What communication strategies do AAC users want their communication partners to use? A preliminary study

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to investigate which communication strategies the people, who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), want their communication partners to use. Methods: We interviewed eight children using Talking Mats to examine the AAC users’ own opinion. Results: The results showed that they wanted their communication partners to take the initiative, to repair the breaks when communication breakdowns occurred, and to invest time in understanding what AAC users wanted to express. Conclusions: These results underlined the significant responsibility of communication partners and revealed the need for AAC user interventions to help them be active communicators. More research needs to emphasise AAC users’ opinions about communication partner strategies to improve the communication processes for AAC-users and thereby promote social inclusion in natural environment.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Communication partner strategies can affect communication as well as personal development and life quality for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) users.

• In AAC-users opinion, their communication partners should take the communicative initiative, repair the breaks when communication breakdowns occurred, and invest time in understanding what AAC-users want to express.

• There is a need to inform and educate communication partners, especially those unfamiliar to AAC users. Practical training sessions, clinician modelling and written materials may be helpful. A communication partner guide can be adapted to each individual AAC user who explains his or her communication preferences. Additionally, there is a need that the clinicians promote active rather than passive communication from AAC users, which requires that they have access to the necessary symbols.

• AAC user
• communication partners
• communication strategies
• Talking Mats

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.