Promising Strategies for Teaching Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Inclusive Educational Settings: A Systematic Review
Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools
O'Regan Kleinert, J., Kearns, J. F., et al. (2023).
Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 54(4), 1333-1357.
This systematic review investigates the effects of increasing use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in inclusive school settings for students with intellectual disabilities and complex communication needs.
TIES Center, University of Minnesota; U.S. Department of Education
1998–2022
Quantitative and qualitative studies
17
All fifteen studies obtaining data specific to AAC intervention reported positive outcomes for use of AAC or teaching AAC in inclusive settings. Specific outcomes included: increased use of speech-generating devices or communicative behaviors with those devices, use of new AAC systems such as PECS, increased engagement with peers, increased spontaneous verbalizations, increased use of communication strategies by peers, teachers, or paraprofessionals, and increased communication when peers were trained to use AAC.
