A young adult with multiple disabilities (profound mental retardation, spastic quadriplegia, and visual impairment) was provided with a voice output communication aid (VOCA) which allowed communication through synthesized speech. Both educational and residential staff members interacted with the individual more frequently when she had access to…

Discusses the inclusion of students with disabilities in the regular classroom group. Analyzes the structure of the classroom group to determine its receptivity to students with disabilities. Presents special problems that might be encountered during inclusion and possibilities for improving classroom group skills. (LKS)

This study evaluated the effectiveness and desirability of dual communication boards as receptive and expressive forms of communication by 3 deaf-blind students (ages 16-21) in community-based vocational instruction settings. One year after implementation, students and communication partners were successfully using the boards. Use of dual boards…

This article provides a critical review of empirical investigations on the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and assistive technology with individuals with autism or pervasive developmental disorder. The review is presented by six topic areas: assessment, staff/family training, supports for augmented input, supports for…

Travelers with dual sensory losses present the rehabilitation professional with additional tasks and responsibilities that expand the instructional curriculum. Effective instruction in rehabilitation and orientation and mobility includes teaching strategies and tools for dealing with unfamiliar people through "communication" (conveying…

This paper summarizes the background, staffing, philosophy, participants, methods, and conclusions of the Case Studies on Facilitated Communication Project, which examined the use of facilitated communication (FC) with seven adult females, all with mental retardation and other disabilities. Information is provided on the development of the FC…

This practicum report describes development, implementation, and evaluation of a program which used an augmentative and alternative communication system with six nonverbal preschool children with developmental disabilities attending a special school. An extensive review of the literature on augmentative and alternative communication systems was…

This document reports on efforts to find technology-based solutions for the diverse challenges faced by students with disabling conditions. Twenty-three case studies describe actual scenarios experienced in the school district of Palm Beach County, Florida. For each case study, a situation is described, a challenge is identified, solutions are…

This brief paper describes an innovative training project, the Augmentative, Assistive, and Facilitated Communication project, designed to enhance the capacity of school personnel to use alternative communication strategies with children having severe communication impairments. The project has provided training and technical assistance to school…

This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of a 3-year federally funded project that investigated the effectiveness of a collaborative teaming process to increase the academic achievement and social participation of elementary students with augmentative and alternative (AAC) needs who were members of general education classrooms. The…

This report discusses how technical and technological advances in alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) have outstripped the ability to assess their impact on actual communication and argues that this is due in part to the lack of a consistent and reliable method to measure long-term communicative efficacy. The report proposes a…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that investigated how visual media would affect the communication skills of a 13-year-old nonverbal girl with cerebral palsy and whether the use of visual media would provide documentation of higher cognitive functioning. For the study, the subject used three different tools to add visual information…

This study of 13 youth with moderate/severe mental retardation who learned to use the System for Augmenting Language (SAL) found that subjects used the SAL in concert with vocalizations and gestures and that the SAL permitted subjects to convey specific information that was helpful in promoting the initiation as well as the continuation of…

This longitudinal study first administered the Uzgiris and Hunt scales (to predict learning of manual signs) to 34 children (mean age 5) with severe and profound mental retardation. Evaluation four years later indicated that achievement of stage five on the Uzgiris and Hunt scales was necessary for even minimal learning and use of manual signs.…

Data from a pilot survey of the preservice professional training experiences in the area of collaboration for speech-language pathologists (n=7) and special (n=4) and general (1) educators who teach students who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are presented, as is information from 10 faculty who teach AAC courses. (Contains…