The article considers current issues concerning service delivery systems and practices concerning augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) services in U.S. schools. Concerns in AAC program development are noted and service delivery models (center-based, community-based, or collaborative) are compared. (DB)

This paper examines the use of facilitated communication (FC) with individuals having communication disorders, in the context of the research on literacy development and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) methodologies. (Author/DB)

This study investigated the effects of four different voice synthesizers on attitudes of nondisabled individuals (n=284) toward an augmented communicator. Attitudes were more favorable in terms of evaluation and potential interaction when the synthetic voice was "easier to listen to." Gender appropriateness of the synthetic voice was not…

This study compared DSM-III-R (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual III, Revised), Childhood Autism Rating Scale, and clinical diagnoses of 138 admissions to a program for diagnosis and treatment of autistic and related communication-handicapped individuals. Results indicated generally high agreement on the diagnosis of autism, with DSM-III-R…

This article describes the functions of ethnography and the primary themes that form the foundation for qualitative inquiry generally and ethnography specifically, as applied in the fields of education and communication disorders. Quantitative and qualitative methods are compared for inquiry conditions, analysis, researcher's role, orientation,…

This paper describes the prototype of a software package being developed in England for use as an inexpensive and flexible speech synthesizer. The system, which uses a standard IBM-compatible laptop computer, color graphics, and a hard disk drive, provides flexibility in changing the nature of the speech available and how it is organized. (JDD)

This study found that general-case instruction, used to teach three adolescents with severe disabilities to request assistance, produced generalized requests with two of the three learners. General-case instruction appeared to be superior to single-instance instruction. (Author/JDD)

Discusses ways in which computer software is consistent with general guidelines for providing effective and efficient intervention to young children with communication disorders. Beneficial characteristics of computer software and the potential usefulness of computer software in intervention are illustrated with examples from a child with delays…

A study examined the relation between communication development and aberrant behavior in 13 preschool children with developmental disabilities. There was a strong inverse relation between communication ability and severity of aberrant behavior. Deficits in receptive language were more strongly associated with severe aberrant behavior, particularly…

A follow-up study of behavior and emotional problems in 53 young people with Williams syndrome 5 years after first assessment found substantial persistence in the overall level of behavior and emotional problems. Comparison with young people with mental retardation due to other causes found Williams subjects had significantly higher overall…

This article examines applied behavior analysis (ABA) based communication instruction for students with autism. It offers an historical context for ABA in speech-language pathology and reviews the literature on the use of ABA as a treatment method for communication impairment in autism, comparing contemporary ABA with the developmental…

This review discusses how general principles of brain development have contributed to both human brain plasticity and the acquisition of the human capacity for speech. Specifically, the role played by plastic developmental processes in the evolution and development of articulate control over vocalization in speech is examined. (Contains…

This article raises three concerns about the use of facilitated communication (FC) by speech-language pathologists with individuals with severe communication impairments: the theoretical bases of FC; the subject of candidacy; and outcomes of the method. Discrepancies between qualitative and experimental investigations are summarized and some…

This article summarizes African American Vernacular English (AAVE) phonological features from the perspective of phonetic transcription. Relevant International Phonetic Alphabet symbols and diacritics are discussed, as well as the importance of transcription detail when differentiating dialect variation from phonological delay or disorder. A chart…

This article urges a shift in intervention approaches with students who have communication disorders to include sociocultural activities. Data reported support the integration of sociocultural learning and apprenticeship in the current paradigm of intervention practices. Discussion considers intervention practices as development in context,…