The development of communication is a fundamental part of early childhood. Yet many students with disabilities require supports such as augmentative and alternative communication to develop communication skills. Teachers and paraeducators play key roles in supporting communication for these students, but often lack effective and accessible…

The authors conducted a systematic review of the literature, including studies that used a single-case design (SCD) and taught augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) use to adults with complex communication needs. The purpose of this review was to describe (a) adults receiving AAC intervention, (b) components of the interventions used,…

Children with autism spectrum disorder often display some form of challenging behavior and have complex communication needs. Functional communication training is an evidence-based practice that (a) decreases challenging behavior and (b) increases appropriate communicative behavior. Recent research has demonstrated how using augmentative and…

The development of communication is a fundamental part of early childhood. Yet many students with disabilities require supports such as augmentative and alternative communication to develop communication skills. Teachers and paraeducators play key roles in supporting communication for these students, but often lack effective and accessible…

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…

Rett syndrome is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder that results in both motor and language skill regression with a wide range of severity in symptom presentation. Communication intervention may be particularly challenging for this population due to the decline in speech, motor skills, and motor planning difficulties that characterize the…

Stay-Play-Talk (SPT) is a peer-mediated intervention used to increase social interactions between preschoolers with developmental disabilities and typically developing (TD) peers. This intervention has been found to be successful in increasing play and reciprocal conversation amongst children with and without disabilities. The following describes…

Special education teachers are often responsible for training their staff how to support children with autism spectrum disorder in their classrooms. In addition to academic and behavioral interventions, paraeducators also need to be prepared to support students with complex communication needs. This study was designed to investigate the effects of…

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 =…

People who have both autism spectrum disorder and complex communication needs require specialized, multidisciplinary interventions and supports to boost their independence and quality of life. Find up-to-date, evidence-supported information and strategies in this book, the newest volume in the respected Augmentative and Alternative Communication…

There is a growing population of individuals using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) in need of evidence-based intervention from highly qualified personnel. However, not all speech pathology programs offer AAC coursework and/or practicum opportunities, and practicing speech-language pathologists (SLPs) report low levels of…

Variations of behavioral skills training (BST) have been used to teach behaviorally oriented skills such as discrete trial teaching, guided compliance, the implementation of the picture exchange system, and safe guarding students with physical disabilities. One area that has not received much attention is evaluating school staff's correct…

Autism is currently one of the most prominent and widely discussed human conditions. Its increased prevalence has intensified the demand for effective educational and therapeutic services, and intervention science is providing mounting evidence about practices that positively impact outcomes. The purpose of this report is to describe a set of…

Research evaluating augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) options shows general support for various strategies (e.g., manual sign, picture exchange) in teaching individuals with autism (ASD) and intellectual disabilities (ID) to request basic wants and needs. However, the overall quality and quantity of research is diluted by the…

This study investigated the results of employing shared story reading during literacy instruction for participants with severe and multiple disabilities. This intervention was conducted in an effort to improve independent responses made by participants with severe and multiple disabilities within a small group on a task analysis during shared…