Augmentative and Alternative Communication最新文献

Key Word Sign (KWS) is an unaided form of augmentative and alternative communication where manual signing is used for people with complex communication needs. Communication partners require training; however geographical, familial and personal barriers impact accessing KWS training. Online training has become more common; however, no research has investigated the online delivery of KWS training. This mixed methods study compared efficacy and acceptability of online training programs delivered synchronously, asynchronously or as a combination of both (hybrid), with results from a previous study that measured face-to-face training.

Low-tech core boards with attached fringe vocabulary are increasingly popular as an entry-level AAC system in New Zealand and beyond, but they require skilled support from communication partners to be used successfully. This article describes the results of a year-long multiple case study carried out in New Zealand, which involved the provision of a 77-cell core board with extensive fringe vocabulary for six preschool children, alongside a training and coaching intervention for one of their parents. This intervention combined group workshops with in-home coaching and provided ongoing maintenance coaching. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected throughout the year, which provided information on the progress of both the parents and the children, as well as exploring each parent's journey with implementing AAC. All the parents learned to use the supportive AAC strategies with consistency and skill and maintained these over the year and their children made significant gains in their communication skills. The parents reported on a range of barriers and supports around implementing AAC; all six parents felt that the training and coaching intervention was essential for the successful implementation of the core board.

In research, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions have primarily focused on teaching children to make requests; however, AAC intervention should not stop there. There is a dearth of AAC intervention research targeting other communicative functions, despite there being a significant need to enhance children's communication competence in a variety of social and educational contexts. The purpose of this study was to examine the initial efficacy and feasibility of an AAC narrative intervention on the picture-supported retelling skills of three children with autism, aged 6-9 years old. This multiple baseline across participants design study was preregistered at Open Science Framework (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/29SFP). We measured the effect of the intervention on children's inclusion and complexity of story grammar elements and the variety of symbols used to retell untrained stories during a baseline condition, just before each intervention session, immediately following each intervention session, and three weeks after the last intervention session. Parents completed a feasibility questionnaire and documented their children's generalized use of AAC. The AAC narrative intervention improved children's AAC retells, with ascending trends in the intervention condition and scores elevated above baseline after 3 weeks. Parents reported that they perceived the intervention to be appropriate, effective, enjoyable, and planned to use it themselves after the study. Generalized use of AAC outside of intervention sessions was documented for all three participants.

Special education teachers support students with complex communication needs across the day. Yet, evidence suggests that these professionals are entering the field without being fully prepared to support these students by having the knowledge and skill to implement augmentative and alternative communication practices. The lack of preparedness from these professionals creates barriers for students with complex communication needs, their families, and other team members. To gather information from special education teachers' point of view, a nationwide survey was disseminated with the purpose of identifying the most beneficial component of their training to support students with complex communication needs. Five themes were identified from the views of 792 special education teachers, with the most beneficial components of their training consisting of 'access to content,' followed by 'opportunities to practice.' Recommendations, practical implications, and future research directions are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to explore what speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who are AAC specialists see as advantages and disadvantages of providing AAC services via telehealth, how well tele-AAC assessments align with guidelines for in-person assessments, and how SLPs' perspectives of tele-AAC services changed post-COVID. Fifteen SLPs who are AAC specialists and experienced working with people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis watched videos of speech generating device (SGD) assessments conducted via telehealth for eight people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Using a checklist based on the AAC Clinical Assessment Project (AAC-CAP), the SLPs rated how comparable remote assessment was to in-person assessment, and described advantages and challenges. Across checklist elements, most participants rated AAC assessment via telemedicine as "same/comparable" to in-person assessment. The most common advantages of tele-AAC assessment were that tele-AAC was more functional, increased care partner availability, and increased clients' comfort at home. The most common challenges were technical difficulties and a limited comprehensive assessment due to the remote modality. Tele-AAC should be considered a viable assessment option as it may increase equitable access to care for more people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Tools such as the AAC-CAP may help generalist SLPs increase their comfort and proficiency providing AAC services.

Social interaction plays a pivotal role in human development, influencing cognitive, emotional, and communicative growth across all stages of life. Integrating augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices into social interactions, especially during dynamic activities such as play, introduces cognitive complexity. This forum explores leveraging smart device design and technology to help integrate AAC into dynamic social interactions, focusing specifically on play. Using the framework of interactivity and simplicity, which are important elements for improving usability of smart devices, we provide example applications of how smart device features such as multimodal control, animation, artificial intelligence, contextual awareness, and augmented reality may be applied to AAC to promote dynamic interactions and support communication partners. Our aim is to inspire advancements in AAC that prioritize playfulness, inclusivity, and children's unique needs. We intend to encourage future discussions and research that incorporate AAC users' perspectives and support networks, fostering optimal integration of AAC tools into playful activities to support communication and social development.

Functional communication is crucial for mental health and for coping with mental health problems. People with disabilities are at increased risk of mental health problems, and people who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are reported to be at greater risk of depression and anxiety than people without impairments. This scoping review summarizes existing knowledge about the mental health and mental health problems of people who use AAC. The review includes nine publications, published between 2001 and 2022. These mainly report on adults and elderly people who use AAC. Four of the nine publications included people who use AAC due to acquired impairments. None of the studies reported the prevalence of mental health problems and only a few addressed factors of positive mental health. The results indicate a shortage of theoretical accounts for most of the publications included, and the publications are not built on each other. The scarcity of knowledge is discussed in relation to the idea that the need for communicative support is a need based on communicative functioning rather than any diagnostic category and thus not visible in much of the health literature based on diagnostic categories. Several implications for practice and research are suggested.

Request training can produce highly repetitive requests unless the setting is organized to encourage request diversity, particularly for individuals who depend on speech-generating devices (SGDs). Previous studies have shown that request training utilizing a lag schedule and progressive-time delay led to an increase in variability among children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The impact of lag schedules on augmented requesting remains to be seen. Hence, the present research aimed to examine the effect of a lag schedule of reinforcement in conjunction with progressive-time delay on enhancing the frequency of variant augmented requests in three children with ASD. Additionally, the study assessed the participants' ability to apply the acquired skills to different situations (such as preferred objects and daily routines) and sustain the desired behavior. The initial findings indicated that the intervention effectively boosted varied augmented requests, mainly when using a thinner schedule of reinforcements. The paper concludes by discussing the clinical significance, constraints, and potential paths for future investigation.

Use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) often relies on the involvement of AAC service providers; however little is known about how AAC services are delivered across Canada. This study aimed to explore AAC service provision and factors influencing use of AAC from the perspectives of service providers across Canada who are involved in providing and/or supporting use of AAC systems. The 22 participants from nine (of the 10) provinces participated in online focus groups. Participants were speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, communicative disorders assistants, and a teacher. Transcripts of the audio recordings were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes were generated that reflect service-related factors contributing to the use of AAC in Canada: Support of Organizational Structures, Concordant Relationships and Goals, Making the Right Decisions, and Influence of Knowledge and Attitudes. These themes highlight how government systems, key stakeholders, assessment practices, and knowledge of AAC influence service provision and use of AAC. Voices from across Canada highlighted shared experiences of services providers as well as revealed variability in service delivery processes. The findings bring to attention a need for further research and development of service provision guidelines to support consistency, quality in practice, and equity in AAC services.

Many children who require hospitalization in the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) are unable to or have difficulty communicating through speech, whether because of preexisting or acute conditions. Children who are unable to be heard and understood using only speech benefit from aided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), including in hospital settings. This qualitative interview study sought to understand the perspectives of nurses on care and support for children who use or would benefit from aided AAC in the pediatric ICU. Participants were six nurses who worked in pediatric intensive care at a tertiary care unit of a children's hospital in the United States. Three main themes were identified related to nurses' views about supporting children's communication: (a) Caring for the Whole Child, (b) Needing Support from Others and Moving between Roles, and (c) Working with Available Resources and Demands. Nurses emphasized the importance of a holistic approach to care, the impact of others' support and knowledge, and a desire for building greater capacity for promoting children's access to effective communication. Findings offer insight that could improve patient-centered care for children with complex communication needs and support for nurses themselves, particularly within the broader context of ICU liberation.