Assessment with children who need augmentative and alternative communication (AAC): Clinical decisions of AAC specialists

Shelley K. Lund, Wendy Quach, Kristy Weissling, Miechelle McKelvey, Aimee Dietz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

54 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who are augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) specialists approach the assessment process for 2 case studies, 1 child with cerebral palsy and 1 with autism spectrum disorder. The aim of the study was to answer the following questions: (a) How do clinicians with expertise approach the AAC assessment process for children with developmental disabilities? (b) Can any initial hypothesis be drawn about how SLPs approach the assessment of children with motor versus social interactive deficits? Method: This study used a phenomenological qualitative design. The researchers conducted 2 in-depth, semistructured interviews with 8 SLPs who specialized in AAC and selfidentified as primarily working with children. Results: Four major themes emerged from the data: area of assessment, method of assessment, evaluation preparation, and parent education. Each major theme contained multiple subthemes and categories within those subthemes. Conclusions: Participants discussed similar areas of assessment for both cases, indicating that some aspects of AAC assessment are universal. However, the specific aspects of what they were assessing and how they went about assessing them differed between the 2 cases. The results of the current study provide an outline of an assessment protocol for children with complex communication needs.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)56-68
Number of pages13
JournalLanguage, speech, and hearing services in schools
Volume48
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2017

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Language and Linguistics
  • Linguistics and Language
  • Speech and Hearing

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