A Family Guide for Increasing Augmentative and Alternative Communication Success

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems have been shown to help many individuals with complex communication needs, from young children with developmental disabilities (Drager, Light & McNaughton, 2010) to adults with acquired disabilities (Beukelman, Fager, Ball & Dietz, 2007). AAC has become a more prominent area within the field of speech-language pathology. It continues to be recognized as a promising intervention method for a variety of individuals with complex communication needs, and the increase in technological advances continue to increase its potential (Light & McNaughton, 2012). As the prevalence of AAC rises, more universities are including AAC coursework within their Speech-Language Pathology graduate programs. While more Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are being instructed on how to approach AAC with their clients successfully, 30% of devices are still abandoned (Phillips & Zhao, 1993). Recent research has found that lack of family involvement, lack of family instruction, and lack of opportunities provided by the family, are some of the top reasons for AAC abandonment (Johnson, Inglebret, Jones & Ray, 2006). This project emerged from the research to meet the needs of encouraging meaningful interactions between SLPs and family members of school-age children who are taking part in the AAC process. The project is a two-part resource: part 1) Family Guide to AAC consists of handouts, forms, and interaction examples to engage the family members; part 2) Supplemental Research Guide consists of summaries of the research articles which led to the creation of each component found in the Family Guide.