Teaching two children with autism spectrum disorder to use a speech-generating device

ABSTRACT

Many children with autism spectrum disorder have minimal speech and are therefore candidates for learning to use speech-generating devices. Previous research has mainly focused on teaching children to use speech-generating devices to request preferred objects. While this is an important communication function, it would seem equally important for children to learn other communication functions, such as learning to reject non-preferred objects and learning to request breaks from non-preferred activities. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate procedures for teaching two children with autism spectrum disorder to use speech-generating devices for these different communication functions. The first child was taught to request preferred foods and reject non-preferred foods. The second child was taught to request a preferred toy and request a break from learning activities. Intervention involved creating opportunities for communication and then applying time delay, graduated guidance, and contingent reinforcement procedures. With intervention, both children learned to use the speech-generating device to perform their two respective communication responses. The results suggest a promising approach for teaching multifunction use of speech-generating devices to children with autism spectrum disorder.

KEYWORDS:

• Augmentative and alternative communication
• autism spectrum disorder
• requesting and rejecting
• speech-generating device

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Acknowledgements

The study was supported by a grant from the New Zealand Government through the Marsden Fund Council, administered by the Royal Society of New Zealand (Marsden Fund Contract: VUW1013). We acknowledge and appreciate the contributions made by the children, their families, and school staff who participated in this study. Laura Roche is now affiliated with the Lojic Institute of Community Services, Brisbane, Australia. Michelle Stevens is now at Explore Specialist Advice, HealthCare of New Zealand, Wellington, New Zealand. Amarie Carnett is now at the Department of Educational Psychology, the University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

Marsden Fund, Royal Society of New Zealand [grant number Marsden Fund Contract: VUW1013]