Instructing Facilitators to Support the Communication of People Who Use Augmentative Communication Systems

TLDR

A single‑subject multiple‑baseline design across three dyads tested facilitator instruction, consisting of four 1‑hour sessions that reduced conversational control and increased opportunities for AAC users to communicate. The intervention reduced facilitator turn‑taking and initiations, increased responsive turns, boosted AAC user initiations, produced more reciprocal interaction patterns, and generalized to natural settings, demonstrating that facilitator instruction effectively promotes AAC users’ participation.

Abstract

A single-subject multiple-baseline design, replicated across three dyads, was used to examine the efficacy of instructing facilitators (i.e., significant others) to promote communication with people who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. Facilitators were instructed in four 1-hour sessions to decrease their conversational control and provide more opportunities for the participants using AAC systems to communicate. Following instruction, facilitators decreased their rates of turn-taking and initiations and increased the proportion of turns that were responsive. Participants using AAC systems increased the frequency of their initiations. Following intervention, turn-taking and initiation patterns in the dyads were more reciprocal. Generalization occurred to the natural environment. Results suggest that facilitator instruction is an effective and efficient means of promoting greater participation in daily interactions by people who use AAC systems.