Frequency of Word Usage by Nondisabled Peers in Integrated Preschool Classrooms

Because nonspeaking preschool students cannot independently generate their own unique messages, the burden of vocabulary selection for their augmentative and alternative communication systems is the responsibility of adults. In order to identify a core list of vocabulary used in the preschool setting, the vocabulary use patterns of nondisabled peers in integrated preschool classrooms were studied. Language samples that ranged from 2 to 7 hours in length were recorded for six preschool children. These samples were then analyzed to determine frequency of word occurrence, number of total words, number of different words, and the consistency (commonality) with which individual words were produced by the six subjects.