AAC intervention package (Edgar et al., 2024)

<p dir="ltr"><b>Purpose: </b>The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) intervention package consisting of systematic instruction and aided AAC modeling with speech-output technology on the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of socio-communicative behaviors in four minimally speaking, preschool-aged, autistic children.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Method: </b>A multiple-probe design across behaviors (i.e., initiating a request for a turn, answering questions, and commenting) replicated across participants was implemented to evaluate the effects of the intervention package on socio-communicative behaviors. Furthermore, a pretreatment and posttreatment multiple-generalization-probe design was used to assess generalization across typically developing peers who were not a part of the intervention. Maintenance data were collected 3 weeks post intervention.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Results:</b> Visual analysis, corroborated by nonoverlapping of all pairs statistics, established a strong functional relationship between the AAC intervention package and all targeted socio-communicative outcomes for two participants. For the other two participants, inconsistent intervention effects were observed. In terms of generalization from interacting with the researcher to typically developing peers, a functional relationship between the intervention and generalization outcomes for all targeted behaviors was established for only one participant (i.e., Aiden).</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Conclusion:</b> The outcomes of this study suggest that aided AAC modeling and systematic instruction using a speech-output technology may lead to gains in socio-communicative behaviors in some minimally speaking, preschool-aged, autistic children.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Supplemental Material S1.</b> An example script for intervention for initiating a request for a turn, answering questions, and commenting during a sticker book activity.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Supplemental Material S2.</b> Procedural reliability checklist for baseline phase: initiating requests behavior.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Supplemental Material S3.</b> Procedural reliability checklist for baseline phase: answering questions behavior.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Supplemental Material S4.</b> Procedural reliability checklist for baseline phase: commenting behavior.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Supplemental Material S5.</b> Procedural reliability checklist for intervention phase: initiating requests behavior.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Supplemental Material S6.</b> Procedural reliability checklist for intervention phase: answering questions behavior.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Supplemental Material S7.</b> Procedural reliability checklist for intervention phase: commenting behavior.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Supplemental Material S8.</b> Procedural reliability checklist for generalization phase: initiating requests behavior.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Supplemental Material S9.</b> Procedural reliability checklist for generalization phase: answering questions behavior.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Supplemental Material S10.</b> Procedural reliability checklist for generalization phase: commenting behavior.</p><p dir="ltr">Chavers Edgar, T., Schlosser, R. W., & Koul, R. (2024). Socio-communicative behaviors involving minimally speaking autistic preschoolers and their typically developing peers: Effects of an augmentative and alternative communication intervention package. <i>Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research</i><i>,</i><i> 67</i>(11), 4466–4486. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_JSLHR-24-00210" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_JSLHR-24-00210</a></p>