Research note: attitudes of teachers and undergraduate students regarding three augmentative and alternative communication modalities.

The social validity of different communication modalities is a potentially important variable to consider when designing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions. To assess the social validity of three AAC modes (i.e., manual signing, picture exchange, and an iPad®-based speech-generating device), we asked 59 undergraduate students (pre-service teachers) and 43 teachers to watch a video explaining each mode. They were then asked to nominate the mode they perceived to be easiest to learn as well as the most intelligible, effective, and preferred. Participants were also asked to list the main reasons for their nominations and report on their experience with each modality. Most participants (68-86%) nominated the iPad-based speech-generating device (SGD) as easiest to learn, as well as the most intelligible, effective, and preferred. This device was perceived to be easy to understand and use and to have familiar and socially acceptable technology. Results suggest that iPad-based SGDs were perceived as more socially valid among this sample of teachers and undergraduate students. Information of this type may have some relevance to designing AAC supports for people who use AAC and their current and future potential communication partners.

Undergraduates' perceptions of three augmentative and alternative communication modes.

OBJECTIVE: To assess undergraduates' perceptions of three augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) modes. METHOD: We showed 104 undergraduates a video clip of a person using each of the three AAC modes and asked them to rate each option in terms of perceived (a) intelligibility, (b) ease of acquisition, (c) effectiveness/acceptability, and (d) preference. The three AAC modes shown were (a) manual signing, (b) picture exchange, and (c) speech-generating device. RESULTS: Mean ratings for perceived intelligibility and effectiveness/acceptability were significantly higher for the speech-generating device. The speech-generating device and manual signing options were rated as being more preferred over picture exchange. Picture exchange was rated significantly higher on perceived ease of acquisition. CONCLUSION: Speech-generating devices were perceived to have greater social validity than manual signing and picture exchange.

An evaluation of speech production in two boys with neurodevelopmental disorders who received communication intervention with a speech-generating device.

BACKGROUND: Children with neurodevelopmental disorders often present with little or no speech. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) aims to promote functional communication using non-speech modes, but it might also influence natural speech production. METHOD: To investigate this possibility, we provided AAC intervention to two boys with neurodevelopmental disorders and severe communication impairment. Intervention focused on teaching the boys to use a tablet computer-based speech-generating device (SGD) to request preferred stimuli. During SGD intervention, both boys began to utter relevant single words. In an effort to induce more speech, and investigate the relation between SGD availability and natural speech production, the SGD was removed during some requesting opportunities. RESULTS: With intervention, both participants learned to use the SGD to request preferred stimuli. After learning to use the SGD, both participants began to respond more frequently with natural speech when the SGD was removed. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that a rehabilitation program involving initial SGD intervention, followed by subsequent withdrawal of the SGD, might increase the frequency of natural speech production in some children with neurodevelopmental disorders. This effect could be an example of response generalization.

Speech-generating devices versus manual signing for children with developmental disabilities.

We compared speed of acquisition and preference for using a speech-generating device (SGD) versus manual signing (MS) as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) options. Four children with developmental disabilities (DD), aged 5-10 years, were taught to request preferred objects using an iPod(®)-based SGD and MS. Intervention was introduced in a multiple-probe across participants design and SGD and MS conditions were compared in an alternating treatments design. A systematic choice-making paradigm was implemented to determine if the children showed a preference for using SGD or MS. All participants showed increased use of SGD when intervention was introduced, but only three learned under the MS condition. Three participants exhibited a preference for the SGD while the remaining participant demonstrated a preference for using MS. Results support previous studies showing that individuals with DD often show a preference for different AAC options and extend previous data by suggesting that acquisition and maintenance was better for the preferred option.

Investigating the validity of a structured interview protocol for assessing the preferences of children with autism spectrum disorders.

PURPOSE: To investigate the congruent validity of a structured interview protocol for assessing the preferences of seven children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHOD: Using the structured interview protocol described by Green et al., parents were asked to provide a rank ordering of their child's preferred foods, drinks, toys and sensory stimuli. The resulting rank order was then compared to the results of a multiple-stimulus without replacement preference assessment by calculating the Spearman rank order correlation coefficients. RESULTS: The results revealed a high level of correspondence between the rank orderings of both assessments for four of the six participants for food and drink items and four of the seven participants for play items and sensory stimuli. CONCLUSION: Results support the use of the structured interview protocol to determine the preferences of children with ASD. Practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Teaching students with developmental disabilities to operate an iPod Touch(®) to listen to music.

We evaluated an intervention procedure for teaching three students with developmental disabilities to independently operate a portable multimedia device (i.e., an iPod Touch(®)) to listen to music. The intervention procedure included the use of video modeling, which was presented on the same iPod Touch(®) that the students were taught to operate to listen to music. Four phases (i.e., baseline, intervention, fading, and follow-up) were arranged in accordance with a delayed multiple-probe across participants design. During baseline, the students performed from 25 to 62.5% of the task analyzed steps correctly. With intervention, all three students correctly performed 80-100% of the steps and maintained this level of performance when video modeling was removed and during follow-up. The findings suggest that the video modeling procedure was effective for teaching the students to independently operate a portable multimedia device to access age-appropriate leisure content.