Aided AAC Systems Among Individuals With Hearing Loss and Disabilities
Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities
Davis, T., Barnard-Brak, L., et al. (2010).
Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 22(3), 241-256.
This systematic review investigates the use of aided augmentative and alternative communication devices (AAC) among deaf or hard of hearing individuals with one or more concomitant disabilities.
Not stated
1971-2009
Experimental study designs
14
"Findings suggest that aided [augmentative and alternative communication] AAC devices can be successful components of communication interventions for individuals who have hearing loss and experience additional or concomitant disabilities. These findings, while encouraging, may be considered the beginning of learning the most effective types of AAC devices and training methods for this population" (p. 251). Approximately 81% of the participants across all of the included studies demonstrated improvement in all targeted measures. The remaining 19% of participants exhibited improvement in some, but not all, of the outcome measures. "The documented success of such devices among this population is particularly encouraging. However, more experimentally-designed research is needed to further investigate the gaps found in this review" (p. 254).
The majority of studies included individuals with hearing loss and intellectual disability (96%) and found support for the use of aided augmentative and alternative communication devices. However due to the heterogeneity of augmentative and alternative comminication (AAC) devices used, lack of standard methods for AAC selection, and lack of up-to-date research, further research is warranted on the use of AAC as a communication intervention for individuals with hearing loss and concomitant disabilities.
