Despite advances in the field of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), outcomes among children who require AAC remain discouraging. Practitioners may benefit from guidelines to aid decision-making in relation to supporting pre-linguistic communicators. We conducted an open-ended questionnaire of 30 AAC professionals from six…

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…

Children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are multimodal communicators. However, in classroom interactions involving children and staff, achieving mutual understanding and accomplishing task-oriented goals by attending to the child's unaided AAC can be challenging. This study draws on excerpts of video recordings of…

Aided conversations differ from spoken ones in their transitions between turns and symbols because seeking and choosing symbols takes more time than speaking words naturally. This study adopted the concepts and principles of conversation analysis (CA) to analyze the transitions between symbols during the construction of aided turns. The data was…

This study's goal was to inform the selection of the most frequently used words to serve as a reference for core vocabulary selection for Hebrew-speaking children who require AAC. The paper describes the vocabulary used by 12 Hebrew-speaking preschool children with typical development in two different conditions: peer talk, and peer talk with…

Most students with intellectual and communicative disability who rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) attend non-inclusive school settings. Little is known about turn-taking and the use of various communication modes in groups of students and staff in this context. Previous studies on single students with intellectual…

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…

Literature pertaining to open disclosure predominantly refers to acute care settings; this is the case in, for example, the UK, Republic of Ireland, Australia, Korea and the USA. There is, however, a dearth of literature regarding open disclosure related to people with intellectual disabilities. A practice example of open disclosure is presented…

Background: Issues of risk and safety can be challenging to discuss with forensic patients with an intellectual disability. Talking Mats is a visual communication tool that facilitates therapeutic conversations. Method: A pilot study, adopting an ethnographic approach, was used to evaluate Talking Mats. Interviews and video observations were…

Few studies have investigated how individuals with partially intelligible speech choose to communicate, including how, when, and why they might use a speech-generating device (SGD). This study aimed to add to the literature by exploring how this group of individuals use different communication strategies. Qualitative interviews were carried out…

A descriptive case-study design was used to document the implementation of a four-phase intervention for a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who uses augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in an inclusive classroom. The focus of the intervention was on enhancing social communication through peer modelling of the child's…

The use of interactive technologies has been demonstrated to enhance verbal and non-verbal communication, as well as the social interaction tendencies of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We examined effects of using Virtual Voice Assistant (VVAs) in children with ASD with respect to two outcomes: speech skills and social interaction…

Parent training programs aimed at improving language outcomes for children with complex communication needs have predominantly been evaluated on child-centered outcomes and less often on the impact on social life or parental well-being. This study examined parent perceptions of social life before and after ComAlong, a group intervention providing…

This research examined an evidence based dialogic shared reading strategy which incorporated aided language modelling and increased communication partner responsiveness with two children with complex physical, cognitive, and sensory needs (CPCSN) who use auditory plus visual partner assisted scanning (PAS) to access a Pragmatic Organised Dynamic…

Mental health and wellbeing are foundational in human interaction and life satisfaction. Persons with complex communication needs are at risk of reduced mental health and wellbeing. The aim of this project was to identify the facilitators and barriers that individuals with complex communication needs experience when attending to their mental…