The current study examined vocalizations that occurred during training of the Picture Exchange Communication System for three U.S. preschool-age participants with autism spectrum disorder. In Phase IV, the protocol incorporates a delay to reinforcement in an effort to encourage vocalizations; however, the manual does not suggest additional…

This simulation study assessed the ability of Speech-Output Technologies (SOTs) to keep in-time during conversational repair. Fifty-eight Other Initiated Repair (OIR) initiators were collected from transcripts of repair interaction sequences collected from past research. A range of selection latencies were then used to calculate simulated…

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…

A group of U.S. school speech-language pathologists (SLPs; N = 233), via survey, provided the following business-as-usual (BAU) augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) practices: (a) service delivery models, (b) treatment intensity, (c) the number of aided models provided, and (d) caseload size and knowledge. In addition to descriptive…

Many children who require hospitalization in the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) are unable to or have difficulty communicating through speech, whether because of preexisting or acute conditions. Children who are unable to be heard and understood using only speech benefit from aided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), including…

Little is known about what features of AAC systems are regarded by AAC professionals as more suitable for children with different characteristics. A survey was conducted in which participants rated the suitability of hypothetical AAC systems on a Likert scale from 1 ("very unsuitable") to 7 ("very suitable") alongside a…

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (n.d.) suggests that acquisition and use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is dynamic and that learning multiple modalities may be beneficial particularly for those individuals with severe disabilities. Evaluation of response variability after training multiple modalities has yet…

Deaf-blindness is a type of dual disability wherein visual and auditory capabilities are significantly impaired. Special communication methods have been developed for the deaf-blind community. Yet, these methods require that both people involved have prior knowledge and training to successfully communicate, limiting deaf-blind people's social…

The current study explored both the extent to which representation of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) exists in young adult literature, as well as qualitative characteristics of that representation. A systematic search of multiple databases was conducted using standardized keywords and inclusion criteria. Descriptive statistics…

Background: There is a global need for synthetic speech development in multiple languages and dialects, as many children who cannot communicate using their natural voice struggle to find synthetic voices on high-technology devices that match their age, social and linguistic background. Aims: To document multiple stakeholders' perspectives…

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) commonly results in the inability to produce natural speech, making speech-generating devices (SGDs) important. Historically, synthetic voices generated by SGDs were neither unique, nor age- or dialect-appropriate, which depersonalized SGD use. Voices generated by SGDs can now be customized via voice banking and…

The relationships between the use of nouns and verbs, and other word classes have been well established in the typical language development literature. However, questions remain as to whether the same relationships are seen in the language use of individuals who use graphic symbol-based augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The aim of…

In order to meet the communication needs of individuals who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices, communication partners are often responsible for the programming of the AAC devices. However, the prolonged learning time and operational demands of AAC devices are often barriers to an efficient use of time during a therapy…

Due to loss of spoken language and resulting complex communication needs, people with Rett syndrome are obvious candidates for communication intervention. To advance evidence-based practice and guide future research efforts, we identified and summarized 16 communication intervention studies published since a previous 2009 review on this topic.…