Even as research continues to suggest the potential of assistive technology for improving student outcomes, it remains under-utilized in schools. Among numerous challenges to the effective utilization of assistive technology, research has suggested that educators are inadequately prepared to consider and implement the use of such technologies. In…

A single-subject, alternating treatment study compared the impact of two types of photograph displays of contrasting contextual complexity. The study examined the impact of high-context and no-context photographs, displayed on an iPad, on the ability of three preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to transition to play activities.…

The purpose of this research is to identify a core set of vocabulary used by native Urdu language (UL) speakers during dyadic conversation for social interaction and relationship building. This study was conducted in Karachi, Pakistan at an institution of higher education. This research seeks to distinguish between general (nonspecific…

Clinical Question: Would a minimally verbal toddler with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) benefit more from implementation of the Picture Exchange Communication System® (PECS®) or Pivotal Response Treatment® (PRT®) to increase communication initiations of his wants/needs? Method: Literature review of evidence-based practice (EBP) Intervention…

The purpose of this review was to examine the degree to which augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) intervention research included students with disabilities and their peers as part of the intervention. Given the shift in the field toward a social-ecological framework of disability, incorporating natural communication partners into…

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that results in loss of most motor functions by the time of death. Most persons with ALS experience a dysarthria that eventually renders oral/vocal communication unintelligible. This article reviews the communication needs of persons with ALS and the range of communication…

This study examined the effects of using sensory, augmentative, and alternative communication (AAC), and supportive communication strategies on the rate and type of communication used by three students with severe speech and motor impairments (SSMI). Using a multiple baseline across behaviour design with sensory and AAC intervention phases,…

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems often supplement oral communication for individuals with intellectual and communication disabilities. Research with preschoolers without disabilities has demonstrated that two visual--perceptual factors influence speed and/or accuracy of finding a target: the internal color and spatial…

This brief describes the technology transfer (TT) and knowledge translation (KT) work of Dr. Gregg Vanderheiden and the Trace Research & Development Center. The Trace Research & Development Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison was established in 1971 with the development of an early augmentative communication system, which was…

This study investigated the effects of a single bibliotherapy intervention on the attitudes of first grade children toward peers who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Seventy-one children, ages 6 and 7, participated in either (a) the experimental group, where they heard and discussed a book that featured a child who used AAC,…

We evaluated differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) plus prompting to increase peer-directed mands for preferred items using a picture exchange communication system (PECS). Two nonvocal individuals with autism participated. Independent mands with a peer increased with the implementation of DRA plus prompting for both…

Electronic technologies are playing an increasing role in mediating patterns of social interaction within the classroom. This trend includes augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems like light-weight smart tablets. AAC in general has proven effective for many children in regard to decreasing challenging behavior, enabling…

Therapists and educators frequently teach alternative-communication systems, such as picture exchanges or manual signs, to individuals with developmental disabilities who present with expressive language deficits. Michael (1985) recommended a taxonomy for alternative communication systems that differentiated between selection-based systems in…

The use of augmentative and alternative communication systems based on graphic symbols requires children to learn to combine symbols to convey utterances. The current study investigated how children without disabilities aged 4 to 6 years (n = 74) performed on a simple sentence (subject-verb and subject-verb-object) transposition task (i.e., spoken…

The burgeoning role of technology in society has provided opportunities for the development of new means of communication for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). This paper offers an organizational framework for describing traditional and emerging augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technology, and highlights how tools…