If Saying and Showing Aren’t Enough, How Can Speech Therapists Support the Implementation of Augmentative and Alternative Communication Among Professionals Working With Children With ASD?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61989/nkkrm823Keywords:
learning, vocational learning, speech and language therapy, autism, alternative communication system, augmentative communication systemAbstract
Context. Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) systems are too often underutilized in institutions serving children with ASD with limited or absent spoken language. Training communication partners is a crucial issue, as their engagement is essential to the successful implementation of AAC. This observation questions the effectiveness of traditional transmissive methods and invites exploration of training approaches that are more contextualized and adapted to specific situations.
Objective. To explore the relevance of a situational AAC coaching program for communication partners through its impact on the determinants of intention among caregivers and educators tasked with supporting the communication of children with ASD. Perspectives will be outlined to equip speech-language therapists in this support process.
Methods. The study adopts a qualitative action research approach. A training program for communication partners was implemented with five healthcare and education professionals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted before and after the program to explore the training experience and the evolution of the three determinants of intention defined by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB): attitudes towards AAC, contextual factors relating to subjective norms and behavioral control. These data were cross-referenced with the training experience of the professionals to identify the key components of the support provided.
Results. The determinants of the intention to engage in AAC support evolved during the training. Attitudes and perceived control were positively influenced. Contextual factors related to organizational barriers or lack of institutional support diminished but still pose potential risk to maintaining newly acquired skills. Participants acknowledged that feedback and guided practice contributed differently to their learning. The results should be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size of participants and the lack of quantitative data that would have allowed for an analysis of the relationship between variables within the framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB).
Conclusion. The complementarity of the pedagogical methods used in this training program proved to be a powerful lever for reinforcing the determinants of intention to implement AAC. The benefits of the program rely on the quality of the provided support, which must be both sufficiently reassuring and aimed at professional empowerment through a reflective process. The importance of contextual factors highlights the need to embed the training in a supportive institutional environment.
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