It is estimated that approximately 97 million people in the world have complex communication needs and may benefit from alternative and augmentative communication (AAC). Although AAC is considered an evidenced-based intervention, device abandonment remains common, and researchers have attempted to analyze the causes of people abandoning devices.…

Background: Those supporting children and young people who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) contribute to ongoing complex decision-making about communication aid selection and support. Little is known about how these decisions are made in practice and how attributes of the communication aid are described or considered. Aims: To…

Despite advances in the field of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), outcomes among children who require AAC remain discouraging. Practitioners may benefit from guidelines to aid decision-making in relation to supporting pre-linguistic communicators. We conducted an open-ended questionnaire of 30 AAC professionals from six…

This phenomenological qualitative study explored how eight speech-language pathology specialists in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) (who self-identified as adult-focused) would approach the AAC assessment process when presented with a case study of an adult with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The general research questions…

Few studies have investigated how individuals with partially intelligible speech choose to communicate, including how, when, and why they might use a speech-generating device (SGD). This study aimed to add to the literature by exploring how this group of individuals use different communication strategies. Qualitative interviews were carried out…

Background: More than 80% of people living with MND (plwMND) develop difficulties with their speech, affecting communication, self-identity and quality of life. Most plwMND eventually use an augmentative and alternative communication device (AAC) to communicate. Some AAC devices provide a synthesized voice for speech, however these voices are…

This survey study examined augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) practices reported by early intervention speech-language pathologists (SLPs) across the United States (N = 376). The study examined (a) types of AAC that SLPs reported using (i.e., sign language, photographs, pictures, symbols, talking switches, and iPad apps or dedicated…

The aims of this study were to examine speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) knowledge and consideration of factors found in research when making clinical decisions regarding AAC for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and to reveal additional factors identified based on SLPs' clinical practice. A 20-question mixed-methods survey was…

Purpose: Families and professionals often consider augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) a "last resort" for persons with communication challenges; however, speaking autistic adults have reported that they would have benefited from access to AAC as children. This tutorial discusses the history of this "last resort"…

Students with significant disabilities often struggle to communicate their wants and needs but can be taught widely recognizable communication with the aid of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) supports. Simple speech generating devices (SGDs) such as Step-by-Step switches or GoTalk can be used by students to send specific messages.…

Families play a critical role in the lives of students who use a speech generating device (SGD). This study address (a) mothers' experiences of having a child who uses a SGD, (b) their perception of the effectiveness of a SGD(s), (c) their perceived impacts of SGDs on their family dynamics, and (d) their perception of decision making process. Data…