Parents' Priorities for AAC and Related Instruction for their Children with Angelman Syndrome

Abstract

This investigation examined the extent to which a set of 98 best practices in AAC, previously agreed upon by a panel of experts in AAC and inclusive education, reflected the actual preferences of 32 parents of children diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome. Parents' responses were examined in relation to whether their children were currently in mostly integrated (MI) settings with children without disabilities, or mostly segregated settings with other children with disabilities. With two exceptions, both groups, regardless of their children's current placements, viewed the practices favorably. When asked to prioritize the most important communication skills they wished their children to attain, all of the most frequently cited priorities were reflected in items contained in the questionnaire, supporting the social validity of the questionnaire as truly reflecting parents' priorities for AAC instruction. Implications of this investigation are discussed, along with next steps.

Keywords:

• Augmentative and alternative communication
• Parents
• Social validation
• Questionnaire
• Angelman Syndrome

Acknowledgements

Preparation of this article was supported in part by a grant from the Angelman Syndrome Foundation to Stephen N. Calculator. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the ASF. We wish to thank Michael Fraas and Amanda Stevens for their assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

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