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…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive phenomenological study was to explore how exceptional student education (ESE) administrators and educators describe their lived experiences with regard to employing strategies and tools to enhance communication skills for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) students. The method of data collection used was…

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of using an iPad to assist students with autism in learning communication skills. Three, 10 years old learners diagnosed with autism who present little or no functional speech, participated in the study. A multiple baseline design with AB phases across academic and social settings was used.…

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often require support both for learning new skills and for communication. This study used a multiple baseline across activities design to evaluate the effect of videos with integrated visual scene displays (video VSDs), presented using a tablet-based app, on the percentage of steps completed…

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties in communication that limit their opportunities to participate in daily living and educational activities. Augmentative alternative communication is one of the strategies used to strengthen the communication skills of students with limited communication skills. Students with ASD…

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of a program for training direct-care staff to implement an iPad®-based communication intervention with adults with developmental disability and severe communication impairment. Methods: Participants were 11 adults with developmental disability and 19 direct-care staff drawn from two day program settings.…

Individuals with low functioning autism spectrum disorders (LFASD) who demonstrate significant cognitive and communication needs benefit from using technology for learning graphic symbols for enhancing participation. This study investigated if an iPad application would increase identification of graphic symbols by children and adults with LFASD.…

Positive interactions with peers impact future success in many domains, including language development and relationship development. Children with complex communication needs (CCN), especially those with characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), confront many barriers to successful interactions with peers. These include personal barriers,…

With the increase in the number of students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is imperative to determine productive interventions to enhance communication skills. Recent investigations regarding the use of speech generated devices (SGD), such as the Apple iPad, to communicate have been performed with mixed results (Flores,…

Individuals with autism typically display inefficiencies in communication. With increasing numbers of children being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, it is necessary to find effective methods of communication for these children. Augmentative and alternative communication interventions develop communication skills using unconventional…

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have difficulty generalizing newly acquired communication skills to different contexts. In this study, a multiple baseline across settings (clinic, school, and home) design was used to determine whether an 8-year-old boy with ASD could learn to approach communication partners to request…

Both picture exchange, a low-tech picturebased communication system, and technologybased interventions, such as the iPad™ with communication application, are emerging treatments for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to the National Autism Center (2009). Recently, investigations regarding the use of the Apple iPad™ to…

The burgeoning role of technology in society has provided opportunities for the development of new means of communication for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). This paper offers an organizational framework for describing traditional and emerging augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technology, and highlights how tools…

Non-verbal children with autism are candidates for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). One type of AAC device is a voice output communication aid (VOCA). The primary drawbacks of past VOCAs were their expense and portability. Newer iPod-based VOCAs alleviate these concerns. This dissertation sought to extend the iPod-based VOCA…

Children with complex communication needs (CCN) resulting from autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and other disabilities are severely restricted in their participation in educational, vocational, family, and community environments. There is a substantial body of research that demonstrates convincingly that children with CCN…