Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) intervention package consisting of systematic instruction and aided AAC modeling with speech-output technology on the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of socio-communicative behaviors in four minimally speaking,…

The selection of appropriate vocabulary is a crucial and challenging aspect of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) intervention. Core vocabulary lists are frequently used to support vocabulary selection for children who require AAC. A vocabulary domain that has garnered limited attention within the AAC literature is relational basic…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a training and coaching program aimed to increase the use of the aided language modeling (ALM) strategy by siblings to support the social interactions of children with disabilities who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in the natural environment. Method: A…

Background: Friendship is a crucial relationship for young adults with disabilities as it offers practical support and enjoyment, and it is essential to well-being and health. The present study examined the friendships of young adults with physical disabilities whose challenges with natural speech necessitate the use of augmentative and…

Significant advances have been made in interventions to maintain communication and personhood for individuals with neurodegenerative conditions. One innovation is Message Banking, a clinical approach first developed at Boston Children's Hospital (BCH). This paper outlines the Message Banking process as implemented at BCH, which includes the option…

Purpose: Although there is a strong evidence base supporting the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in school settings, the research-to-practice gap in this area remains a concern. Few studies have examined how AAC systems are implemented in school settings and whether these systems adequately promote communicative competence…

This study examined whether partner reauditorization affected the attitudes reported by young adults toward a child who communicated using nonelectronic AAC. The study also examined preferences for the way the AAC system was used (i.e., in the presence or absence of reauditorization), whether reauditorization was associated with differences in…

The aims of this study were to investigate the lived experiences of people with complex communication needs in developing romantic and sexual relationships, and identify and explore barriers and facilitators they encountered in pursuing these relationships. For the study, nine participants were interviewed. All were at least 21-years-old, used…

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…

Building and maintaining positive social relationships is important to every young adult's quality of life. However, supporting the social inclusion of middle and high school students with severe disabilities can be extremely challenging. Moreover, promoting social inclusion in one classroom may have little impact on social outcomes in other…

The characteristics of friendships among children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are not well understood. Research on friendships among children without disabilities has identified similarity to each other as a key characteristic among friends. The aim of this study was to identify and describe the friendships between…

Many factors impact intervention implementation in everyday practice, including the social validity of these interventions. As a way of addressing social validity, this study aimed to understand the perspectives of multiple stakeholders of school-aged children and adolescents who use aided and unaided augmentative and alternative communication…

The purpose of this study was to identify areas in which educational leadership could aid in preparing general education teachers to educate children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). A needs assessment was conducted through a case study in a rural Missouri school district to identify the level of efficacy noted by teachers of various…

Many factors impact intervention implementation in everyday practice, including the social validity of these interventions. As a way of addressing social validity, this study aimed to understand the perspectives of multiple stakeholders of school-aged children and adolescents who use aided and unaided augmentative and alternative communication…

This research explores the stage of novicity in communicative partnerships between new facilitators and the individuals with disabilities who use supported typing as their primary method of communication with whom they work. We interviewed novice and experienced facilitators, and typers who have recently worked with new facilitators to examine not…