Sally A. Clendon

Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Language, and Literacy: Fostering the Relationship.

Language is the common thread underlying speaking, listening, reading, and writing. For children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), a solid foundation in language and communication is essential to active literacy learning across grades. This article examines the language and literacy relationship for children who use AAC. It describes the language and literacy development of these children, highlights intrinsic and extrinsic learning challenges, examines the communication-based literacy learning experiences of these children, and addresses the important role of language and communication in the literacy curricula of classroom settings. Ideas for fostering AAC, language, and literacy connections are presented.

“He Cares About Me and I Care About Him.” Children's Experiences of Friendship with Peers who use AAC

Typically developing children face multiple challenges in developing friendships with peers who have severe physical disabilities and use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), especially when these peers experience restrictions in mobility, educational participation, physical access, and communication. In this small qualitative study, six typically developing children were interviewed about their friendships with classmates who have cerebral palsy and use AAC. Data were analyzed according to Riessmans narrative methodology (2008). Overall, participants viewed these friendships positively. In this article, we discuss the main themes that characterized these friendships: communication, learning, helping, and shared time. This knowledge may help to facilitate friendships between children without disabilities and their peers who use AAC within mainstream educational settings.

The Vocabulary of Beginning Writers: Implications for Children with Complex Communication Needs

One of the greatest challenges facing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) professionals is providing children with complex communication needs with access to the vocabulary that they need in order to develop mature language and literacy abilities. The purpose of this study was to analyze the vocabulary used by typically developing early-elementary children in the United States and New Zealand when they write about self-selected topics, in order to inform practices with children with complex communication needs. The childrens writing samples were compared across school ages and countries. The school age comparisons highlighted the relatively restricted range of vocabulary used by children in the earliest stages of writing development, and the country comparisons revealed differences in core vocabulary. The findings of this study hopefully will assist AAC professionals as they engage in selecting, prioritizing, and organizing vocabulary to support written language development in children with complex communication needs.

Words needed for sharing a story: Implications for vocabulary selection in augmentative and alternative communication

Abstract Background This study examined the narrative vocabulary of typically developing children for the purpose of guiding vocabulary selection for children with complex communication needs. Method Eight children in their first year of schooling (aged 5 years 0 months to 5 years 8 months) and 10 children in their second year of schooling (aged 6 years 0 months to 7 years 2 months) generated story retell, personal, and script narratives. These were analysed using the Child Language Analysis (MacWhinney, 2008) program. Results Several words occurred with high frequency across all tasks. Other words were more specific to particular tasks and topics. In the story-retelling task, the majority of the unique words used were from the original story. However, of the total words available in the original story, only a small proportion was used. Conclusions Some of the high frequency words overlapped with those included in existing wordlists. However, other words were unique to this study. The wordlists generated will provide a useful resource that can be used alongside existing wordlists to guide decision making around vocabulary selection for children with complex communication needs.

Automatic word recognition: The validity of a universally accessible assessment task

In the current study, the validity of a task designed to assess the automatic word recognition skills of persons with complex communication needs was investigated. A total of 78 students without communication impairments in kindergarten through second grade completed a standard automatic word recognition task requiring oral reading of words presented for less than 0.25 s. The same students completed an experimental word recognition task that did not require a spoken response. Results support the validity of the experimental task. For example, the mean performance scores on both tasks decreased in the expected direction, and there was a significant correlation between the standard and experimental tasks. Other results suggest that the same trait was being measured by both tasks. The data highlight directions for future research and development of the experimental task, while leaving us enthusiastic about the future of the experimental task as a valid means of assessing automatic word recognition for persons with complex communication needs.

Upholding the human right of children in New Zealand experiencing communication difficulties to voice their needs and dreams

Abstract New Zealand Ministry of Education’s proposal for an updated service to support children experiencing communication difficulties provides an opportunity to consider the essential criteria required for children to express their opinion, information and ideas as outlined under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This commentary begins with a summary of key policies that provide strategic direction for enhancing children’s rights to be actively involved in the development of services designed to support them and to communicate and participate in inclusive environments. The authors use a human rights lens to inform the development of speech-language pathology services that facilitate individuals’ contribution and engagement and are responsive to their needs. A review of international literature describing the lived experience of children and young people identifies key factors related to accessible information, service coordination, holistic practice, and partnerships that facilitate co-constructed understanding and decision-making. The commentary concludes with suggested recommendations for structuring services, establishing partnership models, and capability building.

Informational text reading interventions for elementary students with learning disabilities — Encouraging findings thus far but additional research is needed1

Ciullo, S., Yu-Ling, S. L., Wanzek, J., & Reed, D. K. (2016). A synthesis of research on informational text reading interventions for elementary students with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 49(3), 257–271. Source of funding and disclosure of interest: No source of funding, and the original authors of this research report no conflicts of interest.

Literacy interventions for students who use aided augmentative and alternative communication: More work to be done

This review provides a summary and appraisal commentary on the treatment review by Machalicek, W., Sanford, A., Lang, R., Rispoli, M., Molfenter, N., & Mbeseha, M. K. (2009). Literacy interventions for students with physical and developmental disabilities who use aided AAC devices: A systematic review. Journal of Physical and Developmental Disabilities, 22, 219–240. Source of funding and disclosure of interest: No source of funding reported, and the original authors of this research report no conflicts of interest.

Friendships with children who use augmentative and alternative communication

Amendments to the Queensland (Australian state jurisdiction) Disability Services Act 2006 were enacted in July 2007. The Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities Volume 6 Number 2 June 2009 IASSID Asia-Pacific Program Committee • Abstracts for the 2nd IASSID Asia-Pacific Conference 111 amendments are aimed at both improving the quality of life and enhancing the human rights of adults who have an intellectual or cognitive disability and have challenging behavior. A central tenet to the amendments is the specification of a legally enforceable practice framework for the management of restrictive practices that are associated with challenging behavior. A key principle underpinning this practice framework is the requirement for an assessment of the adult with the outcomes of the assessment informing the design and implementation of a positive behavior support plan. For chemical, mechanical, and physical restraint the legislation requires at least one appropriately qualified person to complete the assessment. For the purpose of the legislation a person is considered appropriately qualified “if the person has the qualifications or experience appropriate to conduct the assessment” (s.123K). The use of the words “or experienced” has the potential for a diverse scope of interpretation. The Centre of Excellence for Behavior Support (CEBS) identified the requirement for a common approach to describing this concept of “or experienced” person who may not have an academic qualification. Method Through the use of nominal group research, CEBS has developed a competency standard for the “or experienced” person. Two nominal groups were conducted to describe the competency required to undertake an assessment of an adult with challenging behavior. Groups were representative of a range of allied health professionals and direct support staff. Group one provided initial qualitative descriptors of the knowledge and skill required to complete an assessment, while group two validated the knowledge and skill descriptors developed by group one. Results The competency standard represents a best practice approach to the assessment of an adult with challenging behavior. The target cohort for the assessment is an adult with challenging behavior and who is managed through the use of chemical, mechanical, or physical restraint. Conclusions The use of the competency standard is intended to build confidence in the relevant decision makers for the adult in both the quality of the assessment and the development of the subsequent positive behavior support plan.

Internet-based instructional program is an effective means of teaching young adults who use augmentative and alternative communication to use a social problem-solving strategy to respond to hypothetical scenarios1

Participants: Five young adults (four female, one male) aged 18–20 years participated in the study. All participants met the following selection criteria: (a) they were between the ages of 13 and 21 years; (b) they had a severe, congenital, motor speech impairment (all had cerebral palsy); (c) they used augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) as their primary means of communication; (d) they had silent reading-comprehension skills at or above the Grade 4 level (Gray Silent Reading Test); (e) they were able to understand others’ perspectives and use these perspectives during decision-making (professional report); (f) they wanted to improve their problem-solving abilities; (g) they had regular access to the internet; (h) they had parental consent to participate; and (i) they gave their own consent to participate.