ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this brief report was to determine the effect on receptive identification of photos of a tablet computer-based augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) system with voice output. METHODS: A multiple baseline single-case experimental design across vocabulary words was implemented. One participant, a preschool-aged boy with autism and little intelligible verbal language, was included in the study. RESULTS: Although a functional relation between the intervention and the dependent variable was not established, the intervention did appear to result in mild improvement for two of the three vocabulary words selected. CONCLUSION: The authors recommend further investigations of the collateral impacts of AAC on skills other than expressive language.
Subject(s)
Autistic Disorder/psychology , Communication Aids for Disabled , Language , Mobile Applications , Vocabulary , Child, Preschool , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and complex communication needs often rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) as a means of functional communication. This meta-analysis investigated how individual characteristics moderate effectiveness of three types of aided AAC: the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), speech-generating devices (SGDs), and other picture-based AAC. Effectiveness was measured via the Improvement Rate Difference. Results indicated that AAC has small to moderate effects on speech outcomes, and that SGDs appear to be most effective when considering any outcome measure with individuals with ASD without comorbid intellectual/developmental disorders (IDD). PECS appears to be most effective when considering any outcome measure with individuals with ASD and IDD. SGDs and PECS were the most effective type of AAC for preschoolers, when aggregating across outcome measures. No difference was found between systems for elementary-aged and older individuals.
Subject(s)
Child Development Disorders, Pervasive/rehabilitation , Communication Aids for Disabled/standards , Communication Disorders/rehabilitation , Intellectual Disability/rehabilitation , Speech/physiology , Child Development Disorders, Pervasive/epidemiology , Child Development Disorders, Pervasive/physiopathology , Communication Aids for Disabled/classification , Communication Disorders/epidemiology , Communication Disorders/physiopathology , Humans , Intellectual Disability/epidemiology , Intellectual Disability/physiopathologyABSTRACT
Individuals with developmental disabilities may engage in automatically reinforced behaviors that may interfere with learning opportunities. Manipulation of motivating operations has been shown to reduce automatically maintained behavior in some individuals. Considering behavioral indicators of satiation may assist in identifying the point at which an abolishing operation has begun to effect behavior. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of pre-session satiation of automatic reinforcement on subsequent levels of stereotypy and activity engagement during group activities for three males ages 5 to 13 years with developmental disabilities. Following functional analyses with analogue conditions, an alternating treatment design compared a pre-session access to stereotypy condition with a no-pre-session access condition prior to group activity sessions. Results indicated that pre-session satiation of the putative reinforcer produced by stereotypy was effective in decreasing stereotypy and increasing activity engagement during subsequent group activities for all participants. These findings add to the literature supporting the effectiveness of abolishing operations to decrease automatically maintained stereotypy.
Subject(s)
Behavior Therapy/methods , Stereotyped Behavior , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Developmental Disabilities/psychology , Developmental Disabilities/therapy , Humans , Interpersonal Relations , Male , Reinforcement, PsychologyABSTRACT
There is a growing research literature on the potential benefits of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for individuals with autism; however few studies have investigated implementation of AAC within real-life contexts. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of training for practitioners in implementation of aided AAC, and to examine implementation of Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) in real-life contexts. In particular, this study involved the implementation of instructional coaching to increase opportunities offered by behavioral therapists for their preschool-aged clients to use PECS to make requests. Results indicated increases in therapist implementation of AAC and client use of AAC in trained contexts, with limited generalization to untrained contexts.
Subject(s)
Autistic Disorder/rehabilitation , Behavior Therapy/methods , Communication Aids for Disabled , Education, Special/methods , Professional-Patient Relations , Psychology, Educational/methods , Adult , Autistic Disorder/psychology , Behavior Therapy/education , Behavior Therapy/statistics & numerical data , Child Development Disorders, Pervasive/psychology , Child Development Disorders, Pervasive/rehabilitation , Child, Preschool , Communication , Female , Humans , Male , Observer Variation , Psychology, Educational/educationABSTRACT
The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a widely used picture/icon aided augmentative communication system designed for learners with autism and other developmental disorders. This meta-analysis analyzes the extant empirical literature for PECS relative to targeted (functional communication) and non-targeted concomitant outcomes (behavior, social skills, and speech) for learners with autism, learners with autism and intellectual disabilities and those with autism and multiple disabilities. Effect size analyses were done using the Improvement Rate Difference method, an advanced metric. Effect sizes were independently analyzed for targeted and non-targeted outcomes, student age, learner disability, and number of phases in the PECS protocol acquired by learners. Results supported the judgment that PECS is a promising intervention method. Analysis also revealed that functional communication outcomes associated with the PECS protocol were most impacted, that preschool children and those with autism generally showed the strongest training effects, and that in general students who advanced through the most PECS protocol phases had the best outcomes.
