New and emerging AAC technology supports for children with complex communication needs and their communication partners: State of the science and future research directions

Abstract

This paper discusses recent research and development with a specific focus on selected new and emerging research-based augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technologies that are developmentally appropriate and responsive to the individual interests, needs, and skills of children with developmental disabilities, their families, peers, and other communication partners. Specifically, this paper reviews the state of the science and future directions related to recent research and development of AAC technologies as supports to (a) enhance language learning, (b) facilitate social interaction, (c) improve literacy skills, (d) increase participation in society, and (e) teach interaction strategies to communication partners.

Keywords:

• AAC
• children
• developmental disabilities
• parents
• communication partners
• technology
• visual scene displays
• video visual scene displays

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

2 The cases represent composites based on the authors’ clinical and research experiences. All personally identifying information has been removed to protect confidentiality.

3 Despite the common belief that core vocabulary represents words that are used frequently, in reality, these lists are typically defined as words that occur at a frequency of at least 0.5 per 1,000 (or 1 per 2,000 words). In other words, many of the words on core vocabulary lists actually do not occur frequently. Some core lists are defined by words that are used commonly across individuals, but these lists typically include words that are only used by as few as 50% of the participants, suggesting that many of the words on these lists are actually not that common either. In fact, there is substantial individual variation in vocabulary use, especially in the early stages of development.

4 There are many AAC apps that support the use of visual scene displays (VSDs), available from a wide range of AAC manufacturers/app developers. If AAC apps are to effectively support just- in-time (JIT) programming, adding new VSDs, hotspots, and vocabulary must require only a minimal number of steps.

5 In theory, JIT programming could be achieved with any AAC technology, including grid displays, but only if it is very quick and easy to add a new vocabulary concept; in practice, many current AAC technologies require numerous steps to programme even a single concept. This paper focuses specifically on VSD apps that support JIT programming because it is these apps that have been researched to date.

6 Video VSDs were initially developed under the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (RERC on AAC) by InvoTek, Inc., 1026 Riverview Dr., Alma, AR 72921, USA; www.invotek.org. An app that supports video VSDs, GoVisualTM, is available from Attainment Company, 504 Commerce Parkway, Verona, WI 53593, USA; www.attainmentcompany.com/govisual

7 The transition to literacy (T2L) feature for VSD apps was initially developed under the RERC on AAC by InvoTek, Inc., 1026 Riverview Dr. Alma, AR 72921, USA; www.invotek.org. Commercially available AAC apps that support VSDs with the T2L feature include: GoVisualTM available from Attainment Company, 504 Commerce Parkway, Verona, WI 53593, USA; www.attainmentcompany.com/govisual; and Snap Scene available from Tobii Dynavox, 2100 Wharton St., Suite 400, Pittsburgh, PA 15203, USA; www.tobiidynavox.com/en-US/software/iPad-apps/snap-scene/. The transition to literacy (T2L) feature for grid-based apps was developed by, and is available from, Saltillo, 2143 Township Rd. 112, Millersburg, OH 44654, USA; https://saltillo.com/

Additional information

Funding

The contents of this paper were developed under a grant to the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (The RERC on AAC) from the US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) grant # 90RE5017. The contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the funding agency, and endorsement by the federal government should not be assumed.

This paper is part of a special issue of the AAC Journal on the State of the Science.