Supporting a school team in planning and implementing AAC for a child with intellectual disability

Supporting a child who cannot use speech and also has a language disorder to learn augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is often challenging for families and school teams. I provided one school-family team with supports package that consisted of a structured team meeting and one-on-one coaching. I examined the effectiveness of this supports package in facilitating (a) team functioning, (b) instructional competence in AAC instruction, and (c) the child's communication. The supports package was effective in improving team functioning and building instructional competence, which led to positive changes in the child’s communication using AAC. However, the supports package was insufficient in supporting ongoing functioning and instructional competence that lead to the child’s independent, autonomous communication via AAC. This suggests that the supports package is a useful first step in this process but that additional ongoing supports are needed.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Special Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2016

Author dc:creator

• Snodgrass, Melinda Rae

Contributors dc:contributor

• Meadan-Kaplansky, Hedda
• Halle, James W.
• Greene, Jennifer C.
• Reichle, Joe

• augmentative and alternative communication
• team functioning
• instruction
• communicative competence
• family-school partnerships

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2016 Melinda R. Snodgrass

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/93024

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/93024