Speech language pathologists (SLPs) play a leading role in overall augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) service delivery. Several changes (e.g., the provision of university AAC courses) related to AAC occurred in Taiwan in the past. However, little information of AAC services provided by SLPs in Taiwan is available. The purpose of the…

In England, eliciting the views, feelings and aspirations of young people with special education needs is central to the Special Education Reforms of 2015. However, there is little guidance on how to do this with young people who have intellectual and communication difficulties. In this research project, a questionnaire was developed and used as…

Whilst augmentative and alternative communication has been used for over sixty years across many countries, in Cyprus it remains underdeveloped. The current study seeks to investigate the current AAC practices in Cyprus. Data were collected through electronically distributed questionnaires to all registered speech and language therapists (n =…

Graphic symbols are commonly used across countries in order to support individuals with communicative deficiency. The literature review revealed the absence of such a system for Turkish socio-cultural context. In this study, the aim was to develop a symbol system appropriate for the Turkish socio-cultural context. The process began with studies…

The purpose of this study was the investigation of the added value of technology of augmented reality (AR) in education and, particularly, whether this contributes to both student performance improvement, as well as the appearance of the psychological condition of Flow, which according to research, has had a positive effect on their performance…

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs), special education teachers (SETs), and occupational therapists (OTs) are all expected to encounter individuals with complex communication needs, who need for Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) (Costigan & Light, 2010). This study aimed to reveal special education student teachers' knowledge of…

Background: Voice output communication aids (VOCAs) are a key form of aided communication within the field of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). In recent years, rapid developments in technology have resulted in an explosion of devices available commercially, yet little research has been conducted into what people who use VOCAs…

Communication among adolescents with cerebral palsy can be restricted with traditional Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device coupled with environmental and social barriers. The advance of communication technology offer solutions to reduce such barriers. Given that there is limited research in communication behaviours of…

People with severe disabilities (SD) communicate in complex ways, and their teachers, parents and other involved professionals find it difficult to gain knowledge and share their experiences regarding the person with SD's communication methods. The purpose of this study is to contribute to our understanding of how parents and professionals share…

Youth with complex communication needs (CCN) face increased barriers to their social participation due to limited communication abilities and opportunities. Youth today use the internet as a social tool and youth with CCN may also benefit from internet use to increase their social participation. Five youth between the ages of 10-18 with CCN who…

We are in an innovation process for the development of a new generation of tools and resources for education and training throughout life, available in any platform, at anytime and place and in any language. The project TOPQX intends to congregate a set of theoretical and empirical resources that form a scientific base from which it will be…

This study explores front-line staff knowledge and perceptions of how people with intellectual disability residing in residential services are supported to communicate effectively. Participants ("n" = 138) completed a self-report questionnaire adapted from an instrument developed by DeSimone & Cascella (2005) "Journal of…

The purpose of the study was to determine the use of computers and assistive devices amongst children with cerebral palsy (CP) and establish the satisfaction level of both users and educational staff. The study was carried out with 30 children with cerebral palsy. A questionnaire was designed to characterize the use of new technologies and…

This article reports on the views of individuals with learning disability (LD) on their use of their speech generating devices (SGDs), their satisfaction about their communication, and their priorities. The development of an interview tool made of graphic symbols and entitled Communication, Satisfaction and Priorities of SGD Users (CSPU) is…

Although the Minspeak[TM] approach is used on communication devices worldwide, little research has been conducted on its applicability within specific cultural contexts. The impact that users' familiarity of symbols and associations can have on learnability necessitates more systematic research. This study was an investigation into the…