This systematic review evaluated the effect of speech interventions with the addition of speech generating devices on vocalizations of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and complex communication needs. This review synthesized information across 18 studies published in the past three decades (1990-2023) with the primary focus on the…

A goal of behavior-analytic interventions is to produce behavior that is maintained under naturalistic conditions. In this experiment, we studied the effects of a speaker immersion protocol (SIP) on the number of speaker responses (tacts and mands) emitted by 3 preschool students under naturalistic, not directly targeted, conditions. During the…

A mixed methods or multi-strategy research project considered the vocal demands on teachers in UK classrooms and their ongoing requirement for help. The study was in two parts, the first being a survey through questionnaires and interviews to ascertain the extent of voice problems among teachers and those training to become teachers. The second…

This survey study describes rates of utilization of evidence-informed auditory-verbal strategies among 132 professionals (teachers of the deaf, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, early interventionists, and others) working with children who are deaf or hard of hearing who use listening and spoken language. Relationships between provider…

The current study systematically replicates and extends the findings of Ingvarsson and Hollobaugh (2010) by teaching a boy with autism who used a speech-generating device to mand for answers to unknown questions. The effects of the intervention were evaluated via a multiple baseline across stimulus sets. The intervention resulted in acquisition of…

In this article, we leverage theoretical insights and methodological guidelines of discourse analytic scholarship to re-examine language phenomena typically associated with autism. Through empirical analysis of the verbal behavior of three children with autism, we engage the question of how prototypical features of autistic language--notably…

Expressive language is an important skill to develop in children with intellectual disabilities. It not only aids in decreasing the likelihood of challenging behaviors from occurring but also aids in increasing the individuals independence and assistance in them becoming successful members of society. No previous studies have examined the…

Research suggests that social communication (verbal and non-verbal) plays a key role in students' and teachers' elementary-school experiences. Within the framework of sociocognitive developmental theory, this qualitative study investigates teachers' experiences and perceptions of children's talking and listening habits within the elementary-grade…

Students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have difficulties with verbal language. Many interventions to remediate such deficits require numerous materials and significant teacher time. This study sought to determine if a simple multi-component intervention that incorporated noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) and verbal modeling would result in…

This article provides information on elective mutism, a persistent refusal to talk despite the ability to speak and comprehend spoken language. It covers the history, characteristics, classification, differential diagnosis, and treatment of elective mutism. Treatments covered include psychodynamic, family intervention, behavior modification, drug…

This 3-year study made a longitudinal comparison of three types of preschool intervention programs. The Traditional approach (two classes of 15 students and three teachers each) worked in conventional ways to improve personal, social, motor and general language development; children were placed in a regular public school kindergarten the following…

The report describes a special 2-year early oral language intervention program designed by a Wisconsin public school system to develop life-oriented, auditory-vocal language skills in language delayed children. Explained are administrative aspects of the program including evolution of the speech and language disabilities department (1940-74), and…