Rethinking Family (Dis)engagement with Augmentative & Alternative Communication

Autor/in	Doak, Lauran
Titel	Rethinking Family (Dis)engagement with Augmentative & Alternative Communication
Quelle	In: Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 21 (2021) 3, S.198-210 (13 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Doak, Lauran)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1471-3802
DOI	10.1111/1471-3802.12510
Schlagwörter	Augmentative and Alternative Communication; Nonverbal Communication; Family Attitudes; Family Environment; Verbal Ability; Children; Communication Strategies; Autism; Pervasive Developmental Disorders + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Non-verbal communication; Nonverbale Kommunikation; Familienmilieu; Mündliche Leistung; Child; Kind; Kinder; Kommunikationsstrategie; Autismus
Abstract	Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is a core component of special education for many children with learning disabilities and/or autism who have minimal or no speech. Much literature focuses on implementation of AAC in the classroom or therapy setting, but less is known about how AAC is used in the family home. Few studies are authored by an AAC parent/researcher with reflection on positionality, power and the advantages conferred by 'insider' status. This paper addresses this gap by exploring the perspectives of five families of minimally verbal children on the place of AAC in their child's home communication. Semi-structured family interviews were transcribed and subjected to Thematic Analysis. Formal AAC practices such as Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and Makaton were found to play a limited role in the children's home communication. Findings indicate three possible explanations: the emotional and relationship-building dimensions of family communication; the competing priorities of family life with a disabled child; and the child's existing multimodal communication strategies including the use of household objects. These findings offer a preliminary starting point for understanding the emic perspectives of AAC families and reasons for their convergence/divergence with professional attitudes to AAC, and warrant further investigation in larger-scale studies. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01