrieving vocabulary.
The use of topical (fringe) vocabulary is critical to support the core. Each Gateway page sets provide age-appropriate fringe vocabulary along with a frameword for easy customization. Customization is critical not only to personaliza a device but to provice access to changing school-related vocabulary. Use of phrases and prestored messages further support the Gateway core in enhancing efficiency and helping to promote social interaction. In a fast-paced world being able to say what you want to say, when you want to say it, and to do so with a minimum amount of effort is the hallmark of efficient communication.
The Gateway to Language and Learning© page sets enable efficient and effective communication for users of AAC devices across the age span. Becoming a proficent user of Gateway does not require learning of complex sequences but it does require the user to become familiar with the contents and the location of stored vocabulary. Within a relatively short period of time, a user will be able to communicate at a level commensurate with his or her cognitive-language abilities.
Each Gateway© page set (Gateway 20, Gateway 40, Gateway 60, or Pro) addresses the communication, educational and recreational needs of its defined user population. The Gateway 20-Child pages target language development and vocabulary acquisition. Gateway 40-Child, 60-Child and 60-Teen offers a rich core vocabulary to promote literacy and syntactic development along with pages designed to facilitate classroom participation. Gateway Pro and Scanning Pro provide literate users efficent access to a core words, a keyboard and it utilize character and morphological prediction to enhance the rate of message generation.
All of the Gateway pages have been optimized to accommodate individuals who access their devices through scanning. Function keys have been moved to the left side of each page and vocabulary has been reorganized so that the most frequently occurring words can be accessed more efficiently. There is a dedicated Scanning version of Gateway Pro.