Barriers and facilitators of using augmentative and alternative communication with students with multiple disabilities in inclusive education: special education teachers’ perspectives

ABSTRACT

This study investigated special education teachers’ perspectives regarding barriers and facilitators when using Augmentative and Alternate Communication (AAC) with students with multiple disabilities. A sample of 172 teachers of such students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, responded to two questionnaires concerning barriers and facilitators to using AAC. The findings indicate that the school environment dimension poses the most serious barriers, more than the dimensions of teacher skills and students. Female teachers are more aware of their lack of knowledge and skills as barriers than are male teachers. Positive correlations were confirmed between previous AAC training and teaching experience as well as recognition of the seriousness of barriers. Participants also expressed positive and strong agreement about what facilitators provided to AAC use. The findings suggest fruitful ways to increase AAC use and improve the experiences of teacher and student users.

KEYWORDS:

• Augmentative communication
• barriers
• facilitators
• multiple disabilities
• communication impairments
• inclusive education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

The author would like to extend his sincere appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University for funding this research through research group No (RG1440-007).

Notes on contributors

Rashed Aldabas

Rashed Aldabas, Ed.D, is an assistant professor of special education at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. His research interests include assistive technology, AAC, inclusive education and implementation of social and behavioral interventions for children with ASD, severe and multiple disabilities.