Special Interest Group 12, Augmentative and Alternative Communication

ASHA Leader ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  

By affiliating with SIG 12, ASHA members have the opportunity to participate in a community of peers dedicated to improving the quality and availability of AAC services to consumers throughout the lifespan, promoting clinically relevant research, educating and mentoring current and future professionals, and identifying and addressing the service-provision needs of speech-language pathologists and audiologists

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Hardin-Jones ◽  
David L. Jones ◽  
Riley C. Dolezal

Objective:The purpose of the present study was to examine practice patterns and opinions that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have about speech-language intervention for children with cleft lip and palate.Methods:One hundred seven speech-language pathology members of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Special Interest Group 5: Craniofacial and Velopharyngeal Disorders Special Interest Group completed a 37-item online survey that examined common practices in early intervention as well as opinions about speech characteristics, assessment, and management strategies for children with cleft lip and palate.Results:The overwhelming majority of respondents (96%) agreed that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) should meet with parents before palatal surgery to discuss speech-language issues. Although 90% of the SLPs identified increasing consonant inventory as an early intervention goal, lack of consensus was evident regarding the type of consonant to stimulate. Respondents agreed that while blowing activities are not useful in strengthening labial, lingual, or velopharyngeal movements, they are useful in heightening awareness of oral airflow for children with cleft palate. A large degree of variability was evident in opinions regarding prevalence and treatment of compensatory articulations as well as the effectiveness of treatment strategies designed to reduce perceived hypernasality and audible nasal emission.Conclusions:The findings of this study indicate a large degree of variability in opinions of SLP respondents regarding assessment and treatment of children with cleft lip and palate.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 586-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaitlyn A. Clarke ◽  
Diane L. Williams

Purpose The aim of this research study was to examine common practices of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who work with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with respect to whether or not SLPs consider processing differences in ASD or the effects of input during their instruction. Method Following a qualitative research method, how SLPs instruct and present augmentative and alternative communication systems to individuals with ASD, their rationale for method selection, and their perception of the efficacy of selected interventions were probed. Semistructured interviews were conducted as part of an in-depth case report with content analysis. Results Based on completed interviews, 4 primary themes were identified: (a) instructional method , (b) input provided , (c) decision-making process , and (d) perceived efficacy of treatment . Additionally, one secondary theme, training and education received , was identified . Conclusions Clinicians reported making decisions based on the needs of the child; however, they also reported making decisions based on the diagnostic category that characterized the child (i.e., ASD). The use of modeling when teaching augmentative and alternative communication to individuals with ASD emerged as a theme, but variations in the method of modeling were noted. SLPs did not report regularly considering processing differences in ASD, nor did they consider the effects of input during instruction.


2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gail Van Tatenhove

Language sample analysis is considered one of the best methods of evaluating expressive language production in speaking children. However, the practice of language sample collection and analysis is complicated for speech-language pathologists working with children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. This article identifies six issues regarding use of language sample collection and analysis in clinical practice with children who use AAC devices. The purpose of this article is to encourage speech-language pathologists practicing in the area of AAC to utilize language sample collection and analysis as part of ongoing AAC assessment.


2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 62-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy Binger

Abstract Many children who use AAC experience difficulties with acquiring grammar. At the 9th Annual Conference of ASHA's Special Interest Division 12, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Binger presented recent research results from an intervention program designed to facilitate the bound morpheme acquisition of three school-aged children who used augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Results indicated that the children quickly began to use the bound morphemes that were taught; however, the morphemes were not maintained until a contrastive approach to intervention was introduced. After the research results were presented, the conference participants discussed a wide variety of issues relating to grammar acquisition for children who use AAC. Some of the main topics of discussion included the following: provision of supports for grammar comprehension and expression, intervention techniques to support grammatical morpheme acquisition, and issues relating to AAC device use when teaching grammatical morpheme use.


ASHA Leader ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Debra Suiter ◽  
Laurie Sterling ◽  
Lynne Brady Wagner

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