This theoretical review article describes "situated discourse analysis" (SDA) and explores its implications for communication sciences and disorders. Drawing on situated theories of cognition and communication, SDA aims to understand "real-time communicative processes" of people engaging in complex "sociocultural…

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legal document developed for each student with a disability. The IEP outlines the student's learning needs and associated educational goals, as well as the program placement and services required to support the attainment of these goals in the least restrictive environment. Most IEPs include all…

Despite enormous improvements in AT devices and services in American classrooms, the number of students with special needs, and the complexity of needs that they and their families experience continues to be sky rocketed nationwide. In response to these urgent needs, more advanced and specialized assistive technologies have been developed that…

A qualitative interview methodology was used to investigate the perspectives of 10 Hungarian parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) concerning their decision-making processes undertaken to make communication intervention decisions for their children. Six themes were identified from the data: (a) sources of information, (b)…

This study compares use of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and a Voice Output Communication Aide (VOCA) with four preschool children who were either non-speaking or limited in their ability to speak and did not use an AAC system to communicate functionally. An alternating treatment single subject design was used to measure…

The current study investigated the effectiveness of an integrated word identification and communication intervention for children with complex communication needs. Using a nonconcurrent, multiple baseline design, the study involved three participants who completed 75 lessons across 4 to 6 weeks of instruction. All three participants improved their…

The diagnosis of autism, although a source of discussion and occasional controversy, has consistently included poor communication as an essential component. Both the text revision of the fourth edition of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) and the 10th edition of the "International…

This paper summarizes selected findings on approaches to increasing the rate of communicatively appropriate responses in augmentative and alternative communication. Six approaches--efficient keyboard layouts, reduced keys keyboards, Minspeak with Words Strategy, enlarged keys keyboards, abbreviation expansion, and lexical prediction--are reviewed…

This study evaluated the use of TALK, a computer-based augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) system, in the social communications of a nonvocal woman with motor neurone disease. She was able to achieve an average conversational rate of 42 words per minute (wpm) using TALK, compared with 2 to 10 wpm with other AAC systems using…

Danquah Communication System (DanCS) symbol boards were developed to provide an inexpensive augmented communication device with a computerized voice interface to help nonverbal individuals with severe mental retardation or other severe disabilities to more easily communicate their needs and reduce aggressive behaviors. Evaluation with 30 subjects…

This report details the outcomes of a project designed to develop decision-making strategies and materials related to the prescription of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices for children with disabilities. The project resulted in the development of the first interactive, bilingual CD-ROM designed to be used by related services…