This paper examines the evidence on whether facilitated communication (FC) enables people with disabilities to demonstrate unexpected skills, considering the efficacy of FC (including both objective and descriptive evidence), other research questions, theoretical issues, ethics, and acrimony. It concludes that the benefits of the practice have not…

A study evaluated the effects of a voice output communication aid (VOCA) and naturalistic teaching procedures on the communicative interactions of four children (ages 3-5) with autism. Children showed increases in communicative interactions using VOCAs. There was no apparent reductive effect of VOCA use on other communicative behaviors. (Author/CR)

This study examined representational matching to sample with 68 subjects with severe mental retardation. Participants differed in their expressive communication and included symbolic (speaking) individuals, distal-gesture users, and contact-gesture users. Contact-gesture users performed significantly more poorly on identical matching to sample…

A multiple baseline study evaluated effects of using voice output devices to facilitate communicative initiation behaviors of two young nonverbal children with developmental delays. Both children increased their specific initiations and decreased unclear initiations and adult prompted communication behaviors. Results support the use of…

This article considers the purposes of preoperative psychological assessment of cochlear implant candidates, addressing the issues of candidate selection, exclusion, and readiness. Aspects of motivation and informed consent as well as ethical issues are also considered, and specific assessment methodologies, including questionnaires, interviews,…

This article describes aspects of classroom acoustics that interfere with the ability of listeners to understand speech. It considers impacts on students and teachers and offers four possible solutions: noise control, signal control without amplification, individual amplification systems, and sound field amplification systems. (Author/DB)

Three individuals (8, 10, and 24 years old, with diagnoses of autism and mental retardation) participated in a message-passing facilitated communication format to determine whether they could disclose information previously unknown to their facilitators. Results showed valid facilitated communication from each participant. Out of 720 communicative…

Focus group research methodology was used to identify professional skills regarded by educational team members (N=30) as necessary to support students who used augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in general education classrooms. All valued five skills, including the ability to work together collaboratively and to maintain and operate…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate intervention procedures to teach conditional use of a communicative request for assistance and independent task performance. A 40-year-old man with autism and severe mental retardation with a history of escape-related problems was taught to use a graphic symbol to request assistance and to engage…

Multicultural research in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is an emerging area of intrigue and mystery. Most important, it is necessary in order to advance the field of AAC and to ensure the delivery of quality services to culturally and linguistically diversity AAC consumers and their families. This article addresses both the need…

Increasing numbers of young children with disabilities are receiving services in inclusive settings such as Head Start. It is important to note that positive outcomes for young children with disabilities are due in large part to practitioners' understanding and implementation of both recommended practices in both early care and education and early…

With the implementation of the inclusion concept in public school classes, the ability of the general physical educator to effectively teach all of his or her students has been tested. This is particularly true with some students who have a receptive language disability (e.g., deaf, traumatic brain injury), an expressive language disability (e.g.,…

A small pilot study was conducted to explore the self-concept of young people with a learning disability from a Jewish community in an inner city area. Four young people participated in the project. All attended a college dedicated to the further education of people with special needs from the Jewish community. Semi-structured interviews were…

The Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Olympics is a project serving a twofold purpose for augmented communicators in the Broward County Public School System in Florida. While allowing young augmented communicators to build competencies in using AAC devices, the Olympics provide a meaningful extracurricular experience to students…

Strategic pooling of assistive technology, human resources and funding options has made meaningful employment possible for the 25-year-old man with cerebral palsy who is the subject of this paper. Since graduating from high school four years ago, he has held a part-time job at the warehouse of a bookseller. To perform his job, which involves…