The purpose of this participatory narrative inquiry was to understand the musical experiences and preferences of two non-speaking children within the location of their school (institution), their interactions with music and the music setting (social), and to understand the culture of communication for these individual non-speaking students in a…

In-service general education teachers receive limited pre-service training in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems and strategies. Therefore, pre-service training should expose general education teacher candidates to the field of AAC and its benefits. This study investigated the efficacy of an online professional development…

Purpose: Thirty percent of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) do not develop spoken language. To provide a means of communication for this subset of the population, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems are often utilized. Low-tech options have traditionally been delivered through the in-person modality.…

This qualitative study critically examines the knowledge and readiness of teachers in South African classrooms in utilising Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for learners facing communication challenges. The study addresses the concerns expressed by teachers regarding their lack of knowledge and skills in utilizing AAC, highlighting…

The effectiveness of using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) with individuals with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is well documented in descriptive reviews and meta-analytic investigations published in international journals in the last decade. Most of these analyses include researches conducted in North-American or European…

A descriptive case-study design was used to document the implementation of a four-phase intervention for a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who uses augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in an inclusive classroom. The focus of the intervention was on enhancing social communication through peer modelling of the child's…

The use of interactive technologies has been demonstrated to enhance verbal and non-verbal communication, as well as the social interaction tendencies of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We examined effects of using Virtual Voice Assistant (VVAs) in children with ASD with respect to two outcomes: speech skills and social interaction…

The purpose of this case study was to explore the communication needs of a child with deafness and cerebral palsy (DCP) and how these needs can be supported by interventions targeting the use of communication approaches and strategies. One semi-structured interview with the child's parents and five observations of the child in different contexts…

Purpose: The goal of this study was to identify promising implementation strategies that may increase teachers' and speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) adoption of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) during routine classroom activities. Method: A grounded theory approach was used to collect and code online, semi-structured interviews…

Background: A significant proportion of adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience speech, language and communication difficulties which are associated with poor physical and mental health outcomes. Speech and language therapy (SLT) interventions are an important way to address these communication difficulties, yet there is limited…

This article describes ways for early educators to support communication of young children with complex communication needs (CCN) in classrooms through a simple three-step process. First, identify the child's preferred activities and items. Second, identify vocabulary and prepare the augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) system. Third,…

This study explored performance on expressive and receptive graphic symbol tasks and spoken comprehension by individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) as well as the relationship of performance with participants' skills and characteristics. Participants were 19 children and youth (aged 5- to 18-years-old) who used aided…

Purpose: Today, an ever-increasing number of technological advancements are becoming mainstream. As the availability of technological innovations increases, so do opportunities for evaluating any benefits of those innovations in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) research for individuals with developmental disabilities. One…

Special education teachers are essential team members in the provision of services to students with complex communication needs. Professional competencies related to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) practices have been outlined for special education teachers as part of their professional standards. Yet, it is unclear to what extent…

Students with complex communication needs may require augmentative and alternative communication systems to supplement or replace their speech abilities. To effectively identify a communication system, a feature-matching process should be implemented as it considers the student's present levels of performance. Due to the unique communication…