Augmentative and Alternative Communication for Adults with Acquired Severe Communication Disorders

A severe communication disorder that limits the extent to which natural speech meets the communication needs of daily living can result from a variety of diseases, syndromes, and traumas across the age range. For individuals with acquired disability, a severe communication disorder may occur due to physical impairment, language impairment, cognitive impairment, or combinations of impairments. In this article the demographic patterns of acquired severe communication disorders, intervention models, intervention strategies, and intervention effectiveness results that have been reported in the literature are reviewed. In addition, future research and clinical directions are highlighted.