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…

Although the last decade has welcomed evidence that individuals with Rett syndrome (RTT) can communicate using alternative and augmentative communication (AAC), less is known about effective procedures for teaching various component skills required for expressive communication of individuals with complex communication needs. The purpose of the…

The vast majority of individuals with Rett syndrome do not utilize natural speech and therefore require alternative and augmentative communication (AAC). The purpose of the current study was to investigate the use of high- and low-tech AAC modalities by three individuals with Rett syndrome given similar instruction for using both modalities. For…

"We love the fact she can learn through play, because she is learning but not realizing, and she does not feel pressurized to learn" (parent of a child with neurodiverse developmental disorders [NDD]). Engaging children with NDD in meaningful learning can be challenging, and that challenge is exacerbated when children are neither…

Background and aims: Teachers serve as critical communication partners for students with intellectual disability (ID) who face communication difficulties. However, teachers may lack sufficient training in using communication partner strategies and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in the classroom. This study aimed to explore…

The purpose of this article is to describe procedures for a team approach to implementing a tangible symbol communication system (TSCS) to support communication skill development of young children with multiple/severe disabilities (MSD). The authors suggest that implementation of a TSCS is a process that includes (a) assessment of child…

Purpose: Elementary-aged peers often need support for them to have positive interactions with classmates with autism who are minimally speaking (i.e., fewer than 30 functional spoken words). This study examined whether peers could learn to use responsive interaction strategies to support inclusive play and communication within a peer network…

This quasi-experimental study examined the influences of an Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) adoption in the classroom and compared learning achievement, motivation, and perception between two versions of the learning approaches (IVR-based STREAM learning and Desktop Virtual Reality (DVR)-based STREAM learning). Twenty middle school students in the…

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,…

The use of program quality indicators (QIs) for teaching students with an intellectual disability (ID) is essential in meeting student needs and accessing curriculum. Principals who oversee and evaluate teachers of students with ID play a critical role in the implementation of QIs. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to investigate rural school…

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) sometimes display an inability for information sharing through functional verbal communication. This may interfere with professional oral care. These children tend to process visual information more efficiently than auditory information. Picture schedules can briefly suffice as visual cues serving a…

The present study evaluated a systematic instructional package including the system of least prompts (SLP) to teach differentiation and selection of tangible symbols to continue activities for two children with complex support needs and deafblindness (DB). A multiple probe design across three symbols was used to evaluate the intervention package…

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have limited speech are often taught to communicate using a speech-generating device (SGD). We evaluated procedures for teaching a mand for information (i.e., "Where" is [item]?) using an interrupted behavior chain procedure. In Experiment 1, all participants (3 children with ASD who…

Literacy instruction has an important role in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) because spelling and writing support precise communication. Unfortunately, few students with extensive support needs and complex communication needs (ESN/CCN) develop literacy skills at or above the first grade reading-level. Given that learning to read…

Objective: Evaluate the use of procedures to teach three nonvocal children with autism spectrum disorder to use a speech-generating device to mand for actions. Method: A multiple probe across participants design was used to evaluate the effectiveness systematic instruction and the use of a behavior chain interruption. Results: All three…