Friendship between children using augmentative and alternative communication and peers: A systematic literature review

ABSTRACT

Background Although research on friendship among children without any reported disability is extensive, the investigation of the characteristics of friendship among children who are using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) has received little attention. In this systematic literature review we investigated the current research on friendship between children who use AAC under 13 years of age.

Method Database searches were undertaken with English search terms. The review included 8 articles.

Results The results revealed that current research lacks systematic development of knowledge. Children using AAC have a different basis for establishing and developing friendship, due to restrictions in presence, participation, interaction, and communication with peers.

Conclusions Future research could pay closer attention to how children using AAC develop friendship, and how such relationships can be supported. This research could usefully incorporate the body of research on friendship among children without disability.

KEYWORDS:

• friendship
• children
• augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
• peers
• literature review

Acknowledgments

This is a student paper based on the doctoral research of the first author.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Jørn Østvik http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7427-1506

Notes

1 Facebook is an online social networking service of Facebook Inc., CA, USA.

2 Instant messaging is a type of an online, real-time chat service.

3 Livewire is an online community of Starlight Children’s Foundation, Australia.

4 MySpace is an online social networking service of Specific Media LLC, Irvine, CA, USA.

5 An online game is a video game played over a computer network (e.g., internet or equivalent technology).

6 Skype is a telecommunication application software of Skype Communications, Luxemburg.

7 Twitter is an online social networking service of Twitter Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA.