A Systematic Review of AAC Interventions Using Speech Generating Devices for Autistic Preschoolers
Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Therrien, M. C. S., Whalon, K., et al. (2025).
Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 41(2), 114-128.
<div>This systematic review explores the characteristics and impact of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions utilizing speech generating devices (SGDs) for preschoolers on the autism spectrum. </div>
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológic (Brazil); Office of Special Education Programs
From database inception to March 2023
<div>Any studies with experimental designs</div>
20
<div>Interventions using SGDs targeting requesting had small to high effects on requesting for preschoolers on the autism spectrum (non-overlap of all pairs [NAP] = 0.5-1.0). Specific findings included:</div>
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<ul>
<li>In two studies investigating the impact solely for verbal requesting, treatment effects were either mixed or not significant.</li>
<li>In eleven studies investigating the impact for requests made verbally or via the SGD, there was a significant, small to high treatment effect (NAP = 0.65- 1.0). Studies differed in whether verbal requests of SGD-based requests were more impacted by the AAC interventions.</li>
<li>Treatment effects could not be calculated for one study. </li>
</ul>
<div>Of note, 12 out of 14 studies used iPads with various apps. The other two studies utilized AAC-specific devices.</div>
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<div>Limitations to this review included the potential for publication bias, the lack of reporting of treatment maintenance and generalization data, and small sample sizes.</div>
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<div>Multicomponent interventions incorporating SGDs alongside other techniques (e.g., peer education and training, modeling, expansion) led to significant, small to high treatment effects for at least one social communication or linguistic outcomes for preschoolers on the autism spectrum in five out of six studies. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Of note, four of the six studies used iPads with various apps and two used AAC-specific devices. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Limitations to this review included the potential for publication bias, the lack of reporting of treatment maintenance and generalization data, and small sample sizes.</div>
