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…

The topic for the study was the attitudes and perceptions of students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia toward using assistive technologies (AT) to pass a general educational development test (GED) successfully on the first attempt. The research question was What are the attitudes and perceptions of students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and…

People interact with individuals who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) based on personal attitudes and perceived communicative competence. The purpose of this study is to investigate how different means of communication, such as an iPad-based Speech Generating Device (SGD), a communication board, and natural speech influence the…

Educators have increasingly incorporated technology tools such as the iPad into classroom learning. Available evidence suggests the potential efficacy of the iPad, but the attitudes and beliefs of parental stakeholders have often been omitted from empirical studies. There was a need to better understand parents' attitudes about adoption of the…

Mateo was like many students, neither fluent in English nor in American Sign Language (ASL) and significantly delayed in literacy skills. At Model Secondary School for the Deaf (MSSD), he was provided with emerging signers services to develop his expressive and receptive ASL skills. He was also provided with speech and language services by a…

Purpose: Social interaction poses many challenges for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and complex communication needs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of video visual scene displays (video VSDs) on communication during interactions between adolescents with ASD and peer partners. Method: This study used an…

Art educators and their non-verbal students with autism interact and share ideas using a distinct language, the symbol-based language of semiotics. The visual arts have been integrated into school curriculum for individuals with disabilities but understanding how non-verbal students with autism express themselves is essential to fully supporting…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which extracurricular activities are included in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) of secondary age students with intellectual disability (ID). Student characteristics (grade, disability, use of augmentative and alternative communication) were examined to explore potential group…

Purpose: This scoping study sought to establish a baseline for how well the needs of children with cortical visual impairment (CVI) who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are currently aligned with the services available to them. CVI is the most common cause of visual impairment in children today, and AAC methods rely heavily on…

Paraeducators play an important role in assisting teachers and other professionals to support students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including delivering positive behavioral supports to those students who engage in persistent challenging behavior. The purpose of this multiple baseline design across participants study was to support…

This community-partnered participatory study explores the outcomes of adult alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) users who qualified for special education under autism and/or intellectual disability. This multiple case study examines outcomes, the transition to adulthood, K-12 and special education experience, and the diagnosis and AAC…

Purpose: Nearly all students use Internet-based social media to communicate and network. For those with complex communication needs who may benefit from augmentative and alternative communication, social media offer specific opportunities to participate. However, do students make use of them--or do they face new barriers? The aim of the study was…

Peer networks are a promising intervention for increasing social interactions between students with severe disabilities and their peers. However, this approach has not been well studied with high school students who have complex communication needs and use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). In this study, we used a multiple probe…

The importance of individuals' ability to communicate cannot be overstated. Educational teams are charged with making educational placement decisions for students, like the ones in this study, with assessment tools that are not normed for nonverbal students with autism. This study focused on identical male twins with autism who are nonverbal and…

This study investigated the relation between grade level, support needs, and use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and the participation of secondary age students with intellectual disability in school-sponsored extracurricular activities. Participants were special education teachers with at least one student with an intellectual…