Sibling Communication and AAC

Abstract

For individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), success of communicative interactions depends in part on the communication skills and interaction styles of their communication partners. In order to enhance the interactions between AAC users and their communication partners, research involving the instruction of communication partners to use interaction strategies that support the communication of AAC users has been completed. To date, there are no studies that include siblings of AAC users as participants in these communication partner instruction programs. In the current study, 2 siblings developing typically participated in a communication partner instruction program where they were taught how to use three communication strategies, aided AAC modeling, pause time, and prompting, with their sibling who uses AAC. Data was collected on the frequency of their strategy use in a game context with their sibling who uses AAC. Results showed that for one sibling the treatment was very effective. For the other sibling, however, the treatment effectiveness was questionable. There are several variables that may have affected these findings and these will be discussed in this paper. Clinical implications of the findings are also discussed.